Meghan Henning

Prof. Meghan Henning is an Associate Professor of Christian Origins at the University of Dayton, specializing in New Testament and Early Christian studies. Her research focuses on the intersection of biblical texts, gender, and disability studies.

Her research interests include:

• Christian Origins and New Testament Studies
• The rhetorical function of hell in early Christian education
• Gender analysis of biblical texts and concepts of the afterlife
• Disability studies applied to early Christian literature
• Second Temple Judaism and its influence on early Christian thought

Dr. Henning's scholarly work examines how concepts of hell functioned pedagogically in early Christian communities, with particular attention to gendered and disability perspectives. Her research reveals how early Christian writers used hell imagery not just for punishment but as a teaching tool to shape community identity and values.

Her notable publications include the books "Educating Early Christians through the Rhetoric of Hell" and "Hell Hath No Fury: Gender, Disability and the Invention of Damned Bodies in Early Christianity." Her article "No Heaven or Hell, Only Sheʾol" explores the evolution of afterlife concepts from the Hebrew Bible through Second Temple Judaism.

Dr. Henning has received prestigious recognition for her work:

• Jacob K. Javits foundation grant
• Society of Biblical Literature award
• Yale Divinity School award
• Emory University award

Her expertise has been sought by major media outlets, including appearances in a National Geographic Channel documentary and on CNN, where she provides scholarly perspectives on biblical interpretation and religious history.