Valerie Cooper

Valerie Cooper is an Associate Professor of Religion and Society and Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School, Duke University. As the first African American woman to earn tenure at Duke Divinity School in 2014, she specializes in historical and theological analyses of religion, race, politics, and popular culture. Her work explores African American evangelicals, biblical hermeneutics, and racial dynamics in Christian congregations post-2008 election.

• Degrees: B.S. & M.Div. from Howard University, Th.D. from Harvard University

Research Focus: Dr. Cooper examines how religion intersects with racial inequality, political engagement, and cultural narratives. Her current project, Segregated Sundays, investigates racial reconciliation efforts in Christian ministries since the 1990s.

Awards & Affiliations: She is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Theological Inquiry and part of a Templeton Foundation-funded initiative on theologies of hope. Cooper also contributes to public discourse on church-state dynamics, notably critiquing the IRS’s 2025 policy shift allowing churches to endorse political candidates.