Dr. Martha Robbins, the Joan Marshall* associate professor of pastoral care, has been a member of the Pittsburgh Seminary faculty since 1986. An Episcopalian, Martha earned her bachelor's from Maryville College, master's from St. Louis University, and Th.D. from Harvard University. Her academic and pastoral interests have revolved around the wholistic understanding of human beings' physical, psychological, and spiritual development and the role of faith in healing broken connections. These interests grew out of her various positions prior to doctoral study: dean of students of an all girls high school, director of campus ministry and the Human Development Program at Maryville University, and staff retreat director at a Jesuit retreat center. She remains active in facilitating retreats and workshops on various aspects of Christian spirituality. As a licensed clinical psychologist, Robbins has worked in a number of counseling settings including the Cambridge Hospital at Harvard Medical School and the Family Centre in Lower Hutt, New Zealand and has lectured in Brazil and Australia. Currently, she is chairperson of the Pittsburgh Consortium on Faith and Health, and an active member in the Health Ministries & Theological Education Division of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

She brings this wide range of academic and clinical experience to life in her teaching. She is the author of numerous articles, book chapters, and a book entitled Midlife Women and Death of Mother: A Study of Psychohistorical and Spiritual Transformation (New York 1990). She currently is preparing a chat book of poetry on themes of experiencing God in the everyday realities of life and researching different theological understandings of "Union in Christ" and their implications for living the Christian life and pastoral care. 

She and her husband, Walter Bowman, make their home in Oakmont, Pa. Their grown son lives in California. Robbins enjoys relating to peoples of different cultures, classical music, jazz, theatre, and long walks in the woods.

To learn more about Robbins, visit http://www.martharobbins.net.

The material contained in Dr. Robbins website does not necessarily express the opinion of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary faculty, staff, or Board of Directors.

*The Joan Marshall Chair of Pastoral Care is the first academic chair at the Seminary to be solely named for a woman. Thomas Marshall generously financed his chair in honor of Joan Mashall. Mr. Marshall is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of Aristech Chemical Corporation. Marshall also served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Pine Island. Ms. Marshall's faith journey has been an "ecumenical pilgrimage." Born to German-Irish Catholic parents, she was raised in that tradition and later became a Lutheran. Thereafter she joined the Presbyterian Church.