Kelsey Spinnato

Ph.D. candidate, Department of Religious Studies

Research Interests:
Kelsey’s research involves both the careful study of biblical texts, especially the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and how those texts have been used throughout history. Her dissertation specifically analyzes the characterization of Rebekah in narrative retellings of the book of Genesis published in the United States between 1990 and 2019.

Road to the Moody School:
Originally from Houston, Kelsey graduated summa cum laude from Belmont University in Nashville in 2013 with a B.A. in biblical languages and English. She remained in Nashville as a production editor for Abingdon Press before deciding to pursue a career in research and teaching. Kelsey then earned an MTS from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 2017. When not working on her dissertation, Kelsey enjoys playing games and watching TV with her husband and dog, running, reading and making (as well as eating!) ice cream.