Affiliated Scholar
Brisbane, Australia
As a Christian theologian, Dr. Ryan Messmore’s scholarly interests and expertise are in the integration of faith and politics, religion and law, and Christianity and society studies. He is particularly interested in the theological implications of the Trinity for better understanding the nature of political authority and economics. Most recently Dr. Messmore has worked in higher educational leadership in developing liberal arts education models, currently as the executive director of the Millis Institute at Christian Heritage College in Brisbane, Australia, and formerly as president of Campion College in Sydney, Australia. Previously Dr. Messmore served as the William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. At the Foundation his research and scholarship focused on how religious commitments are brought to bear on political life to improve public discourse, foster civility and strengthen civil society. Dr. Messmore’s commentary and analysis have appeared in major newspapers such as The Washington Times and The Raleigh News and Observer, online venues such as Crosswalk.com and FOXNews.com and in national magazines such as First Things, Comment, and WORLD. He served as lead writer of a six-part, DVD-based curriculum designed for small groups, “Seek Social Justice: Transforming Lives in Need.” Dr. Messmore was founder and executive director of Trinity Forum Academy in Royal Oak, Maryland, where he designed and implemented a post-undergraduate fellowship program in theology and cultural studies. Dr. Messmore graduated from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in public policy and religion. Shortly thereafter he was a Witherspoon Fellow in Washington, D.C. Later he pursued master’s degrees in theology and Christian ethics from Duke Divinity School and Cambridge University. His doctor’s degree is in political theology from Oxford University. Dr. Messmore resides with his wife, Karin, and three children in Brisbane Australia.