Welcome to A Balm in Gilead.
"To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work." - Mary Oliver
My name is Julia Morrow.
I’m a writer and theology scholar based in Orange County, California. I’m finishing a master’s in theology at the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego, as well as a master’s in library and information science. I love people, flats whites, bright lipstick, and vintage dresses. I’m a reporting fellow at FemCatholic, and I’ve also written for places like the L.A. Times, Wisdom’s Dwelling, Catholic Artist Connection, and Catholic Women Preach.
I research and write about the relationship between medieval history, popular art, and theology. I’m especially interested in how the arts- literature, poetry, music, film, paintings- shape and enrich moral formation and spiritual practice. I’m fascinated by how the arts cultivate wonder and the ethical imagination, making complex theological ideas accessible to secular and contemporary audiences.
Additionally, my research focuses on the relationship between religion and fashion as a site of embodied spiritual expression and resistance. (In the words of Carrie Bradshaw, “what is it about God and fashion that go so well together?”) Echoing scholar Otto von Busch’s framing of dress as “conflict-ridden interface between the soul and the public realm,” I suggest that fashion is not only communicative but also transformative, and that clothing plays an understudied role in theological understanding, religious practice, and cultivation of the self.
Why sign up?
A subscription to A Balm in Gilead translates to receiving weekly letters on topics within the realm of art, theology, and culture. I’m interested in the question:
How do stories shape our lives and the world around us?
This means that every Friday, I’ll send out a newsletter. On the first Friday of every month, I’ll include a section on art that I’m enjoying, featuring literature, music, and visual art that has moved, challenged, or inspired me recently.
I’ve had a number of dear people ask how they can support my writing, and the best way to do this is to tap the little heart icon at the top of the page! Liking, sharing, and commenting helps the algorithm to recommend my writing to other people who are thinking about similar topics. Also, while my writing is and will remain free to all readers, I have enabled subscriptions as a way of making this possible for those who are interested in financially supporting me. There is no exclusive content with a subscription, but you do have my profound gratitude.
Questions? Ponderings? Tea recommendations, pen pal-ing requests, poems you are convicted I should read and therefore simply must share with me?
You can best get in touch with me by emailing me at julialouisemorrow@gmail.com, or by DMing me on Instagram @julialouisemorrow. To stay grounded and avoid the constant pull of digital availability, I check emails twice a week. Thank you for your understanding!
Peace and all good,
Julia
