Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley to receive Frank Wolf Award
21Wilberforce will present the 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award to Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, recognizing more than five decades of Christian leadership in support of religious freedom, justice, peace and human dignity.
Throughout his ministry, Medley has advocated for people facing racism, religious discrimination, persecution and displacement while building relationships across religious differences. His work has included confronting racism and segregation in the American South, standing alongside Muslims facing Islamophobia, advocating for persecuted Christians and displaced communities in Burma, and promoting interfaith cooperation as a means of pursuing peace.
“We live in a world mired in conflict, where religion is instrumentalized and religious communities fall prey to violence and persecution,” said Wissam al-Saliby, president of 21Wilberforce. “It is in this context that Jesus, 2,000 years ago, called his disciples to be peacemakers. Today, we celebrate a life of obedience to that calling.”
“We need to learn from the steadfast and humble advocacy of Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley — for religious freedom, for peace, for restoration and for healing,” al-Saliby said.
The Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award recognizes outstanding champions who stand up to oppression in pursuit of freedom of religion or belief. The award honors the legacy of Congressman Frank Wolf, who represented Virginia’s 10th Congressional District from 1981 until January 2015. Known as the “Champion of human rights” and the “Conscience of Congress,” Wolf worked throughout his congressional career to advance international religious freedom and human rights. He later served as Distinguished Senior Fellow at 21Wilberforce.
Medley’s commitment to religious freedom has been expressed through both advocacy and relationship-building. Following the September 11 attacks, he helped lead efforts to bring Christians, Muslims, Jews and others together to resist anti-Muslim prejudice and affirm the rights and dignity of Muslim Americans.
He also joined an interfaith delegation that advocated for the release of Mariam Ibrahim, a Christian woman sentenced to death in Sudan because of her faith. The delegation called for Ibrahim’s release and for greater religious freedom for Sudan’s Christian minority.
Medley’s work has also taken him to communities affected by conflict and persecution in Burma. As executive director of the Burma Advocacy Group, he advocates for communities experiencing violence, displacement and persecution and has visited refugee communities along the Thai-Burma border.
For Medley, religious freedom is not simply an abstract principle. His ministry has reflected a conviction that defending religious freedom means standing with people whose freedom and dignity are threatened, including those who belong to faith traditions other than his own.
The 2026 Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Award will be presented during a special program and reception on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hoge Chapel at Columbia Church in Falls Church, Virginia.
Register for the event here
###
About 21Wilberforce
Our mission is to equip the church to support persecuted communities, challenge repression, and expand freedom of religion and belief for everyone.
Contact:
Lou Ann Sabatier
21wilberforce
Lsabatier@21Wilberforce.org
Disclcaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Religion News Association