Religion - Assistant Professor (Religion and Society)

Description

The Religion Department at Hope College seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Religion position to begin on August 1, 2021, specializing in Religion and Society. Candidates are expected to be trained in the analytical and comparative study of religion, with a focus on Islam, Buddhism, Middle East, and/or Africa. Expertise in relevant languages (like Arabic or Pali) is required. Cognate expertise in World Christianity, Gender Studies, and/or Peace Studies may complement a scholarly emphasis on Religion and Society.

The successful candidate will primarily teach lower division courses, including introductory courses on Islam and/or Buddhism, along with occasional upper division courses in the candidate's areas of expertise. The Assistant Professor will teach 12 credits per semester and is expected to participate in co-curricular departmental activities.

This position will be filled pending final financial approval.

 

Qualifications

A completed Ph.D. is strongly preferred, but late-stage ABD will be also considered. Evidence of excellence in teaching undergraduates and introductory courses is required.

Hope College is committed to creating a diverse, ecumenical Christian academic community that invites all its members into a holistic and robust engagement with the historic Christian faith. The college's board, faculty, administration and staff are committed to the Christian faith as expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the ancient church. Individuals interested in this position must demonstrate a commitment to the character and goals of a liberal arts college with a Christian perspective, including a mature understanding of and commitment to the historic Christian faith.

 

Application Instructions

Applications are accepted at https://www.hope.edu/employment/faculty.  Interested candidates are asked to submit the following as part of the online application:

  • Letter of application 

  • CV

  • Sample syllabus (please upload under attachments "Other"

  • Teaching statement 

  • Evidence of teaching effectiveness

  • Sample of scholarly research (dissertation chapter, journal article, etc.)

  • Unofficial Transcripts

  • A statement describing your fit with the mission of the College (https://hope.edu/about/mission.html) and our Christian Aspirations (https://hope.edu/about/christian.html)

In addition, you will enter the names and contact information for three references when you apply. References will be contacted via email upon your application, providing them with a link to upload a letter of recommendation to your file.

The review of applications will begin in late September, 2020. 

 

About Hope College

Hope College is a four-year liberal arts college where academic excellence and vibrant Christian faith join together in a supportive and welcoming community. Hope offers an academically rigorous, co-educational and residential education to more than 3,050 students from 37 states and territories and 30 countries. Affiliated with the Reformed Church in America since its founding in 1866, Hope College is known for its invitational ecumenical Christian atmosphere, friendly campus community, and well-balanced academic and co-curricular offerings. Hope's beautiful campus is located just steps from award-winning downtown Holland, Michigan, and fewer than seven miles from Lake Michigan.
 
At Hope College, accomplished faculty and staff mentor students to recognize the interconnectedness of the world and cultivate the skills, perspectives and habits that help them flourish inside and outside the classroom. Recognized as a national leader in undergraduate research and scholarship, Hope provides exceptional professional preparation and life-changing educational experiences that equip students for success after graduation. The college has consistently ranked among the nation's top liberal arts colleges and is featured in the book Colleges That Change Lives.

Hope College is financially sound, with an endowment of over $200 million and no deferred maintenance, and over $140 million invested in the construction of new facilities during the past 12 years. Since 2015, the college has completed four new buildings – the Kruizenga Art Museum (2015), the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts (2015), the Jim and Martie Bultman Student Center (2017), and the van Andel Huys der Hope home for the college's Campus Ministries programs (2019). 

 
In 2015, Hope College launched its 10-year strategic plan, Hope for the World: 2025, which consists of six goals, focused on: academics; Christian formation; global engagement; community; reputation and influence; and value. Developed by the campus community, the strategic plan supports the college's mission, "to educate students for lives of leadership and service in a global society through academic and co-curricular programs of recognized excellence in the liberal arts and in the context of the historic Christian faith."
 
Hope College is a community that aspires to be faithful, welcoming and transformational. Accordingly, the college is committed to being a place where all experience a sense of belonging. Students of all faiths -- and no faith -- are welcome at Hope, as are students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.  During the 2019-20 academic year, 18 percent of the student body identified as a race other than white.  On Hope's campus, there is broad understanding that, in order to best prepare students for lives of leadership and service in a global society, the college must have diversity among its faculty and staff. Twenty-four percent of Hope's tenure-track faculty are from underrepresented groups, coming from both the U.S. and abroad.
 
ABOUT HOLLAND

Holland, Michigan is located in the heart of West Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa. The city is known for being a friendly college town, a beautiful vacation destination, and annual host of both the Tulip Time Festival and Tulipanes Latino Art and Film Festival. With a city population of 33,000, Holland resides within the greater Holland-Zeeland area populated by 100,000 -- 30 minutes from Grand Rapids, 2.5 hours from Ann Arbor and Chicago and 3 hours from Detroit. Holland features a picturesque downtown just steps from the Hope College campus -- home to restaurants, cafés, shops and a popular farmer's market -- as well as miles of sandy beaches, nationally ranked school districts and charming parks throughout the surrounding area. In recent years, Holland has earned recognition for being one of the "Best Beach Towns to Live In" (WalletHub, 2018), "Prettiest Towns" (Architectural Digest, 2018) and "Best Cities for Global Trade" (Global Trade Magazine, 2017) as well as the #1 "Best Small City to Start a Business" (WalletHub 2018). The City of Holland has also earned several top honors for the "America in Bloom" competition, including awards for "Environmental Efforts" and "Coolest Downtown." The Holland area is strengthened by its diversity, with people of color comprising 33% of the city's population. The Latino community is particularly vibrant, accounting for 24% of Holland residents. For more about neighborhoods, recreation, businesses and life in Holland, visit the city's "Live in Holland Michigan" website.

Hope College seeks to be a community that affirms the dignity of all persons as bearers of God's image. It is Hope College policy not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, family status, genetic information, height, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or weight, except in the event of a bona fide occupational qualification. Hope College is an equal opportunity employer.