LOUISVILLE, KY – July 10, 2025

Following an extensive executive search conducted by Isaacson, Miller, overseen by a search committee comprising LI Advisory Board Members, Dr. Lovelace was identified as the standout candidate uniquely qualified to build on LI’s significant history and lead the organization into its next chapter. Working collaboratively LPTS, the LI Advisory Board, key stakeholders and the LI staff, Dr. Lovelace will help create a compelling vision and strategy for the future of LI, to support the flourishing of the church through the bridging of the Church and Academy.

“Vanessa’s diverse experience, influence, and extensive network in academia, including her proven record in her most recent positions at Lancaster Theological Seminary of Moravian University School of Theology in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, especially equips her to strategically advance the thought leadership and innovative field-building work of LI,” expressed The Rev. Dr. Andrew D. Pomerville, President of Louisville Seminary. “In addition, Dr. Lovelace is a recipient of a Louisville Institute grant as the creator, producer, and host of Womanist Bible Talk: A Podcast for Womanish Bible Readers and Friends – funded by the Louisville Institute Sabbatical Research Grant. She appreciates firsthand the far-reaching impact and importance of Louisville Institute’s purpose and mission.”

Lovelace earned her Ph.D. in Bible (Hebrew), Culture, and Hermeneutics from Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois, her M.Div. from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois, and a B.A. in Radio & Television from San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California. Her publications include A Womanist Reading of Hebrew Bible Narratives as the Politics of Belonging from an Outsider Within, Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse, coedited with Gay L. Byron, and essays in Reading in These Times: Purposes and Practices of Minoritized Biblical Criticism, The Hebrew Bible: Feminist and Intersectional Perspectives, The Oxford Handbook of the Minor Prophets, and The Oxford Encyclopedia of Bible and Gender Studies. She is a regular contributor to workingpreacher.org and serves on the editorial boards of Biblical Theology Bulletin and Bible Odyssey.

Members of the LI search committee have enthusiastically endorsed the appointment of Dr. Lovelace. “Dr. Lovelace is a brilliant scholar and proven leader, whose devotion to the church and the academy alike is evident in her impressive body of work. She is exactly the right person to lead the Louisville Institute into an exciting new era, one which is certain to underscore this truth: that LI’s mission is as vital today as it was at its founding thirty-five years ago,” shared Heath W. Carter, PhD, Director of PhD Studies and Associate Professor of American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary.

In addition, The Rev. Dr. Katie Hays, Galileo Church’s Lead Evangelist, had this to say: “Dr. Lovelace brings a steady hand and a steadfast heart to her care for God’s people and the institutions — ecclesial and academic — that support them. In a season of upheaval across the North American Christian landscape, LI and all our stakeholders will benefit from her wisdom, experience, and strength of purpose.”

Telika McCoy, PhD, professor of practical ministry at Shaw University Divinity School and youth pastor of Mt. Peace Baptist Church, shared, “I was deeply impressed by Dr. Lovelace’s intellect, integrity, and her genuine commitment to both responsibility and diversity. Her passion for her work is evident — not only does she study the church, she actively lives within it. The church is not just her subject; it is her community of accountability. This lived experience, combined with her academic excellence, positions her to humbly and effectively carry forward LI’s mission of bridging the church and the academy. There is a Congolese proverb that says, ‘Prepare now for the solutions of tomorrow.’ I believe Dr. Lovelace is indeed prepared for the tomorrows that lie ahead for LI.

Dr. Lovelace enthusiastically accepted the position, sharing, “I love that my new position as the Executive Director of the Louisville Institute of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary will allow me to combine my passion for helping pastors and scholars pursue their research interests in Christian faith and practices with my deep affection for and commitment to the life of the church. For me, this is a winning combination.”

In 2025, Louisville Institute, together with Louisville Seminary, celebrates its 35th year identifying and supporting promising religious scholarship that serves the purpose of the Church.