Bethany College Welcomes Janelle Adams as New Assistant Professor of Religion
LINDSBORG, KS. JULY 18, 2025 — Bethany College is pleased to announce the appointment of Janelle Adams as the new Assistant Professor of Religion. She recently completed her Ph.D. in Religion at Emory University, with a focus in social ethics and practical theology. Her dissertation, “Lessons in Shared Sufficiency: How Refugees and Community Partners Practice Belonging at a Faith-Based Community Hub,” employs qualitative methods to investigate practices of belonging in the context of refugee resettlement.
Adams’ broader research agenda explores the innovative ways faith-based groups and movements draw on the resources of religion to respond to the most pressing challenges of our time. Her work has been published in Practical Theology, the Journal of Pastoral Theology, Center for Migration Studies Essays, and the edited volume Pathways to Belonging.
Before coming to Bethany, Adams taught at Spelman College and Candler School of Theology and served as a researcher with the Forum for Theological Exploration’s Discernment Labs initiative. She holds a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology and a B.A. in Religious Studies from Rhodes College. Prior to her academic career, Adams worked in refugee resettlement and spiritual care education.
Adams’ appointment comes at a time when Bethany College is deepening its engagement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Since taking office in May, President Dr. Laura Crawley has been actively reconnecting the college with ELCA partners across the region and nationally. Her recent activities include:
- Speaking with the Swedish Friendship Group at Bethany Lutheran Church
- Speaking about Bethany College at the Central States Synod Assembly back in June, at the request of Bishop Candea
- Participating in the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU) Presidents Summer Seminar and the Vocation of Lutheran Higher Education Conference in July at Augsburg University
- Planning visits with Pastor Melissa to ELCA congregations across Kansas this fall and spring
- Attending the upcoming ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Phoenix at the end of July
These efforts underscore Bethany's ongoing commitment to its Lutheran identity and mission, particularly in welcoming faculty whose scholarship and vocation align with values of faith, service, and social responsibility.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Adams to Bethany College,” said Rev. Melissa Woeppel, Campus Pastor. “As an ethicist, she will enhance vocational reflection and explore questions of meaning and purpose both in and out of the classroom.”
When Adams is not teaching or writing, she enjoys reading mystery novels and dabbling in stand-up and improvisational comedy.
Bethany College is excited to welcome Janelle Adams to the faculty and looks forward to the meaningful contributions her research and community-centered approach will bring to the religion program. For more information about our religion program, please visit www.bethanylb.edu/religion-philosophy.
Bethany College is a liberal arts institution located in Lindsborg, Kansas, and was established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881. For over 140 years, Bethany has been dedicated to educating, developing, and challenging individuals to pursue truth and excellence while leading lives of faith, learning, and service. At Bethany, students join a community of dedicated educators and caring mentors who support them as they discover, explore, and navigate their purpose. Bethany College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
