Blumenthal Professor of Religious Studies

Blumenthal Professor of Religious Studies

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte invites applications for the Blumenthal Professor of Religious Studies, a full-time, tenured faculty position to begin 16 August 2027. The appointment will be made at the associate or full professor rank.

The Blumenthal Professor of Religious Studies will serve as a catalyst for interdisciplinary teaching, research, and grant activity in the field of religious studies. The teacher-scholar hired for this position will be an advocate for the study of religion and the humanities, will be familiar with experiential and engaged pedagogies, and would be cross-listing their courses with other programs and departments.

The successful candidate will be trained in the academic study of religion and experienced with a range of disciplinary methods and perspectives that inform teaching and research in the field. The department is especially interested in candidates whose specialization lies in the study of critical comparative scriptures, that is, the use of historical and cultural analysis to engage religious texts and communities in order to better understand the dynamics of their functions, roles, interpretations, and receptions.

The Blumenthal Professor will teach a 2-2 load per academic year that would entail a combination of general education courses and religious studies courses at all levels, including rotation in our undergraduate theories and methods course for departmental majors and our graduate-level methods course for master’s students in religious studies and related programs.

• Candidates will have a Ph.D. in the academic study of religion or a closely related field from an accredited institution of higher learning.
• Candidates will have an exceptional record of scholarly accomplishment with significant national and/or international stature that is commensurate with a tenured appointment in religious studies.
• Candidates will demonstrate interest in interdisciplinary research and teaching that fosters engagement with departments in the college and across the university.
• Candidates will have a record of success in teaching, advising, and mentoring students of a wide range of backgrounds in higher education and will be familiar with experiential and engaged pedagogies that can contribute to the success of University of North Carolina at Charlotte students.
• Candidates will be an advocate for the study of religion and the humanities and have a scholarly agenda with a public-facing dimension capable of attracting the interest of and engaging the Charlotte community.

Established in 1964, the Department of Religious Studies at UNC Charlotte has a long tradition of providing a multidisciplinary approach to the study of religions. We provide undergraduate and graduate instruction in the academic study of religion in a global context; conduct and publish research related to religion; and provide service that enhances public understanding of issues related to religion. The Department hosts the annual Loy H.

Witherspoon Distinguished Lecture in Religious Studies, which is the oldest and most prestigious endowed lecture at UNC Charlotte. Religious Studies faculty contribute to the institutional work of the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences and the University. Our mission is to foster a critical understanding of the significance of religion in human societies and cultures.

As the largest and most academically diverse college at UNC Charlotte, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences (CHESS) houses 14 departments, 13 interdisciplinary programs, and 7 applied centers. We offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs with…