Wake Forest University School of Divinity Appoints Melissa Rogers as Distinguished Scholar in Residence in Faith, Law, and Public Policy
Wake Forest University School of Divinity is pleased to announce the appointment of Melissa Rogers as Distinguished Scholar in Residence in Faith, Law, and Public Policy effective August 1, 2025.
A nationally recognized leader at the intersection of religion, law, and public life, Rogers brings decades of public service, policy expertise, and scholarly depth to this distinguished role. Among her many publications, Rogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (2019) and Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court with Steven K. Green and Ronald B. Flowers (2008).
This appointment marks a return to Wake Forest University for Rogers, who previously served as a visiting professor and as director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at Wake Forest University School of Divinity.
“I am thrilled to return to the Wake Forest community,” said Rogers. “I look forward to working to increase understanding of religion’s role in American public life and appreciation for our pluralistic constitutional democracy.”
Rogers served as Special Assistant to the President and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships under both President Joseph R. Biden and President Barack H. Obama. A noted scholar and public intellectual, she has shaped national conversations on religious freedom, church-state relations, and the role of faith in civic life. She has also served as General Counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution.
“Melissa Rogers embodies the rare combination of dedicated public servant, engaged scholar, and faithful advocate for justice and the common good.”
Corey D. B. Walker, Dean of the School of Divinity
“Her return to Wake Divinity as Distinguished Scholar in Residence reflects our deep and abiding commitment to cultivating leaders and ideas that stand at the vital intersections of faith, law, and public policy. We are honored to welcome her back to our community of learning, leadership, and service.”
In her role at Wake Divinity, Rogers will contribute to teaching and mentoring graduate students and offer scholarly and strategic contributions to institutional initiatives that advance the School’s mission through public and scholarly engagement.
Rogers will provide critical leadership for the School of Divinity’s bold new initiative on Religion, Pluralism, and American Public Life. The initiative fosters research, dialogue, and teaching at the intersections of theology, democracy, and public policy, contributing to national conversations around religious pluralism, civic engagement, and the role of faith in a diverse society.
She will also design and coordinate signature public events in Washington, DC and Winston-Salem, further cementing Wake Divinity’s leadership in national conversations around faith and public life.
“Melissa Rogers brings exceptional experience, scholarship, and public service to this role,” said Michele Gillespie, Provost of Wake Forest University. “Her leadership will enrich our academic community and strengthen Wake Forest’s efforts to engage constructively with the most pressing challenges facing American public life.”
Melissa Rogers’ appointment underscores Wake Forest University School of Divinity’s ongoing dedication to faithful and transformative public engagement rooted in justice, reconciliation, and compassion. Rogers’ expertise and public witness align with Wake Divinity’s broader vision of graduate theological education that engages meaningfully with the most challenging issues of our time.
For more information, please contact: Dan Culpepper, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations for the School of Divinity at 336-758-5696, culpepd@wfu.edu. See the full news release on the School of Divinity website.
About Wake Forest University School of Divinity
Wake Forest University School of Divinity is a leading ecumenical graduate theological professional school committed to justice, reconciliation, and compassion in Christian churches and other ministries. Rooted in the university’s motto Pro Humanitate – for humanity – the School of Divinity prepares students for ministry and faithful leadership in a complex and diverse world.
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