Douglas Bushman has a rich background in teaching theology in a variety of pastoral and educational contexts. He served as Lay Theologian at St. Charles Borromeo parish in Minneapolis, where he conducted Bible studies, gave lecture series, directed study groups, and gave inservices for the staffs of the parish and school. He was Associate Director and Coordinator of Education for the Diocese of Duluth, working with Catholic schools and directing programs of adult religious education, catechist formation, and formation for the permanent diaconate. For nine years he was Director of the Institute for Religious and Pastoral Studies at the University of Dallas.

Two convictions guide Bushman's teaching of pastoral theology. First, theology is pastoral by its very nature. This is because its source, divine revelation and the faith of the Church, has a pastoral character. God reveals Himself and His plan of love, not just to impart knowledge, but in order to communicate His life to those He loves and to make them active participants in the fulfillment of His plan, for themselves and for others. Second, pastoral theology can profit greatly from the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas. With the encouragement of the Church, the Angelic Doctor is a sure guide in theological methodology and the dialogue between faith and reason, which is the very heart of theology. As a saint, Thomas Aquinas also bears witness to the transformative power of the truth and love of God, which must be lived first in order to be understood accurately.

Besides numerous articles in Catholic magazines and periodicals, Bushman is the author of In His Image: A Program of Renewal through Education (Ignatius Press: 1990), and introductions to The Sixteen Documents of Vatican II (Pauline Books & Media: 1999). Since 2007 he has regularly contributed articles to publications by Magnificat. He is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and television, and serves as advisor to several education-related apostolates, including ProLife Across America and the Image of God religion textbook series (Ignatius Press). He gives lectures and retreats on a wide range of theological and spiritual topics for various groups: priests and deacons, parents, parish staffs, young adults, catechists, seminarians and teachers.

Bushman and his wife, JoAnn, have six children and reside in Green Bay, Wisconsin.