Shaped by Suffering
Trauma is everywhere—in the systems we live in, the bodies we all inhabit, and the histories we inherit. Some argue the word has lost its meaning, diluted by overuse or dismissed as just another symptom of being “too woke.” But trauma is real, and it has long shaped how we tell stories—both sacred and personal.
In biblical studies, trauma-informed interpretation (or trauma hermeneutics) offers a powerful lens for understanding how texts reflect the wounds of history: the aftermath of war, exile, oppression, and communal grief. It also challenges us to reckon with how trauma continues to shape not just ancient characters and communities, but also the people who preserved these stories—and us as modern readers.
Because we carry assumptions about both trauma and the Bible, we often miss the deeper emotional, cultural, and systemic forces at play. This class taught by Alexiana Fry will give you tools to recognize those dynamics and begin reading Scripture with greater empathy and awareness.
This class includes:
Class recording
Q&A session recording
Downloadable class slides
Cost: $25
Topics we’ll cover:
What even is trauma? And how is it often misunderstood?
How do we approach the Bible through a trauma-informed lens?
Why does recognizing trauma matter for reading the past—and living in the present?
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Alexiana Fry is a postdoctoral researcher for the Divergent Views of Diaspora in Ancient Judaism project at the University of Copenhagen. She received her PhD in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible from Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Her first book, Trauma Talks in the Hebrew Bible: Speech Act Theory and Trauma Hermeneutics, was released in 2023. She is also a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor, and most importantly, a proud pug parent.
