The White House has announced nominations of two theologians to serve as ambassadors for the administration. Miguel Diaz, a professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Minnesota, has been nominated for the post of ambassador to the Vatican. He is a board member of the Catholic Theological Society of America and a past president of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States.

Also announced: The Rev. Michael A. Battle Sr., president of the Interdenominational Theological Center, nominated as U.S. representative to the African Union with the rank of ambassador. Battle was vice president of the American Committee on Africa and a U.S. Army Reserve chaplain before he began leading the consortium of African-American theological schools in Atlanta.

“I am grateful that these distinguished Americans have agreed to help represent the United States and strengthen our partnerships abroad at this critical time for our nation and the world,” President Obama said of the two men and others announced Wednesday for diplomatic posts. “I am confident they will advance American diplomacy as we work to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

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