Brooke Petersen

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EDUCATION

• B.A., Hope College
• M.Div., Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
• LPC, Center for Religion and Psychotherapy
• Ph.D., Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary

CERTIFICATIONS

• Designing Digital Teaching and Learning for Theological Educators, UWI Continuing Studies

Biography

Dr. Petersen joined the LSTC faculty as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care in 2023.  She also serves as the Director of the Master’s Level Programs as well as Director of Candidacy. Prior to 2023 she has served at LSTC in a number of roles including as an appointed faculty member, an auxiliary faculty member, and guest lecturer. She has also taught at McCormick Theological Seminary and New Brunswick Theological Seminary and has been a guest lecturer at North Park University and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary.  Dr. Petersen also maintains a psychotherapy practice at the Spiritual Life Center in Chicago.

Dr. Petersen received a PhD in Pastoral Theology, Personality and Culture from Garrett in 2017, writing a dissertation entitled “Religious Estrangement and Return in the Experience of Queer Persons” which specifically highlights the impact of religious trauma on queer persons.  

Dr. Petersen’s research interests include trauma as well as the intersection of psychological theory, mental health and pastoral theology.  Her courses at LSTC often focus on clinical aspects of pastoral care as well as the practices of pastoral care in our contemporary world.

Dr. Petersen graduated with her MDiv from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 2006, going on to serve Irving Park Lutheran Church in Chicago for 6 years. From 2017-2018 she served as an interim pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square.

PUBLISHED WORKS

• Religious Trauma: Queer Stories in Estrangement and Return, Rowman and Littlefield, https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781793641151/Religious-Trauma-Queer-Stories-in-Estrangement-and-Return