Rev. Emily Nelms Chastain to join Perkins August 1 as Instructor in the History of Christianity
Rev. Emily Nelms Chastain, an ordained deacon in The United Methodist Church and Ph.D. candidate at Boston University, has been named Instructor in the History of Christianity at Perkins School of Theology. The appointment is effective August 1, 2024.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and both a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Religion from Claremont School of Theology.
Nelms Chastain’s research focuses on American religious history, world Christianity and Methodist studies, with particular interest in the late 19th and 20th centuries and intersections of gender. In her dissertation, Rev. Nelms Chastain examines the leadership pipeline from the International Association of Women Preachers that successfully mobilized women to work for women’s ordination in American Methodism.
“Rev. Nelms Chastain is a committed United Methodist whose work promises to lift up neglected voices and stories of women and international Methodist movements in both her scholarship and her teaching,” said Dr. O. Wesley Allen Jr., Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics and search committee chair. “She represents the future of Methodist/Wesleyan Studies, and Perkins is fortunate to have her joining our community.”
She is a member of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church who has served in local churches, the annual conference and denominational leadership positions. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women, a position she has held since 2016.
“I am delighted to welcome Rev. Emily Nelms Chastain to Perkins School of Theology,” said Dr. Hugo Magallanes, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. “She has shown evidence of her commitment and care for students, and I believe her teaching approaches and her research interests are a welcome addition to our faculty.”
A dynamic and engaging teacher, Rev. Nelms Chastain has served as a teaching fellow for many graduate-level courses, taught undergraduates in history and teaches in the United Methodist Course of Study.
“Vocationally, my call is to empower and equip students for ministry. This calling aligns with the values of the Perkins School of Theology, as it has been historically devoted to teaching and service for the church,” Rev. Nelms Chastain said. “There is still much to be done within theological education to form students and to fashion the church of the future, and I look forward to joining members of the Perkins community as they engage in this significant work.”
Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Ministry, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Pastoral Music as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.