At Duke Divinity School, field education is a central part of preparing students for ministry. Each summer, M.Div. students step outside the classroom to serve in churches, nonprofits, and other organizations, where they learn to connect theology with practice. For JoDeanne Francis, M.Div. ’26, that experience has meant learning to hold together her background as a social worker, her theological studies, and her pastoral imagination in new and surprising ways.
This summer, Francis worked for the Root Wellness Center, the sister non-profit of the Root Cause Collective, that “creates ecosystems of well-being to alleviate the impact of oppression on health and wellness.”
The Root Wellness Center is working to reimagine health care by building intergenerational, culturally sustaining community as a viable method of mental health intervention for marginalized communities impacted by collective trauma.
Francis' primary project was working with the center to develop the Our Ancestors Garden curriculum, a resource that equips parents and caregivers to introduce an eco-womanist liberation theology to their children. The project brought together voices from clergy, mental health practitioners, educators, and theologians.
“Part of my role has included planning formation spaces, which facilitate theological discourse,” Francis said. “It’s been a unique experience to think through how to structure gatherings for different fields, such as clergy, mental health practitioners, and theologians. Our conversations have a real-time impact on how children are formed and how their mental health is formed.”
Her placement gave Francis the chance to see theology embodied in community. “One of my favorite classes at Duke has been Womanist Theological Ethics,” she said. “This summer, I literally got to live that out in this work. What does it mean to focus on not just thought, but action and practice?”
Much of that inspiration has come through her supervisor, AW Shields, founder and executive director of the Root Wellness Center. “AW has exemplified what it means to know psychological theories, be adept with different mental health interventions, and use them to shape spaces as well as resources,” Francis said.
That mentorship has pushed Francis to notice the ways she already embodies theology. “I kept returning to what it means to be a pastor in nontraditional settings and in spaces that are not the church,” Francis said. “I have been challenged to grow, even in her encouragement to make a claim as a theologian.”
Shields says the work they are doing is prophetic and often called "experimental," which makes students the perfect fit. "My favorite part of working with students is their own openness and enthusiasm with building something innovative and out of the box," she adds.
"It's a gift to have the fresh thought, unbridled critique, and passionate innovative spirit students bring to this work in real time as we create the world we wish to see."
Francis has a unique ability to dance between three fields of thought, says Shields. "We didn't have to teach her that skill, she came with that ability already."
As an eco-womanist, Shields believes theological beliefs are only viable when embodied. Field education provides that space. "It serves as a litmus test for if what we believe is actually viable to manifest in the real world and it helps students discern where the Spirit is calling them to live out their call," says Shields.
That discernment is critical, especially for someone like Francis who has interdisciplinary skills and education. It takes time to realize how to weave all of those parts of oneself into someone who can make a real impact. Says Shields, "This is the hope of the Root Wellness Center fulfilled: that there is an institution that can hold the tension of all our intersectional identities and house our gifts in such a way that we don't have to check parts of ourselves and our calls at the door."
Francis came to Duke with a background in clinical social work and describes herself as a “practical theologian.” That perspective has set her apart in the classroom. “During my first year, I realized that I rarely found people asking the same questions I was,” she said. “Often I struggled because discussions didn’t always move from information to questions centered on ‘how does this affect people now’ or ‘how will this shape the way we do ministry?’”
Her experience in the Theology, Medicine, and Culture program helped shift that dynamic. “In that classroom, I felt seen, I felt at home,” she said. “This summer has been another iteration of that, where all of these things that represent my skillset or my interest can be lived out. I’ve felt inspired to fully embrace authentically living out all the parts of me and to lean into the wholeness of who I am.”
As she looks ahead to her final year at Duke, Francis remains open to multiple vocational pathways, but she knows her time in field education will continue to shape her imagination. “This summer’s field education placement has challenged me to be intentional in thinking through nontraditional pathways,” Francis said. “I want to live authentically in a way that honors all of the things I’ve learned and all of who God has created me to be.”
