Harding University will be dedicating the new Rogers Theological Library on Sept. 22, 2026, at 4 p.m. during the annual Inspire Lectureship.
Harding School of Theology has entered a dynamic new era following its 2024 move to the Searcy campus after more than seven decades in Memphis. The transition has fueled substantial expansion, with enrollment nearly doubling, the addition of new faculty and the launch of fresh initiatives that broaden the school’s impact. Central to this progress is the new Rogers Theological Library, a $9 million facility designed to prepare ministers, scholars and Church leaders for service well into the future.
“The Rogers Theological Library is the culmination of many years of dedicated effort at Harding School of Theology to seek deeper faith and higher standards,” said Dr. Mike Williams, president of Harding University. “The invaluable collection is evidence of a longtime commitment to academic quality, excellence and biblical scholarship. As we continue to make graduate theological education more widely accessible, we are thrilled to share this facility with our community.”
The library is named for Oliver and Norma Rogers, whose lives have exemplified faithful service to Christ and his Church. Oliver began his theological studies at Harding in the 1950s, prior to the graduate school’s relocation to Memphis. He completed a Master of Arts degree at Harding in 1955 and later served as minister of the North Central Church of Christ in Bloomington, Indiana, from 1969 to 1996. With his wife of 68 years, Norma (‘55), herself a devoted Christian and biblical scholar, they have devoted a lifetime of humble service that has enriched the Church and furthered God’s kingdom. In recognition of their enduring legacy, their family has made a generous gift to name the new facility in their honor.
The library is open to the public and houses more than 138,000 volumes, including the Meredith Restoration History Archive which is preserved in a climate-controlled space. The Jack and Annie May Alston Lewis Biblical Studies Collection honors another couple whose lives were devoted to Christian education and scholarship. Annie May Alston Lewis served as the first theological librarian in the Churches of Christ, and her husband, Jack P. Lewis, was a renowned biblical scholar and professor at Harding School of Theology. This library will be a valuable resource for ministers and biblical scholars throughout the nation and can be used for a variety of study including academic research and sermon planning.
Information for 
