Assistant Professor of Practical Theology or Christian Ministry

About Seattle Pacific University:

Founded in 1891, Seattle Pacific University is a Christian university that seeks to equip people to engage the culture and change the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its comprehensive academic program serves more than 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students. As a Christian university, SPU is historically orthodox, clearly evangelical, genuinely ecumenical, and distinctively Wesleyan, and seeks applicants who are committed to its Christian mission (SPU Statement of Faith and Mission).

Diversity Statement:

Diversity is an ethos that is inseparable from our Christian faith.  At SPU, we recognize diversity as a basic feature of God’s creation and a core theme of the gospel.  At the heart of our mission-centered commitment to becoming a more diverse community is a desire to represent the breadth of God’s kingdom more fully.

We strive to become a workplace of choice and to recruit, develop, and retain faculty and staff who can embrace, value, and engage differences with humility and care.  We invite you to join us on our journey by starting a career at SPU.  Learn more about SPU's commitment to diversity and opportunities to deepen their capacity to serve our increasingly diverse student body.

Seattle Pacific University provides reasonable accommodation to applicants. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the application or hiring process please contact the Human Resources Department at (206)281-2809, or email hr@spu.edu. Notification must be given at least five (5) working days before the accommodation is needed.

About the School of Theology:

Comprising both undergraduate and graduate programs, the School of Theology embraces a threefold model of theological education called "Academy, Abbey, and Apostolate." This interplay of critical scholarship, spiritual edification, and Christian service is informed by SPU's Wesleyan heritage that joins "knowledge and vital piety."

At the undergraduate level, the School of Theology offers a Christian Theology major as well as seven minors. The School of Theology also contributes to the education of all undergraduate students through courses comprising the University Foundations sequence. At the graduate level, the School of Theology through Seattle Pacific Seminary offers a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree, a Master of Arts (MA) degree, several dual degrees programs, and a Graduate Certificate in Christian Studies.

Seeking to be faithful to the gospel, the School of Theology prioritizes serving the needs of the church and the world. We draw from our Holiness heritage in helping communities of faith to embrace their shared identity in Christ, and to follow him in exposing divisions and healing wounds.  According to its mission statement, the School of Theology “aspires to embody God’s diverse kingdom” as evidenced in its commitments to inclusive community and racial justice.

Job Description:

Assistant Professor of Practical Theology or Christian Ministry: regular nine-month, full-time, tenure-track appointment beginning September 1, 2022, with a teaching load of 33 credits over the course of a teaching year (three quarters).

Requirements:

Qualifications: 

• Ph.D. or equivalent in a theological field; doctoral students with advanced ABD status will also be considered.
• Successful candidates must be sympathetic to the Wesleyan Holiness tradition.

Required Competencies: 

• Ph.D. or equivalent in Christian practices of reconciliation, intercultural studies, community development, or theological approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ministry experience in intercultural settings and theological proficiency in race, class, gender, or disability is required. Classroom experience is expected.

Desired Competencies:

• Experience teaching and leading Christian reconciliation in varied congregational and community contexts. Commitment to student mentorship and vocational formation. 
• Desire to bridge the classroom, church, and community with historically marginalized or underrepresented groups

Responsibilities:

The candidate will join a faculty that teaches both undergraduate and seminary courses. 

The candidate must be committed to teaching diverse populations of students to prepare for lives of service in varied contexts.  Successful candidates will have a lively research trajectory that should manifest itself in an active writing agenda and publishing record. School of Theology faculty regularly publish scholarly works as well as resources for the church; they actively seek a cross-fertilization between the classroom and their research. 

Service of various kinds is expected of School of Theology faculty. Such participation involves committee work internal to the School as well as service to the broader University. School of Theology faculty are also encouraged to serve beyond the University, especially in church settings.

School of Theology faculty are also to engage students in a variety of ways beyond the classroom. This work includes advising them with their academic programs, mentoring them in their vocations, and growing together in the path of Christian discipleship.

Additional Information:

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include health, dental, disability, and life insurance, as well as retirement programs. A moving allowance is provided.

Application Instructions:

Applications are due by November 5, 2021 or until position is filled. Only applications received through the online process (https://spu.edu/about-spu/employment-at-spu), will be accepted. The online application includes an official SPU application form, a faith statement of approximately one page, a teaching philosophy statement of approximately one page, and other supporting documents. A cover letter and CV are also required. The University reserves the right to alter the search process due to funding.