Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Director of Contextual Education

Earlham School of Religion (ESR), is a seminary in the Quaker tradition; located in Richmond, Indiana, a small city that's just a short drive away from several major metropolitan areas including Dayton, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Chicago.

Earlham School of Religion is hiring an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Director of Contextual Education.

Job Summary: 

Earlham School of Religion (ESR) seeks candidates for a full-time teaching faculty appointment in pastoral ministry and contextual ministry education, field education and supervised ministry. The appointment begins July 1, 2025, but could start earlier if available.

ESR is a Christian Quaker seminary of the Religious Society of Friends, with roughly half of the student body and multiple faculty coming from other traditions. ESR also works in partnership with Bethany Theological Seminary, a school of similar size serving the Church of the Brethren, another historic peace church.

Teaching responsibilities include courses in pastoral ministry and leadership such as preaching, administration, bivocational ministry, congregational life, and public theology. This position is also responsible for administrative oversight of the contextual ministry education program, including teaching the associated year-long supervised ministry course. ESR’s contextual placements include traditional congregational sites as well as chaplaincy, non-traditional writing projects, nonprofit leadership, and more. We are interested in candidates who are thinking creatively about the shape of the church and the pastorate in a changing religious landscape.

Additional responsibilities will be adjusted to fit the strengths of the successful applicant. Responsibilities could include teaching a formational core course or another required course in the curriculum.

Candidates will work with the faculty and the dean to develop appropriate responsibilities of program administration and teaching. Workload will include participation in faculty meeting, committee work, and academic advising. Courses will take several forms: 1) traditional, blended or residential, semester-long; 2) online (synchronous or asynchronous); and 3) 2-week intensives.

• It is preferred that candidates have a D. Min. or Ph.D. in pastoral ministry. Consideration will be given to candidates with a Master’s degree (M. Div. preferred) with significant ministerial experience, such as pastoring a congregation or serving as chaplain.
• The candidate must be a member of the Society of Friends or have served in a Quaker context.
• Applicants must be committed to working within a Quaker ethos that values integrity, consensus decision-making, equity, justice, and peacemaking.
• The ideal candidate will also have administrative experience and demonstrated teaching ability.
• Be a positive example and resource to all ESR Students

Benefits Working at Earlham:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance*
• Company paid Long-Term Disability after 1 year of full-time service*
• Basic and Voluntary Life insurance*
• Employee Assistance Program*
• Campus Store Discount
• Free ticket vouchers for Richmond Symphony Orchestra
• Wellness Center Free Membership or Discount for eligible employees
• Athletic Games-Free entry to all home games
• Free entry into most Theatre/Music shows
• Tuition Benefits for Immediate Family for eligible employees*
• 403(b) Retirement* – For eligible employees, Earlham will contribute a non-elective contribution equal to 5% of gross pay after 2 years of service. After 3 years of service, this non-elective contribution increases to 8%. Vesting credit is available for new employees with previous service in the education sector with required documentation.
• Many Wayne County Chamber of Commerce member businesses offer discounts to anyone with an Earlham ID

*All employee benefit offerings are subject to employee eligibility per plan documents.

The deadline for applications for this position is January 1, 2025.

To Apply:

• Please submit the following application materials through our Careers Portal:
• Curriculum Vitae
• Cover letter - Address your interest in the opening explaining your relevant work history as it pertains to this position.
• Statement of DEI – Submit your thoughts and experience with matters of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, as it relates and specifically pertains to this position, in a 300 – 1000 word statement.  (Examples of helpful topics include: your understanding of DEI principles, past experiences with DEI, and/or future plans to contribute to DEI at Earlham.)
• Statement of your Teaching Philosophy.
• Research statement addressing your research history, and your expected timeline and plans for establishing a research program at Earlham.
• List of Three Professional References with Contact Information

Earlham School of Religion / Earlham College is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse community, one that reflects the makeup of society at large and that particularly welcomes and supports individuals from groups that have been historically marginalized because of factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and physical ability. The College strongly encourages applications from women and people of color. As an institution with a Quaker identity, the College also solicits applications from members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Earlham's Work Authorization Policy

Earlham utilizes E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility for all newly hired employees within the United States.