Nicole McDonald

The Reverend Dr. Nicole McDonald is a Hospice Chaplain/Bereavement Coordinator in Hampton, Virginia. Her research interests lie at the intersection of pastoral care, preaching, and rhetoric. Currently, she’s interested in the epistemological aspects of the Call to Preach in the African American preaching tradition. For her dissertation, Nicole will focus on the call narratives of queer womanist preachers to understand the form and significance of the call. Through rhetorical critical methods, she will research how call narratives inform sermons and biblical interpretation.

Nicole chose the CTS PhD program because it was an exciting opportunity to fulfill a dream of earning a PhD in preaching as well as studying under Dr. Frank A. Thomas.

Some of her publications and paper representations include:

  • The Listening Journal of Communication, Ethics, and Culture – Special Issue on African American Call Narratives (peer-reviewed journal)
  • The Form and Significance of the Call Narrative of Julia A.J. Foote May 2021 (An examination of the components of Julia A.J. Foote’s Call Narrative)
  • A Balm in Gilead: Eulogies of Comfort – Anthology
  • In Remembrance: Saying Good-bye and Honoring a Legacy December 2019 (A chapter highlighting 3 adaptations of 1 funeral sermon)
  • 16th Biennial Communication Ethics Conference, Virtual Presentation June 2021
  • The Black Church and Rhetorical Theology: The Prophetic Persona of the Humble Teacher (A rhetorical theory to address theological conflict in the church)
  • Academy of Homiletics, Virtual Presentation December 2020
  • A Queer Womanist Theology of Preaching (A liberating theology of preaching for those marginalized by society and called by God)
  • Academy of Homiletics, New Brunswick, NJ
  • The Call Narrative Hermeneutic December 2019 (An exploration of the call narrative as a hermeneutic lens for interpreting scripture)
  • Pre-Conference Panel – National Communications Association, Baltimore, MD November 2019
  • The Influence of Julia A.J. Foote’s Call Narrative on Her Sermon “A Threshing Sermon” (A rhetorical analysis of Julia A.J. Foote’s “Threshing Sermon” based on her call)