Zhenya Gurina-Rodriguez

Zhenya Gurina-Rodríguez is Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program and Assistant Professor of New Testament and Ministry at Louisville Seminary. She is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church.She holds a PhD in New Testament and Early Christian Literature from Brite Divinity School, where her dissertation, Begging for Their Daily Bread: Beggar-Centric Interpretations of Matthew 6, explored how ancient texts reflect and shape the lived experience of marginalized population of the destitute. Her work engages early Jesus movement within its imperial context, highlighting themes of poverty, power, and the complex nature of Gospel proclamation. Gurina-Rodríguez also holds a ThM and MDiv from Brite, and a BA in English and Cross-Cultural Communication from Voronezh State University in Russia.Her teaching spans a wide range of contexts and languages in El Salvador, Argentina and across the United States. She regularly teaches in both English and Spanish, and has designed curriculum in biblical studies, practical ministry, and spiritual formation for students, clergy, and laity alike.Gurina-Rodríguez’s scholarship includes contributions to the Wisdom Commentary Series on the Gospel of Mark, entries in the Historical Dictionary of Methodism, and the book Begging for Their Daily Bread (Fortress/Lexington, 2022).Born and raised in Russia, she now lives in Louisville with her spouse and two young children.