The Difficult Words of Jesus

Amy-Jill Levine ("AJ") is Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at the Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita, Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita, and Professor of New Testament Studies Emerita at Vanderbilt University. An internationally renowned scholar and teacher, she is the author of numerous books, including The Difficult Words of Jesus: A Beginner's Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings, Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi, Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginner's Guide to Holy Week, Light of the World: A Beginner's Guide to Advent, Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner's Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven, and Signs and Wonders: A Beginner's Guide to the Miracles of Jesus. She is also coeditor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. AJ is the first Jew to teach New Testament at Rome's Pontifical Biblical Institute. In 2021 she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. AJ describes herself as an unorthodox member of an Orthodox synagogue and a Yankee Jewish feminist who until 2021 taught New Testament in a Christian divinity school in the buckle of the Bible Belt.

Nan McNamara is an AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator and garnered the "Best Audiobook of 2016" distinction for her narration of Mister Monkey by Francine Prose. Her twenty-plus years as a professional actress on stage, television, and film translate into audiobook storytelling that AudioFile magazine calls "richly observed," "heartbreaking," and empowers her to "smoothly shift to whatever character, time, or emotion she is portraying." Nan has narrated nearly 100 titles in numerous genres. She is also the recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award, LA Weekly Award, StageRaw Award, Robby Award, and Scenie Award for her numerous stage performances (including Wit, for which she shaved her head) and has recorded hundreds of voice-overs for radio/TV, video games, and promos. Nan's film/television work includes portraying powerhouse attorney Bonnie Pearl on Major Crimes, a recurring stint on Switched at Birth as Brenda Powers, having fun with Emmy winner Tony Hale in Not That Funny, being killed by Jamie Kennedy in the opening of Foreclosed with Marlee Matlin and Paul Sorvino, and being reunited with her two kidnapped children on Criminal Minds. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Nan received her bachelor's degree in theater (cum laude). Ever the optimist, one of her lifelong dreams is for the Minnesota Vikings to reach the Super Bowl.