Leslie Baynes is a biblical scholar and professor of religious studies whose research focuses on Second Temple Judaism, apocalyptic literature, the Book of Revelation, 1 Enoch, reception history, and the works of C. S. Lewis. After earning her Ph.D. in Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity from the University of Notre Dame, she joined the faculty of Missouri State University, where she was promoted to Professor of Religious Studies in 2026. Baynes was named Scholar-in-Residence at The Kilns, the former home of C. S. Lewis, and later became an inaugural Inklings Project Fellow at Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute for Church Life. Through her teaching, writing, and editorial leadership, she seeks to illuminate how ancient biblical texts continue to shape Christian imagination and interpretation today.Learn more about Leslie at her website (Click Here)