Biography
Melissa J. Barciela Mandala works in New Testament Studies, specifically in Pauline scholarship. After graduating from PBA with a BA in Biblical Studies and an MDiv, she relocated to Scotland with her husband Ryan where she earned a Master of Letters in Biblical Languages and Exegesis at the University of St Andrews, as well as a PhD in New Testament. Her research focused on the relationship between suffering, embodiment, and virtue ethics in Philippians, especially in its ancient philosophical context. A revised version of her doctoral dissertation entitled The Suffering Body as a Site of Virtue Formation in Philippians is forthcoming (Mohr Siebeck, 2025). Her current projects engage historical questions in Paul and his letters, as well as their practical implications for believers and the Christian church today. The subjects of current and past work include virtue in Pauline reception, church governance in the Pauline epistles, cosmology in Romans, and comparative methodology in biblical studies. Within the academy, she serves on the board of the Institute for Biblical Research.
In addition to academic teaching and service, Melissa has taught in local churches, both in Palm Beach County and overseas, on New Testament contexts, the formation of the Bible, Romans, and Philippians. She is also strongly committed to supporting women in the academy and the local church. She currently helps lead the Well, an initiative to support women in ministry at PBA. Melissa is originally from Miami, Florida and her husband Ryan is also a PBA alumnus.
Degrees
MDiv in Divinity, Palm Beach Atlantic University