Martien Halvorson-Taylor

Martien Halvorson-Taylor is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia. Her scholarship focuses on the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Babylonian exile, diaspora literature, and the reception history of biblical texts. She has authored the monograph Enduring Exile: The Metaphorization of Exile in the Hebrew Bible and is co-editing The Oxford Handbook on Biblical Exile and Forced Migration (2025). Her courses include large lectures on the Hebrew Bible and specialized seminars on Job, Genesis, and the Song of Songs.

• Research Highlights: Exile and diaspora as metaphors in prophetic literature, literary analysis of Song of Songs and Job, interdisciplinary global humanities projects.
• Leadership: Directed UVA’s Pavilion Seminars (2015–2020) and co-directed the Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab (2018–2024), producing the award-winning podcast Sacred & Profane.
• Public Scholarship: Wrote Writing the Bible (Audible/Great Courses, 2021) and contributed to Bible Odyssey.

Recent Publications explore interdisciplinary intersections such as flora/fauna symbolism in the Song of Songs (2024), prophetic visions of restoration (2021), and diasporic identity in Esther (2012). Her work bridges biblical exegesis, literary theory, and modern cultural analysis.

Awards & Grants:

• NEH Media Projects grant for Sacred & Profane podcast
• Recognized for excellence in teaching at UVA

Collaborative Efforts: Co-founded the Religion, Race, & Democracy Lab, fostering interdisciplinary research and public engagement. Formerly co-directed the Jefferson Global Seminars (2013–2018), a partnership between UVA and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.