WFU Divinity Professor Dr. Katherine Shaner Inducted Into Society For New Testament Studies
Winston-Salem, N.C. — On August 10th, Katherine Shaner, Associate Professor of New Testament at Wake Forest University School of Divinity (WFUSD), was elected into membership of the Society for New Testament Studies (SNTS), a distinguished international association of biblical scholars dedicated to the advancement of New Testament scholarship.
Membership in SNTS is by nomination and election only. It requires a nomination from two current members and a distinguished record of scholarly publication. The full membership then votes on each candidate’s election.
“This is an extraordinary honor,” said Shaner. “To join a global network of scholars is deeply energizing. The conversations in SNTS help shape how thought leaders use the New Testament across cultures and and early Christian history. I hope to continue the work my mentors began in decades ago, working to bring marginalized voices into the scholarly conversation for the sake of better understanding our heritage.”
Shaner’s academic research focuses on the social, cultural, and political contexts of the New Testament, with particular attention to issues of slavery, gender, and power in the early church. Her work has been widely recognized for advancing questions of justice, inclusivity, and the intersections of scripture with contemporary life.
She is the author of Enslaved Leadership in Early Christianity (Oxford University Press, 2018), which examines the roles of enslaved persons in shaping early Christian communities. As a professor at WFUSD, this research often comes to the fore in her courses, which encourage students to explore intersectional power dynamics found in the Bible, early Christianity, and church life.
She also recently published Ancient Slavery and Its New Testament Contexts (Eerdmans, 2025) with University of Denver professor Christy Cobb. With this text, Shaner and Cobb aimed to fill a lacuna in biblical scholarship: there was no textbook teaching students what they need to know about enslavement in the New Testament. So they gathered scholars from around the world to create this co-edited volume, which introduces readers to a variety of perspectives on early Christian scholarship.
“This recognition not only honors Professor Shaner’s contributions but also affirms the importance of her scholarship and the necessity to engage how biblical scholarship speaks to pressing issues of justice today,” said Corey D. B. Walker, Dean of Wake Forest University School of Divinity. “Her induction into the Society for New Testament Studies underscores both her excellence as a scholar and her prominent profile as a leader in the field.”
As a newly elected member, Shaner will participate in the Society’s future international meetings, where scholars present research, exchange ideas, and continue the Society’s mission to further New Testament studies in academic and ecclesial contexts.
About the Wake Forest University School of Divinity
Founded in 1999, Wake Forest University School of Divinity is a graduate, professional school that is Christian by tradition, Baptist in heritage, and ecumenical in outlook. Guided by the University’s motto, Pro Humanitate, the School prepares leaders informed by theological vocation and equipped to serve as agents of justice, reconciliation, and compassion through imaginative academics and engaged community formation. The School offers masters and doctoral degree programs including dual degree programs in bioethics, counseling, education, law, management, and sustainability.
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