Jo Henderson-Merrygold

I am an AHRC funded PhD student, through WRoCAH, currently researching gender-queer readings of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and the interrelationship between the Bible and gender, sex, and sexuality in society. I co-direct the Hidden Perspectives (HP) and Orange is the New Bible (OITNBible) projects at the University of Sheffield. HP celebrates and promotes research which interrogates unusual and unfamiliar readings of the Bible, especially in relation to gender, sex and sexuality. OITNBible is inspired by Orange is the New Black, and explores the way the Netflix show can provide insight into the Bible and contemporary society.

I returned to Higher Education in 2011, completing a BA (First Class, 2014), and MA (Distinction, 2015) in Theology and Religious Studies. I specialised in studying religion in contemporary life, and in gender-focussed and queer interpretations of the Bible.

I previously worked in the voluntary sector, as a church and community worker (2008-2011), and as a resource worker for the Student Christian Movement (SCM - www.movement.org.uk, 2004-2007), for whom I wrote multiple articles, workshops and training material.