A lasting impact: Rev. Dr. Vanessa Lovelace to depart Lancaster Seminary after years of transformative service
July 22, 2025
Dear Seminary Community,
It is with deep appreciation and gratitude that we announce the departure of the Rev. Dr. Vanessa Lovelace, Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Lancaster Theological Seminary.
During her time at the Seminary, Dr. Lovelace has made a lasting impact as a scholar, teacher, administrator, and minister.
She has taught a wide range of courses, including biblical exegesis, introductory Hebrew Bible, elementary Hebrew, and womanist biblical interpretation, as well as interdisciplinary courses exploring race, gender, sexuality, and pastoral care.
Lovelace will begin a new chapter in August as Executive Director of the Louisville Institute and Louisville Seminary.
“We are deeply grateful for Dr. Lovelace’s scholarship, vision, and unwavering commitment to theological education,” said The Very Rev. Katherine Ragsdale, former Interim Vice President and Dean of Moravian Theological Seminary and Lancaster Theological Seminary.
“On a personal note, not only has Vanessa’s extensive administrative experience been invaluable as we worked to combine two seminaries, two curricula, and two faculties, but she has also been a delightful colleague, a joy to work with,” Ragsdale added.
Lovelace played a key leadership role in advancing Lancaster Theological Seminary’s 2022 partnership with Moravian University and guiding the Seminary through its associated academic and administrative restructuring.
“Dr. Lovelace’s contributions to our academic community have been transformative, and her dedication to fostering inclusive theological education has enriched both our students and faculty,” said Dr. Bryon L. Grigsby, President of Moravian University. “We are grateful for her partnership in strengthening the vital connection between Moravian University and the seminary, and we wish her continued success as she brings her exceptional leadership to Louisville.”
Lovelace’s scholarship centers on Deuteronomistic History, biblical prophecy, and gender in ancient Israel. Her work brings womanist thought and literary theory into conversation with biblical texts, examining how race, gender, class, and sexuality intersect both in scripture and in contemporary life.
She is the co-editor of Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse and a contributor to several influential publications, including The Hebrew Bible: Feminist and Intersectional Perspectives.
Her current book project, ‘Outsider-Within: A Womanist Reading of Hebrew Bible Narratives as the Politics of Belonging,’ explores how biblical texts have been used to define and deny inclusion, particularly for Black women in the U.S. context.
In addition to her teaching and research, Dr. Lovelace has served the wider guild through leadership roles in the Society of Biblical Literature and the American Academy of Religion. She is also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.
“Vanessa’s presence at Lancaster Theological Seminary will be deeply missed. The Louisville Institute is lucky to get her, and we wish her the very best in her continued work and ministry,” Ragsdale added.