Jillian D. Nelson, PhD

Curriculum Vitae

Jillian D. Nelson, PhD

New Testament scholar | Disability studies and embodiment | Teaching, writing, and public scholarship

downloadable CV

Research and Publications

I am a New Testament scholar and teacher with training in biblical interpretation and experience teaching undergraduates, graduate students, and ministers. My scholarship focuses on disability, embodiment, empire, and the Gospels, and my work includes a monograph, edited volume, peer-reviewed articles, conference presentations, and public-facing biblical scholarship. A full academic CV and an expanded professional CV are available for download above.

Education

  • PhD, Biblical Interpretation, Brite Divinity School, 2019.
  • ThM, Brite Divinity School, 2014.
  • MA, Oklahoma City University, 2009.
  • BA, Southwestern Christian University, 2006.

Teaching Experience

Undergraduate Teaching

Texas Christian University, Instructor

  • Understanding Religion: Texts and Ideas — The Bible (Fall 2022–present).
  • Understanding Religion: Society and Culture — Christian Ethics (Fall 2025).

Graduate and Ministry Teaching

Saint Paul School of Theology, Instructor

  • Matthew, Disability, and Empire (Graduate Program, Fall 2024).
  • The Gospels (Course of Study Program for lay ministers, Fall 2022–present).

Guest Lectures and Church Teaching

  • Divine Life Church (Bethany, OK), Scripture in Context: The Roman Empire and the New Testament.
  • University Christian Church (Fort Worth, TX), Seven Events that Shaped the New Testament World.
  • Oklahoma City University, guest lecture on Revelation.
  • First Christian Church (Fort Worth, TX), guest lecture on Revelation.

Publications

Books

  • Matthew, Disability, and Stress: Exploring Impaired Characters in the Context of Empire (Fortress Press, 2021).
  • The Gospels and the Roman Empire, co-edited with Adam Winn (T&T Clark, 2026).

Peer-Reviewed Articles and Reference Works

  • “Disability in a disabling empire: Investigating a person with paralysis in Luke 5:17–26,” Review and Expositor 122 (2025): 78–88.
  • “Performing Power in the Public Court of Reputation: Capital Punishment, John the Baptist, and Julius Jones,” Review & Expositor 119 (2022): 303–314.
  • “Pontius Pilate,” Oxford Bibliographies in Biblical Studies, with Warren Carter, Anna Bowden, Annelies Moeser, and Kendi Mohn.

Selected Presentations

  • “Suffering under Many Physicians: Medicine and Marginality in Mark 5” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2026)
  • “The Kingdom of Heaven and the Roman Empire: A Tale of Two Economies” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2024).
  • “Muddling Miracles: Investigating a Man with Paralysis and De-Centering Jesus in Luke 5:17–26” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2023).
  • “Men’s Wars and Women’s Bodies: A Literary Convention Identified and Described” (Society of Biblical Literature, 2022).
  • “A Man with a Withered Hand: Work, Stress, and Healing in the Empire” (Society of Biblical Literature, 2022).
  • “Too Stressed to be Blessed?: A Social Stress Reading of Matthew 8:5–13” (Society of Biblical Literature, 2019).
  • “Textual Criticism and Diana of the Tower: A Conversation” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2020).
  • “Techniques of Redirection in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas: Creating Space for Acceptable Violence” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2017).
  • “Killing Cozbi: Gender, Identity and Violence in Numbers 25” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2016).
  • “Politics, Honor, and Shame: Implicating Herod’s Guests in the Death of John the Baptist” (Southwest Commission on Religious Studies, 2015).

Pedagogical Training

  • Graduate Student Pedagogy Certificate, Koehler Center for Instruction and Innovation, Texas Christian University.
  • “Preparing to Teach Online,” Koehler Center for Instruction and Innovation, Texas Christian University.
  • Wabash Teaching Colloquia, Brite Divinity School.
  • Wabash Teaching Seminar for Doctoral Students, San Francisco, CA.

Leadership and Professional Memberships

  • Faculty Advisory Board, Texas Christian University, Koehler Center, 2026-2027 academic year
  • Society of Biblical Literature, member since 2009.
  • Co-Chair, “Jesus Traditions, Gospels, and Negotiating the Roman Imperial World,” Annual Meeting Program Unit, Society of Biblical Literature, 2021–2024.

Selected Public Scholarship

  • Working Preacher commentaries on Luke 2:1–7, 8–20; John 1:29–42; Matthew 4:12–23; and Matthew 5:1–12.
  • Working Preacher blog “Healing Beyond Bodily Transformation in Matthew’s Gospel.”

Additional Professional Experience

A full version of my CV, including additional professional experience and public-facing work, is available in the downloadable PDF above