Seeking responses to life’s profound inquiries

Raised in a Catholic household in California’s Bay Area, Kelsey Hanson Woodruff’s transition from altar server to Presbyterian minister to scholar of American religion seemed almost destined.

“I have always held a fascination with religion, as the inquiry into why humans exist and how they derive meaning is significant to me,” remarked Hanson Woodruff. “My curiosity lies in understanding the influence of religion on society, and how individual faiths shape their visions for societal structure and the communities they envision.”

The Catholic foundation of Hanson Woodruff’s upbringing, alongside the numerous educators in her close-knit family, enabled her to envision a journey in which education and spirituality could be harmoniously integrated. The influence of her godparents, her uncle and aunt, Eric Hanson, a former Jesuit priest, and Kathleen Hanson, a former Maryknoll nun, significantly resonates in her life, she stated. They crossed paths after departing from the church to embrace careers as university professors. “They exemplified for me that one’s ministry can be practiced both in personal life and in the educational setting,” she reflected.

However, it was not until she attended a Buddhism class at Stanford that Hanson Woodruff truly discovered her passion for religious studies. Drawn by the Protestant churches’ practice of ordaining women, she became a Presbyterian minister and served congregations in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts prior to her arrival at Harvard.

A Ph.D. candidate in religion with a secondary focus on anthropology at the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Hanson Woodruff investigates changes in American Christianity. Her dissertation, a historical and ethnographic analysis of post-evangelical feminists, delves into the effects of digital technologies and sociocultural shifts on faith, emphasizing her dedication to studying progressive religious individuals.

“In the United States, narratives tend to center around conservative Catholics, conservative evangelicals, and conservative Christians,” stated Hanson Woodruff. “Yet, there exist religious progressives, and numerous individuals within all faiths who are more liberal. While there is some academic exploration of this, it is insufficient; public awareness needs to expand.”

During her fieldwork, much of which occurred amid the pandemic, Hanson Woodruff explored a variety of online religious communities led by women who were challenging conservative tendencies within evangelical Protestantism. As a millennial, she was intrigued by how these female leaders leveraged digital platforms, including blogs, social media, and online forums, to engage with their Christian beliefs.

Among the individuals Hanson Woodruff analyzed were Rachel Held Evans, author of the New York Times best-seller “A Year of Biblical Womanhood” (2012); Sarah Bessey, who released “Jesus Feminist” (2013); and Austin Channing Brown, author of the best-selling “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness” (2018).

As progressive Christian writers, Evans, Bessey, and Channing Brown contested traditional perspectives within the evangelical church concerning politics, feminism, anti-racism, and LGBTQ matters, noted Hanson Woodruff. Held Evans, who passed away at 37 in 2019, wrote about her struggles reconciling her conservative upbringing while questioning long-standing evangelical views on women’s roles. Bessey invited readers to reconsider the notion that feminism contradicts Christianity. Channing Brown recounted her experiences as a Black Christian woman navigating white conservative evangelical environments.

“Numerous women authors are championing alternative theologies within conservative evangelical circles,” affirmed Hanson Woodruff. “Many were nurtured in settings where women were barred from serving as pastors, elders, or in leadership roles. They are engaging in dialogue with one another, asserting that these exclusions are not biblically supported. Their audience is also reexamining these concepts.”

Hanson Woodruff’s research is poised to make a notable academic contribution, remarked David Hall, Bartlett Professor of New England Church History Emeritus at Harvard Divinity School.

“Kelsey’s skill in recognizing how technology and culture have converged to create avenues and opportunities for women’s religious leadership in historically male-dominated spaces represents a significant advancement in our understanding of the current religious landscape,” noted Hall.

Post-graduation, Hanson Woodruff intends to engage in postdoctoral research and publish a biography of Held Evans, which she has been developing over the past few years. Meanwhile, she offers some advice to students intrigued by religious studies. “Young adulthood is a remarkable period to ponder the most essential inquiries of existence: What defines our humanity? What is our purpose? And how have individuals in diverse times and places grappled with these inquiries?” advised Hanson Woodruff. “Religious studies, along with all humanities, guide us in reflecting on these matters.”