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Institute of Pastoral Studies

Dempsey Rosales Acosta, SSL, STD

Executive Director and Professor

 Fr. Dempsey is a biblical scholar whose vocation has unfolded across countries, cultures, and communities. Through his discernment, he discovered a deep passion for teaching, Scripture, and research. His academic path began with his bachelor’s in philosophy and education at the Catholic University (Maracaibo, Venezuela), a foundation that prepared him for advanced theological formation in Rome. There, he earned the Baccalaureatus in Theologia (S.T.B.) at the Pontifical Gregorian University, followed by an advanced degree in biblical exegesis and ancient languages (S.S.L.) at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He completed his Doctorate in Biblical Theology (S.T.D.) at the Gregorian University in 2010.

His scholarly interests developed in tandem with his pastoral commitments. Over the years, he has become recognized for his work on the canonical Gospels, the Deuteronomistic History, biblical languages, cognitive semantics, and Hispanic/Latino hermeneutics. His research has taken shape in books, articles, and formation materials used in classrooms, parishes, and study groups across the United States. His publications include Introducción a los evangelios canónicos (2019), Lectio Divina: A Ladder Toward God (2019), A Meditation on Jesus as Role Model for Catholic Christian Education (2023), The Way of the Word (2025), and Descifrando la Teología Lucana (2026), works that reflect his long-standing commitment to making Scripture accessible to diverse communities of faith.

 Fr. Dempsey has also designed and led academic programs and online curricula in English and Spanish. His contributions include undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of St. Thomas, as well as courses for the McGrath Institute for Church Life at Notre Dame, the St. Meinrad Seminary diaconate program, and Loyola Marymount University.

 His service to the wider Church includes long-standing collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as a reviewer and consultant on biblical translation projects, along with earlier work for the American Bible Society. His teaching and pastoral ministry have extended into media as well, including participation in the Bible in a Year (Spanish) podcast and seasons 6 and 7 of Cristonautas (EWTN, Spanish).

Across his scholarly, administrative, and pastoral endeavors, Fr. Dempsey remains committed to fostering theological education that is academically rigorous, pastorally grounded, and culturally responsive. His work continues to build bridges across cultures, languages, and traditions, to serve the Church and society with intellectual vigor, compassion, and integrity.

Education

  • Doctorate in Biblical Theology (S.T.D.): Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome - Italy).
  • Pontifical Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (S.S.L.): Pontifical Biblicum Institute (Rome - Italy).
  • Pontifical Baccalaureatus in Theology (S.T.B.): Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome - Italy).
  • Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Education (BA - Phil): Catholic University Cecilio Acosta (UNICA: Maracaibo - Venezuela). 

Research Interests

  • Book of Judges and Deuteronomistic History
  • Gospel of Mark 
  • Luke and Acts 
  • Linguistics and Semantics of Hebrew and Greek
  • Ruah Yhwh 
  • Letter to the Galatians
  • Syriac Patrology: John of Apamea
  • Cognitive Semantics and Diachronic Cognitive Semantics applied to the Masoretic Text
  • Latinx/Hispanic and African-American Biblical Hermeneutics
  • Social Justice from the biblical hermeneutics and Catholic social tradition.

Publications/Research Listings

Books

  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. Descifrando la Teología Lucana. Una hermenéutica teológico pastoral-actual de la misericordia ante la realidad de los inmigrantes en América. New York – Chicago – Sevilla: Editorial Aula Magna/McGraw Hill, 2026. 
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta and Ricardo Grzona. The Way of the Word. Biblical Hermeneutics, Catechesis, Spirituality, and Discipleship. Nihil Obtsat Cardinal Maradiaga. Editorial: Foundation Ramon Pane, 2025. ISBN: 978-0979367847
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta and Justin M. Hickey. Interlineal inverso del AT y NT - Biblia de Jerusalén Latinoamericana. Verbum – Faithlife, 2023-2024.
     https://verbum.com/product/252558/interlineal-inverso-del-at-y-nt-biblia-de-jerusalen-latinoamericana 
  • Gonzalez Emiliano, Dempsey Rosales Acosta, and Maire Faubert. A Meditation on Jesus as Role Model for Catholic Christian Education. Santiago de Chile – Barcelona – Madrid: RIL, 2023. ISBN: 978-956-01-1532-4
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. Speírō: Sembrando senderos de teología hispana en los Estados Unidos. Colección de ensayos teológicos morales, bíblicos y pastorales. General Editor Dempsey Rosales Acosta. Santiago de Chile – Barcelona – Madrid: RIL Editores, 2022. ISBN: 978-84-19372-35-2 / 2nd edition: 2023.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. Lectio Divina: A Ladder Towards God. A Patristic Approach to the Scripture. Santiago de Chile – Barcelona – Madrid: RIL Editores, 2019. ISBN: 978-956-01-0694-0
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. Introducción a los evangelios canónicos. Un manual instructivo para la formación bíblica de adultos. Estella, Navarra: Editorial Verbo Divino, 2019. ISBN: 978-849073-482-7 
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. From John of Apamea to Mark’s Gospel. Two Dialogues with Thomasios: a Hermeneutical reading of Horao, Blepo, and Theoreo. Studies in Biblical Literature (volume 160). Peter Lang International Academic Publishers, 2014. ISBN-10: 1433126168 / ISBN-13: 978-1433126161.

Journal Articles

  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. In 2021, “When Racial Profiling Becomes an Abuse of Power: A Hermeneutical Reading of Acts 21:27-40a and 22:23-29,” Journal of Hispanic / Latino Theology: Vol. 23: No. 1, Article 6 (2021): 61-92. Available at: https://repository.usfca.edu/jhlt/vol23/iss1/6   A shorter version-excerpted modified version of 10,000 words of  article . “Black and Brown Pauls” reprinted due to the event of George Floyd who died May 25, 2020.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Recovering the semantic connotations of the verb ’āman (אַָּּמַּן) in Qal.” In Helmantica LXVII no. 198 (2016):123-159. Pontifical University of Salamanca (Spain). The same article was revised and reprinted by Theologica Xaveriana from the Pontifical University Javeriana de Colombia, under the title of “Re-discovering the semantics of אמן in Qal.” Theologica Xaveriana 67, no. 184 (2017): 431-460. 
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Black and Brown Pauls: A Pauline case of racial profiling: a hermeneutical reading of Acts 21:27-40a and 22:23-29 and the reality of the African American and Hispanic communities in United States.” Journal of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium X (2017): 63-109. Published the long version of 18,000 words.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Dimensión parental e histórica de la fe. Ensayo filológico y semántico de la raíz אמן.” Scripta Theologica, Vol. XLVII, no. 1 (2015): 41-70. 
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Eliab, Son of Toah (ב ן־ֹּתֹּחוּ אֱִלִיהוּא  ’elȋhȗ’ ben Toḥȗ), the great grandfather of Samuel.” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Tannur (ַּתַּנּוּר Tannȗr), an oven or furnace.” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Oboda (עבדת  Avdat/Abda or Ovdat), the name of a city and three Nabatean kings.” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015. 
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Lehun. The location also known as Al-Lahun, Khirbet Lahun, or the biblical land of Moab.” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Tamar (תָָּּמָּר Tāmār), The name of the dwelling place of the Amorites.” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Lord of Hosts” (יְהָוָה צְָבָאוֹת). In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Good and Evil, ancient conceptions of.” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015.
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Μαρία)” In Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry and Lazarus Wentz. Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Corporation, 2015. 
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “John of Apamea. A Framework of the Problem of his Identity and Assessment of different theories.” JECH 5, no. 1 (2015): 4-25.   
  • Dempsey Rosales Acosta. “Jesus and the Demons: Portraits of the spiritual Seeing in Mark's Gospel. Origen, Bonaventure, and Ignatius as hermeneutic reading key of the Gospel.” Teología y Vida 54, no. 2 (2013): 307-337.