معرفی
Melissa Ramos is an Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Portland Seminary, which is part of George Fox University. She is also an ordained pastor (Minister of Word and Sacrament) in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Dr. Ramos has an impressive educational background:
- PhD from UCLA
- MPhil from Cambridge University
- MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary
- BA from University of California, Irvine
Her research focuses on ritual studies in the Hebrew Bible, with particular attention to covenants and oaths in ancient West Asia and the Mediterranean. She explores the intersections of ritual with gender, race, and hermeneutics, examining how ancient Israelite rituals shaped biblical texts and continue to inform contemporary religious practice. Dr. Ramos is particularly known for her work on curses and blessings, Northwest Semitic inscriptions, and Levantine archaeology, bringing material culture studies into conversation with textual analysis.
Dr. Ramos's publications demonstrate a consistent focus on ritual dynamics in Deuteronomy and broader biblical texts, with increasing attention to gender perspectives and contemporary applications. Her work bridges academic scholarship with practical theological concerns, evident in both her scholarly monographs and contributions to accessible platforms like Working Preacher and Religion for Her.
Her scholarly achievements have been recognized with significant honors:
- 2021 Graduate Faculty Researcher of the Year at George Fox University
- Multiple Faculty Development Grants for research (2018, 2019, 2022)
- 2023 Teaching and Learning Workshop on Becoming an Anti-Racist through the Wabash Institute
- 2022 Workshop for Early Career Theological School Faculty
Dr. Ramos actively contributes to the academic community through conference presentations at venues like the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting and the European Association of Biblical Studies Conference. She also engages public scholarship through her co-founding of Religion for Her, which explores women's interpretation of Scripture, and regular contributions to Working Preacher and TheTorah.com.
