Dr. Rachel L. Danley enjoys seeing people encounter the beauty of God in the Scriptures. After growing up as a pastor’s kid in rural Iowa, she led ministry teams with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for 13 years on a variety of college campuses, growing a love for God, His Word, and students from around the world. She also served and led with mission teams in Egypt, Ethiopia, and Cambodia. From these experiences, God led her to commit herself to the academy long-term and to engage more deeply with Scripture through her graduate and postgraduate studies in Boston and Scotland. She is grateful to return to her first home in Sterling where her parents met and married as college students. Beyond the classroom, Rachel enjoys being with her friends and family, traveling the world, and appreciating beautiful stories, art, and nature.

Dr. Danley’s research considers God’s indwelling presence among His people in the temple, through Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. She explores this theme in her first book, Constructing Temple Spaces in the Gospel of John: Purity, Participation, and God’s Covenantal Presence (Brill, 2026). She has presented her work at international conferences and essays in Jesus, John, and History, Volume 5: Jesus Remembered Within the Johannine Tradition (SBL, 2026) and in Scripture and Creed in Interaction (V&R, forthcoming). 

Education

Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Aberdeen
M.A. in Biblical Languages from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
M.A. in New Testament from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Northern Iowa

Office

Kelsey 102