Jillian D. Nelson, PhD
New Testament scholar, teacher, and writer
I am a New Testament scholar whose work explores the Gospels and early Christian literature through the lenses of disability studies, embodiment, empire, and gender. I write for academic, ecclesial, and public audiences, with particular interest in healing narratives, the politics of bodies, and the ways biblical texts shape communities of belonging and exclusion. As a Brite Divinity School alum, I am especially committed to forms of scholarship and teaching that serve students, ministers, and communities seeking justice‑oriented engagement with Scripture.
My research brings New Testament studies into conversation with disability studies and embodiment, asking how biblical texts construct and contest ideas of normalcy, healing, vulnerability, and communal life. I am the author of Matthew, Disability, and Stress: Exploring Impaired Characters in the Context of the First Gospel, co-editor of The Gospels and the Roman Empire, and other peer-reviewed articles.
I teach the Bible with close attention to history, interpretation, and contemporary relevance, and I have experience teaching undergraduates, graduate students, and ministers. My goal in the classroom is to help students read texts critically, ethically, and imaginatively, especially where Scripture intersects with power, bodies, and life in community.
Research interests
- New Testament and early Christian literature
- Disability studies and embodiment
- Healing narratives and the politics of bodies
- Empire studies and biblical interpretation
- Gender and power in Scripture
Jillian D. Nelson, PhD 