Job Description

Job Summary:

The Department of Theology at Xavier University of Louisiana invites applicants for a tenure track position in biblical studies at the assistant professor level beginning in August 2025. Experience in teaching, as well as a publication record in a specific field of research, is preferable.

While the area of research is open, candidates will be expected to be able to teach a variety of courses in biblical studies. Scholars with research or teaching experience that connects biblical studies to contexts in the Black Atlantic world are especially encouraged to apply. The successful candidate should be prepared to teach an introductory course in biblical studies and teach and develop upper-level courses within their area(s) of specialization suitable for undergraduates. Applications are encouraged from applicants with a knowledge of and appreciation for post-Vatican II Catholic traditions of biblical interpretation. The university is particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds, minimizing barriers, and increasing equity and completion rates between members of different demographic groups.   

Duties 
Primary duties for this position include teaching undergraduate courses offered by the Theology department, including some courses in Hebrew and/or Christian scriptures. A successful candidate will also be expected to actively engage in scholarship activities. The teaching load is 12 credit hours per semester but can be reduced when hours are funded by a grant (6 hours max.). Participation in service activities for the Department, the University, their discipline, and the community is also expected. 

The Department of Theology has five full-time members. In addition to contributing to the core curriculum, the department enables majors and minors to reflect critically on their historical situations in light of Christian and other faith traditions, to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society. In our scholarship, we prioritize critical methods developed within 
religious, cultural, and intellectual traditions of diverse communities, particularly those of African descent. Our theological approaches advocate for the dignity of all humans and care for the earth, in light of the preferential option for the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biblical Studies, Theology, or Religious Studies, or a related field;
• Strong commitment to teaching a full load of 24 credit hours per academic year;
• Demonstrate a strong potential for excellence in teaching and mentoring undergraduate students; 
• Commitment to developing an active research program within the area of the applicant's expertise and submitting scholarly works; 
• Commitment to working successfully with a diverse student population; 
• Participate in service activities for the Department, the University, their discipline, and the community; and
• Write and Speak English proficiently.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with teaching, as well as a strong publication record in a particular area of research;
• Successful experience teaching undergraduate courses;  
• Established track record of meaningful mentorship of undergraduate students; 
• Successful experience teaching a diverse student body and knowledge of effective strategies (e.g. culturally responsive or inclusive pedagogy, awareness of issues that may affect the success of minoritized students) supporting underrepresented groups; 
• Awareness of pedagogical best practices and ongoing commitment to developing and maintaining knowledge in this area; and 
• Commitment to the mission of Xavier University of Louisiana.

Education: PhD

About Xavier University of Louisiana

Xavier University of Louisiana, founded by St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in 1925, is Catholic and historically Black. The ultimate purpose of the University is to contribute to the promotion of a more just and humane society by preparing its students to assume roles of leadership and service in a global society. The only historically Black, Catholic university in the United States, XULA is a private, liberal-arts based, co-educational institution offering 40 undergraduate majors, 5 master’s degree programs and a doctor of pharmacy program. More than one-half of its 3,100 students are from Louisiana, but it draws students from nearly all fifty states and 35 countries. Xavier is recognized as a national leader in the sciences and the liberal arts: • #1 in the nation in the number of African American graduates who go on to complete medical school (AAMC data 2019). • Among the nation’s top four colleges of pharmacy in graduating African Americans with Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degrees. (2018) • #1 in the nation in awarding bachelor's degrees to African American students in the biological and biomedical sciences, the physical sciences, and physics. ... (2018) • #3 in the nation in the number of African American graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in science and engineering disciplines. (2018) • The Department of Physics is #1 in the nation for awarding African Americans baccalaureate degrees in physics and the physical sciences, according to the American Institute of Physics. (2018) Xavier is consistently ranked by the American Chemical Society as one of the top 25 universities in the nation. • The 2020 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges named Xavier among its 300 “best and most interesting” four-year colleges and universities. • Xavier was also singled out as one of the nation’s 385 best institutions for undergraduate education by The Princeton Review in the 2020 edition of its annual “The Best 385 Colleges”. • College Consensus, a unique college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, ranks Xavier as the nation’s #3 Historically Black Colleges and Universities) (2019). It also ranks Xavier as #3 among all Louisiana colleges. • College Factual ranks both Xavier’s biology and chemistry programs as program as No. 1 in Louisiana. (2019) • Your 2018 Guide to College Transfer lists Xavier as one of only 90 colleges and universities nationwide profiled as “transfer friendly” in this guide to the college transfer process by the Kaplan Educational Foundation. • The Student Loan Report ranks #Xavier 12 out of 800 Private schools who left graduates with the least amount of private student loan debt, a form of financial aid known for higher interest rates and less forgiving repayment programs. (2018) • Zippia.com named Xavier's Psychology Program as #1 in Louisiana. (2018) • Learn.org ranks Xavier Among the Top 50 STEM schools in the U.S. (2019) • The Edvocate ranks Xavier as the nation’s No. 3 Catholic University. (2019) • Zippia.com rates Xavier #1 in Louisiana in its 2019 report, “Best College in Each State for Getting a Job”.

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