Researcher Profile

Professor Clare Johnson

Professor of Liturgical Studies & Sacramental Theology and Director, ACU Centre for Liturgy
Faculty of Theology and Philosophy

Areas of expertise: liturgy; sacramental theology; liturgical music; liturgical inculturation; liturgical theology; ritual studies; liturgy and schools

HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Full 

ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7389-8008

Phone: +61 039230 8186

Email: Clare.Johnson@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU Melbourne Campus

Clare Johnson is Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology within the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy and Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy. She holds undergraduate honours degrees in music (University of Melbourne) and theology (Melbourne College of Divinity), a research Master of Arts in Theology (Catholic Theological Union Chicago), a Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies (Notre Dame USA) and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (ACU). She has taught at the University of Notre Dame (USA), Michigan State University (USA) and the University of Notre Dame Australia (Fremantle) in liturgical studies, sacramental theology, liturgical music, preaching, and foundations in theology. She has received multiple teaching awards. She joined ACU in mid-2009 as a specialist in liturgical studies and sacramental theology and has designed and taught 19 different units (online and face to face). Her academic research in liturgy, liturgical music, ritual studies, liturgical theology and liturgical inculturation has been widely published in refereed journals and books. She has edited numerous books. She holds a Mandatum to teach Catholic theology (2004). Within ACU's Faculty of Theology and Philosophy Clare established the liturgy concentration within the Graduate Certificate and Diploma in Theological Studies Courses in 2012, and the concentration in liturgical studies within the Master of Theological Studies in 2020. She directs higher degree research students in liturgy, sacraments and the sacred arts at masters and doctoral levels.

Clare was appointed as Professor and Foundation Director of the ACU Centre for Liturgy (2015) and coordinates the Centre's academic, formation, and consultation programs for dioceses, Catholic Education Offices, schools, parishes, and other Catholic agencies throughout Australia. Clare served a 9-year term as a member of the National Liturgical Council advising the Australian Catholic Bishops Commission for Liturgy (2009-2018). She served as Chair of the National Liturgical Music Council (2015 - 2025) and is a consultant to the Bishops' Commission for Liturgy (2018 - present).

Select publications

• Johnson, Clare V., co-author and adapting editor. Celebrating the Lectionary Year A/B/C. Mulgrave VIC: Garratt, 2019, 2020, 2021.

• "Scripture in the Liturgy: Developing the Post-Conciliar Lectionary - A View from Australia." Vatican II: Event and Mandate, Vol. 5: North America, Australia and Oceania, edited by Catherine E. Clifford, Massimo Faggioli, Richard Lennan, and Ormond Rush (Belgium: Peeters, 2025), pp. 329-346.

• "Scripture in the Liturgy: Developing the Post-Conciliar Lectionary - A View from Australia."

• Vatican II: Event and Mandate, Vol. 5: North America, Australia and Oceania, edited by Catherine E. Clifford, Massimo Faggioli, Richard Lennan, and Ormond Rush (Belgium: Peeters, 2025), pp. 329-346.

• "Die Heilige Schrift in der Liturgie: Die Entwicklung des Lektionars nach dem Zweiten Vatikanishen Konsil. Ein Überblick aus Australien." Das Zweite Vatikanische Konzil - Ereignis und Auftrag Band 5: Nordamerika, Australien und Ozeanien. Catherine E. Clifford, Massimo Faggioli, Richard Lennan and Ormond Rush, eds. Freiburg: Herder, 2025, 312-327.

• "Liturgy and the Sacraments." Cambridge Companion to Christian Liturgy ed. Joris Geldhof. Cambridge University Press, 2025, 133-154.

• "Introduction." Sacrosanctum Concilium: Exploring Liturgical Futures. Cham Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2025, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-82129-5_1

• "Affect, Emotion, and Ritual Effectiveness: The Potential of Affect Science to Enhance Liturgical Celebration." Sacrosanctum Concilium: Exploring Liturgical Futures. Cham Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2025, 109-126. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-82129-5_8

• "Sacraments and the Bible." Liturgy and Life Study Bible. Collegeville: Liturgical, 2023, xxxv-xxxviii.

• "Women's Modes of Liturgical Participation." Still Listening to the Spirit. Social Justice Secretariat and Office for the Participation of Women, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 2019, 64-71.

• "Portals to Transcendence." At the Heart of the Liturgy. Eds. Maxwell E. Johnson, Timothy P. O'Malley and Demetrio S. Yokum. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2014, 87-98.

• "Liturgical Intelligibility in Sacrosanctum Concilium." Vatican Council II: Reforming Liturgy. Eds. Carmel Pilcher, David Orr and Elizabeth Harrington. Adelaide: ATF Press, 2013, 43-60.

• "A Deep and Vast Renewal of the Church's Inmost Life." Vatican II: Reception and Implementation in the Australian Church. Eds. Neil Ormerod, Ormond Rush, David Pascoe, Clare Johnson and Joel Hodge. Mulgrave VIC: Garrett, 2012, 20-46.

• "Relating Liturgical Time to 'Place-Time': The Spatio-Temporal Dislocation of the Liturgical Year in Australia." Christian Worship in Australia, eds. Stephen Burns and Anita Monro. Strathfield NSW: St. Pauls, 2009, 33-45.

• "Inculturating the Easter Feast in Southeast Australia." Christianity and Native Cultures: Perspectives from Different Regions of the World. C.K. Pullapilly, B.J. Donahoe, D. Stefancic, B. Svelmoe, eds. Notre Dame, Indiana: Cross Cultural Publications, 2004, 276-294.

• "Evolución actual de la inculturación litúrgica." Phase 65 No. 375 (March 2025): 25-35. [Centre de Pastoral Litúrgica, Barcelona, ISSN: 0210-3877]

• "From Organic Growth to Liturgico-Plasticity: Re-conceptualizing the Process of Liturgical Reform." Theological Studies 76/1 (March 2015): 87-111.

• "Transcending Text: Liturgy as medium of evangelisation 50 years after Vatican II." Australian Journal of Liturgy 13/3 (May 2013): 100-117.

• "Embracing Local Ecology in Liturgical Expression." Liturgy 27/2 (2012): 31-39.

• "At the Crossroads of Change: Theological Ramifications of Liturgical Translation" Lutheran Theological Journal 45/1 (May 2011): 51-59.

• "Bridging the Cartesian Chasm: A Radical Empiricist Perspective on Liturgical Inculturation." Studia Liturgica 40 (2010): 208-223.

• "Managing Liturgical Change." Australian Journal of Liturgy 12/2 (2010): 60-75.

• "Grounding the Timeless in Place: Exploring the influence of the physical environment on liturgical conceptions of time." Australian Journal of Liturgy 12/1 (May 2009): 84-107.

• "Researching Ritual Practice." Studia Liturgica 35/2 (Fall 2005): 204-220.

• "Paradigms of Translation." Worship 76:2 (March 2003): 151-170.

• "The Children's Eucharistic Prayers: A Model of Liturgical Inculturation." Worship 75:3 (May 2001): 209-227.

Awards

• ACU Vice Chancellor's Staff Excellence Award (2025) (Local and Global Strategic Partnerships - Global Media Coverage of 'The Two Popes')

• ACU Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2013)

• ACU Teaching Development Grant (2013)

• Australian Research Theology Foundation Inc. Grant (2012-13)

• ACU Vice Chancellor's Staff Appreciation Award (2012)

• Commendation for Teaching Performance, University of Notre Dame Australia (2009)

Appointments and Affiliations

• North American Academy of Liturgy (elected member) 2003-present

• Catholic Academy of Liturgy (USA) (elected member) 2005-present

• Australian Academy of Liturgy (elected member) 2008-present

• Societas Liturgica (elected member) 2008-present

• Australian Catholic Theological Association (elected member) 2011-present

Editorial roles

• Member of the Editorial Board for the Australian Journal of Liturgy 2009-2014

• Assistant Editor, Studia Liturgica 2011-2015

International journal review panels

• Member of External Advisory Board for Ex Fonte: Journal of Ecumenical Studies in Liturgy 2021→ present

Grant agency review panels

• European Science Foundation College of Expert Reviewers (April 2021 - present)

Public engagement

• On Air Commentator for ABC Television and Radio Coverage of Pope Francis' Funeral at St Peter's Square 26 April 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ16mEgwTcQ

• "Liturgy: Formed in the Mystery." Keynote Address, Diocese of Sandhurst Liturgical Ministry Seminars, Bendigo VIC (21 May 2024), Wangaratta VIC (Oct. 14, 2023) and Shepparton (Oct.18, 2024)

• Director of Liturgy: Association of South-East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities' General Assembly (Sydney, 2024)

• "Realising SC's vision: liturgical maturation in the era of Pope Francis." UNDA and Archdiocese of Sydney: Scholarship in the Cathedral, St Mary's Cathedral Chapter Hall (Nov. 29, 2023)

• Director of Liturgy: Blessing of St Teresa of Kolkata Building, ACU Melbourne (Aug 31, 2023)

• Director of Liturgy: Mass of Installation of ACU Chancellor The Hon Martin Daubney AM (St Stephen's Cathedral, Brisbane) (Feb 2022)

• Director of Liturgy: Mass of Installation of ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis (St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney) (March 2021)

• Keynote Lecture: "So let us all with one accord: music as ecclesial glue." Australian Pastoral Musicians Network Conference, Perth WA (Oct. 6, 2017)

• Keynote Lecture: "Stargazing and Future-Proofing: the necessity of formation in charting liturgy's forward trajectory." National Biennial Liturgy Conference, Melbourne VIC (Mar. 25, 2017)

• Director of ACU National Choir for International Federation of Catholic Universities General Assembly Liturgies (ACU Melbourne) (July 13-16, 2015)

• Director of Liturgy and Music, International Federation of Catholic Universities 25th General Assembly (ACU, Melbourne) (July 13-16, 2015)

• Keynote Lecture: "Unearthing a Treasure of Inestimable Value: Liturgical Music and the Ars Celebrandi." Lift Up Your Hearts, National Liturgy Conference, Wollongong, NSW (Jan. 17, 2014)

• Facilitator for half-day discussion on "Liturgical Formation in Australia: Present Needs and Future Directions," for the Biennial Meeting of the Bishops Commission for Liturgy, National Liturgical Council and Consultants, Wollongong NSW (Jan. 15, 2014)

• Keynote Lecture: "The Liturgy Constitution: Implementation in Australia" Celebrating 50 Years of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Conference, Diocese of Ballarat, VIC (Nov. 23, 2013)

• "Transcending Text: Liturgy as medium of evangelisation 50 years after Vatican II." Australian Academy of Liturgy Conference, Hobart, TAS (Jan. 22, 2013)

• Keynote Lecture: "Managing Liturgical Change." National Liturgical Council Conference, Perth, WA (Feb. 7, 2010)

• Facilitator for a two-day Change Management consultation with the Bishops' Commission for Liturgy, National Liturgical Council and Consultants on the Implementation of the Missale Romanum editio tertia, Melbourne, VIC (June 28-29, 2010)

• "Grounding the Timeless in Place: Exploring the Influence of the Physical Environment on Liturgical Conceptions of Time." Australian Academy of Liturgy Conference, Australian National University, Canberra ACT (Jan. 20, 2009)