An Edinburgh-based Catholic theologian has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV to the International Theological Commission (ITC), which advises the Vatican on important questions of Church teaching.
Dr Sara Parvis, Senior Lecturer in Patristics and Early Christian history at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity, is among 24 new members appointed to the Commission for its 2026–2031 term.
The appointment recognises her expertise in early Christianity and theology and will see her contribute to the work of one of the Church’s leading theological advisory bodies.
She said: “I am hugely honoured to have been appointed to the ITC for the next five years. It is a particular joy to be able to bring a Scottish perspective to the global Catholic theological conversation.”
Sara Parvis, a lay Dominican and scholar of early Christianity at the University of Edinburgh, has been appointed to the International Theological Commission. President of the Edinburgh Lay Dominican Fraternity, we pray for her new service to the Church! https://t.co/KYYpZtN5gL
— Ordo Praedicatorum (@Dominican_Order) October 20, 2026
Archbishop Cushley said: “I am delighted that Sara has been appointed to the International Theological Commission and warmly congratulate her on this well-deserved honour.
“She is a highly respected theologian who has made a valuable contribution to the life of the Church here in Edinburgh.
“Her knowledge and experience will be a great asset to the Commission as it assists the Holy Father in addressing important theological questions.
“I wish her every blessing in this important work.”
About Dr Sara Parvis
Dr Parvis’ academic work focuses on the history and theology of the early Church, particularly the development of Christian doctrine, the interpretation of Scripture and the theological controversies of the fourth century.
She is the author of Marcellus of Ancyra and the Lost Years of the Arian Controversy 325–345, a study of an important period in the development of early Christian theology.
Dr Parvis’ contribution to the life of the Archdiocese includes leading an Archdiocesan event exploring Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ in 2019.
She also spoke at Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church, a national event hosted by the Archdiocese in 2022.
She is a parishioner at St Albert’s Chaplaincy in Edinburgh and is a lay Dominican (and President of the Edinburgh Lay Dominican Fraternity).
About the Commission
Established by Pope Paul VI in 1969, the International Theological Commission assists the Holy See in examining theological and doctrinal questions of importance to the Catholic Church.
Its members are appointed by the Pope for five-year terms and the new Commission has 30 members, including eight women.
The Commission’s work contributes to the Church’s ongoing reflection on questions of faith and doctrine, with the results of its studies submitted to the Pope and made available to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
