Vanessa Lovelace has been named executive director of the Louisville Institute. Based at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky and funded by the Lilly Endowment, the institute awards grants and fellowships in support of leadership, education, and research on North American religion. Dr. Lovelace began her tenure on August 1.
Previously, Dr. Lovelace served as the associate dean and an associate professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. Earlier, she was coordinator of the master of divinity degree program at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She has also taught various courses at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi; Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri; Elmhurst College in Illinois; and Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio.
As a scholar, Dr. Lovelace is an expert on Deuteronomistic history, Hebrew Bible prophets and prophecy, and women and gender in ancient Israel. She has authored several books, most recently A Womanist Reading of Hebrew Bible Narratives as the Politics of Belonging From an Outsider Within (Fortress Academic, 2024). Additionally, she is the creator, producer, and host of the podcast, “Womanist Bible Talk: A Podcast for Womanish Bible Readers and Friends.”
“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,” said Dr. Lovelace. “For me, this is a winning combination.”
An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, Dr. Lovelace holds a bachelor’s degree in radio and television from San Francisco State University, a master of divinity degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible, culture, and hermeneutics from Chicago Theological Seminary.