Trauma and the Bible
Nov 03, 2026
Online Conference
January 30, 2027
Some of us were taught to treat sacred Scripture as a neat answer key to life’s most devastating moments. We were given tidy phrases to wrap around disorganized grief, or told that enough faith would simply erase the impact of deep wounding.
Yet anyone who has lived through profound loss, spiritual betrayal, or systemic harm knows that trauma doesn't respond to quick platitudes.
When painful experiences are brought to the text -- how do we find a way forward? How should we understand painful experiences we read in the text? How do we move beyond defensive readings and open up space for true healing, safety, and honesty?
We are thrilled to announce
Religion for Her’s upcoming online conference: Trauma and the Bible.
Click Here to Explore the Conference.
What makes this gathering unique is our list of keynote speakers. We are bringing care practitioners, biblical scholars, and ministry leaders together into a single event—bridging the gaps between academic scholarship, pastoral leadership, and practical, hands-on care.
Unpacking Core Questions
Together, our keynote speakers will explore essential questions that sit at the intersection of faith and flourishing:
- How do painful life experiences change how we read the Bible? When hard passages have been used to hurt us, how can we protect our well-being while still engaging Scripture?
- Where is trauma and survival within the biblical story itself? How did ancient communities use story, lament, and poetry to make sense of suffering and loss? How can these stories help us promote flourishing in our faith communities?
- What does safe, practical biblical engagement actually look like? How can move away from harmful interpretations and toward compassionate, life-giving understanding in our churches, counseling rooms, and daily lives?
Keynote Speakers & Featured Voices
Our speakers represent this multi-faceted approach, bringing deep academic grounding, practical care, and tender leadership to the conversation:
- Dr. Jessica ChenFeng, PhD — Program Chair of the Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy program and Associate Professor of marriage and family therapy at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. ChenFeng has been practicing marriage and family therapy for over 20 years. She is the founding director of the Asian American Well-being Collaboratory and associate editor of Family Process.
- Bishop Valarie Pearce, M.Ed. — Senior Pastor of Love Encounter Church in Portland, OR. She is a scholar, educator, and spiritual leader whose ministry bridges biblical scholarship, compassionate pastoral care, and social justice.
- Dr. Alexiana Fry, PhD — An Old Testament scholar and the author of two books on trauma-informed readings of the Hebrew Bible: Trauma Talks in the Hebrew Bible: Speech Act Theory and Biblical Hermeneutics (2023) and Esther Keeps the Score: Trauma, Body and Politics in the Hebrew Bible (2026). The conference features a panel discussion on Esther Keeps the Score.
- Dr. Jody Washburn, PhD — Co-Founder of Religion for Her, Hebrew Bible scholar, and author specializing in trauma-informed biblical engagement, attachment theory, and ancient Near Eastern contexts.
- Dr. Melissa Ramos, PhD — Co-Founder of Religion for Her, Hebrew Bible scholar, ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and author.
Join the Conversation
Whether you are a pastor, a counselor, a student, or someone simply navigating your own complex relationship with faith and healing, this gathering is created for you.
You don't need a theology degree or a clinical background to join - just a desire to ask honest questions in a collaborative community.
