Melissa J. Barciela Mandala works in New Testament Studies, specifically in Pauline scholarship. After graduating from PBA with a BA in Biblical Studies and an MDiv, she relocated to Scotland with her husband Ryan. Melissa then earned a Master of Letters in Biblical Languages and Exegesis at the University of St. Andrews and is currently finishing her PhD. Her research focuses on the relationship between the suffering body and virtue ethics in Philippians, especially in its ancient philosophical context. She is passionate about the implications of this work for discussions of suffering and chronic illness in the local church context. She is also strongly committed to supporting women in the academy and local church. Melissa is Spanish-American, originally from Miami, and looking forward to returning to warm weather very soon!
Degrees: BA and MDiv, Palm Beach Atlantic University; MLitt and Ph.D. (anticipated spring 2024), University of St. Andrews