Breanna Nickel

Breanna Nickel serves as Associate Professor of Bible & Religion at Goshen College, her alma mater, where she teaches across Religion, CORE, and Global Studies curricula. Her pedagogical focus emphasizes experiential learning through domestic and international engagement with diverse religious communities.

Her academic credentials include:

• B.A. in Bible & Religion and Peace/Justice/Conflict Studies, Goshen College (2010)
• M.A. in Religion, Yale Divinity School (2013)
• Ph.D. in History of Christianity, University of Notre Dame (2018)

Dr. Nickel's research centers on interreligious relations, specifically historical Jewish-Christian-Muslim interactions from medieval to Reformation eras. She examines scriptural interpretation frameworks across traditions, with particular attention to Anabaptist perspectives on religious diversity, theological anthropology, and peacemaking. Her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary interfaith dialogue practices.

Her publication portfolio reveals consistent scholarly engagement with Anabaptist theology, medieval Christian thought, and interreligious conflict resolution. Key themes include Anabaptist-Jewish relations in 15th-16th century Germany, medieval Christian representations of Islam, and the application of historical theology to modern interfaith mediation.

Her research is supported by significant recognition:

• Multiple Faculty Scholarly Activity Grants (2021-2025) for conferences including American Academy of Religion and Medieval Academy of America
• 2025 Faculty Fellow Research Grant for Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions
• Course development grants for "Interreligious Dialogue & Mediation" (2023) and "Interreligious Peacemaking in Israel/Palestine" (2022)
• American Academy of Religion Individual Research Grant (2020) for Hubmaier studies

As an educator, she designs curricula that connect theoretical frameworks with community engagement, evidenced by grants like the "Same God" Project Teaching Grant (2019) and "Global Classroom" initiative (2021). Her commitment to student development manifests through courses facilitating direct interaction with religious communities across faith traditions.

Professional affiliations with the American Academy of Religion, Society for Biblical Literature, Medieval Academy of America, and Anabaptist-Mennonite Scholars Network demonstrate her integration within specialized academic communities, though no dedicated research lab or team structure is documented.