Patrick Tugwell
About:
Education
- S.T.M. Christianity, Yale University
- M.Div. Theology, Boston University
- B.S. Economics, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Research
Patrick Tugwell is a Ph.D. student in Religious Studies at UCSB. His research explores the social, economic, and political ‘stuff’ constructed and produced by a deeply-rooted, widely-present, wildly-influential metaphysical tradition in the United States. He is currently focused on the cultural utility of “spirituality” in 20th- and 21st-century American life, while also relatedly interested in religious fundamentalism, megachurches, religion in popular culture, prosperity gospel and faith-healing movements, and apocalyptic theologies. Patrick first investigated several of these themes in his master’s thesis, “The Almighty Dollar,” which traces the evolution and influence of Christian self-help religiosity in the United States since the late 18th century.
Outside the academy, Patrick is a licensed minister in the United Methodist Church and serves currently as a bilingual hospice and palliative care chaplain in Santa Barbara County. He was a 2024 FASPE Clergy Fellow and previously completed a chaplain residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, where he conducted field research in palliative care and bioethics.
University Service
- Research and Event Assistant, Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life (2025-26)
- Vice President, Graduate Student Affairs, Graduate Student Association (2025-26)
- Student Board Member, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Cabinet (2024-25)
Teaching
- RGST21/EACS21: Zen Buddhism (assistant, spring 2025)
- RGST24: Jesus in Comparative Perspective (assistant, winter 2025)
- RGST35: Introduction to Religion & Politics (assistant, fall 2024)
Publications
- “Even if a chaplain is turned away, there’s still hope,” in Chaplain Life: an essay series (March 20, 2025).
- “The Mundane Matters,” 64–71, in FASPE Journal 2024 (March 1, 2025).
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“The Almighty Dollar: Exploring the Use of the Bible in the Personal Development Industry,” Master of Sacred Theology thesis, Yale Divinity School (May 2023).
