Reistroffer, Dianne
Professor of Ministry, Director of Methodist Studies, and Officer of Institutional Research and Effectiveness
Schlegel 103
email me
895-3411 

College of St. Teresa, Winona, Minnesota, B. A.; Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, M.A.; Boston University School of Theology, M.T.S., M.Div.; University of Wisconsin, Madison, Ph.D.; further study at Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Dianne Reistroffer joined the Louisville Seminary faculty in 1998, where she has considered it a gift and privilege to teach about matters of ultimate concern and consequence.

“An abiding hunger for meaning and a deep spiritual hunger for faith in today’s society influence all aspects of my teaching, particularly in terms of sharing and honoring people’s unique faith and piety.”

An experienced pastor and educator, with dual standing as a clergy member in the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church and the Presbytery of Western Kentucky of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Dr. Reistroffer preaches and teaches in area congregations. Her teaching experience includes work as a research fellow in the Women’s Studies Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, professor at Boston University School of Theology, and the College of St. Teresa. Prior to her ordination, Dr. Reistroffer taught high school for ten years.

She has received numerous awards in her career, including the 2000 Metroversity Grawemeyer Special Merit Award for Instructional Development for the course, “Faith and Money.” In 2000, Louisville Seminary received a $300,000 grant from the Luce Foundation in order to establish a comprehensive academic support services program for seminary students. The grant, conceived and written by Dr. Reistroffer during her years as Dean of the Seminary, was based on her award-winning dissertation dealing with the unique teaching-learning needs of older adult seminary students. In 2007, Dr. Reistroffer was selected for the Mid-Career Factuly Colloquy sponsored by the Wabash Center, and received a fellowship grant in support of her work on coaching models for guiding faculty work in curriculum and course assessment.

Her publications include a chapter in The Social Gospel Today (Westminster John Knox, 2001), and numerous articles on the subject of women’s ways of giving. She has also published articles and reviews in the fields of women and Methodist church history, women in parish ministry, ethical investing, child advocacy, worship, and women’s role in the financing of American religion. Her current projects include research on Dr. Mattie E. Coleman, an early 20th century leader in the CME Church, and co-authoring with Dr. Thomas Smith a book on money management for candidates for ordained ministry and new pastors in the United Methodist Church.

Selected Publications