Breanna Nickel

I am a teacher/researcher in the areas of interreligious relations, the history of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and scriptural hermeneutics.

At GC (also my alma mater!) I enjoy teaching a range of classes in Religion, the CORE, and Global Studies. A few of my favorite courses include Intro to World Religions, Christian Theologies, Interreligious Dialogue & Mediation, and Islam. I am especially passionate about facilitating real-world engagement for GC students with diverse religious communities, both in the United States and internationally.

Education

2010 Bachelors of Arts in Bible & Religion and Peace/Justice/Conflict Studies, Goshen College
2013 Master of Arts in Religion, Yale Divinity School
2018 Doctor of Philosophy in the History of Christianity, University of Notre Dame

Professional Memberships:

American Academy of Religion
Anabaptist-Mennonite Scholars Network
International Society for the Study of Medievalism
Peace and Justice Studies Association
Reformation Research Consortium (REFORC)
Sixteenth Century Society
Society for Reformation Research
Society for Biblical Literature
The Medieval Academy of America

Forthcoming Projects:

Among other ongoing research projects, I am currently completing a book of Balthasar Hubmaier’s life, education, and theological anthropology along with several articles examining Anabaptist/Jewish relations in 15th-16th century Germany and medieval European Christian portrayals of Muslims.

Selected Publications:

“Introduction to Zephaniah.” In the Anabaptist Community Bible, edited by John Roth. 2025.

“Women, Nonviolence and Interreligious Collaboration.” In Women, Creativity, and Nonviolence, edited by Anna Hamling. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2022.

“The Influence of Medieval Scholastic Theology on the Anabaptists.” In T&T Clark Companion to Anabaptism, edited by Brian Brewer. New York: T&T Clark/Bloomsbury, 2021.

Aelred of Rievaulx: Liturgical Sermons 3: Durham Collection. Edited and translated with the Catena Scholarium. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2019.

“The Anabaptists’ Tie to Trinitarianism.” Conrad Grebel Review 37, no. 2 (Fall 2019): 163-170.

Three Pseudo-Bernardine Works. Edited and translated with the Catena Scholarium. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2018.

Grants:

2025 Faculty Fellow Research Grant, Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions

2025 Faculty Scholarly Activity Grant / “”Early Anabaptism in Global Perspective”” Conference

2023 Faculty Scholarly Activity Grant / American Society of Church History Conference

2023 New Course Development Grant / “”Interreligious Dialogue & Mediation””

2022 Faculty Scholarly Activity Grant / American Academy of Religion Conference

2022 IDEA Course Development Grant / “”Interreligious Peacemaking in Israel/Palestine””

2021 Faculty Scholarly Activity Grant / Medieval Academy of America

2021 “”Global Classroom”” Teaching Grant, Augustana College

2020 Individual Research Grant of the American Academy of Religion, “”Balthasar Hubmaier’s Expulsion of the Regensburg Jews””

2019 Faculty Research Fund Award, Augustana College, “”Balthasar Hubmaier’s Expulsion of the Regensburg Jews””

2019 The “”Same God”” Project Teaching Grant

2017 Graduate Travel and Research Grant, Nanovic Institute for European Studies