Congratulations to the 2026 Student Paper Competition Winners!
Jessica Czirko-Fleck
Rev. Dr. Jessica Czirko-Fleck is a scholar and practitioner dedicated to cultivating diverse leadership in the church, with a particular focus on women and girls. She believes that expanding leadership opportunities is vital for biblically equitable communities of faith. Dr. Czirko-Fleck is currently earning a PhD in Practical Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She also earned her Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Preaching, graduating with honors from Asbury Theological Seminary. Jessica teaches for Olivet Nazarene University and has taught at Crown College, developing courses on women and diversity. Beyond her academic work, she treasures being an aunt and enjoys swimming, preaching, and her friendships.
“Egalitarian Citizenship”
Sexism is rampant inside the church, outside the church, and in public theology. Based on theories of citizenship and egalitarianism, however, public theology could be a part of devising needed changes. Grounded in the imago Dei, citizenship theology would provide for full participation in public spaces. In addition, egalitarianism can bring an understanding of citizenship forward by focusing on biblical equality between women and men. If public theology were able to embrace both understandings, it could become the key to change in the United States and the churches therein.
Stefanie Hill
Stefanie Hill is a PhD student in Bible Exposition at Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity, where she will begin the dissertation phase of her doctoral studies this fall. Among her research interests is the theology of women as presented in the Gospels.
“Women and the Kingdom of God”
Stefanie will examine how Luke’s narrative portrays Jesus’ perspective on women—not as peripheral figures, but as active participants in the unfolding Kingdom of God. It traces a redemptive trajectory that moves decisively away from the Greco-Roman cultural norms and toward the kingdom’s ethical ideal in which distinctions of ethnicity, status, and gender are subsumed and all are made one in Christ (Gal. 3:28, NRSV). Through the portrayal of three women closest to Jesus–Mary of Bethany, Mary of Magdala, and Mary of Nazareth–the paper demonstrates how Jesus overturns societal expectations by elevating women as models of faithful response, proclaimers of divine revelation, and active participants in the Kingdom of God.
Lark Kelsey
Lark Kelsey (MA, ThM, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is a second-year PhD in Preaching student at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. She is researching the spiritual trauma experiences of women in vocational ministry.
“A Fractured Narrative Made Whole”
Female ministers often incur spiritual trauma in the pursuit of their vocational call. When trauma fractures a person’s narrative identity, the struggle for narrative coherence is an important aspect of healing. Reading the stories of other women who have prevailed through similar circumstances provides critical encouragement. One such story is that of Jarena Lee, who for many years was denied the opportunity to preach and endured rejection, hardship, and trauma from her own pastor and congregation. She persistently followed God’s call to preach and rewrote the story of her experience to instruct and encourage others. Reading her fractured narrative made whole helps us to find healing for our own stories.