Lewis T. Booker Professorship in Religion and Ethics

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Richmond seeks to hire a distinguished scholar of Religious Studies for the Lewis T. Booker Professorship in Religion and Ethics, a tenured endowed chair, to begin fall 2024. The appointment will be made at the rank of Full Professor. Applicants who are at least four years post tenure and whose teaching and scholarship record are commensurate with the rank of Full Professor are encouraged to apply.

We invite applicants who bring Humanities and Religious Studies frameworks to the study of ethics. We especially seek candidates whose work addresses race, gender, the environment, or the nonhuman. Areas of specialization are open in terms of historical period, and all religious traditions and geographic areas will be considered. We are particularly interested in expanding the Department’s existing offerings in non-Western and/or Indigenous traditions.

The successful candidate will play a leading role in developing and strengthening Religious Studies at the University of Richmond. The 3-2 teaching duties will include introductory and advanced courses, participation in the Department’s programs, contributions to the General Education Curriculum and, where relevant, interdisciplinary programs. The Religious Studies Department is committed to creating opportunities for undergraduate students to improve themselves and their diverse worlds. We especially welcome candidates who will support our efforts to build a more just, inclusive, and equitable academic community.

The University of Richmond is a private university located just a short drive from downtown Richmond, Virginia. Through its five schools and wide array of campus programming, the University combines the best qualities of a small liberal arts college and a large university. With nearly 4,000 students, an 8:1 student-faculty ratio, and more than 90% of traditional undergraduate students living on campus, the University is remarkably student-centered, focused on preparing students “to live lives of purpose, thoughtful inquiry, and responsible leadership in a global and pluralistic society.”

The University of Richmond is committed to developing a diverse workforce and student body and to modeling an inclusive campus community that values the expression of difference in ways that promote excellence in teaching, learning, personal development, and institutional success. Through their teaching, mentoring, research, and/or service activities, strong applicants will demonstrate potential for significant contributions to the University of Richmond’s inclusion, equity, and diversity priorities and for promoting the success and well-being of people of color, members of sexual and gender minority groups, religious minorities, first generation college students, immigrant students, and people with disabilities. For more information on the department and its programs, please visit https://religiousstudies.richmond.edu/ .

Applicants should apply online at http://jobs.richmond.edu. Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2023 and continue until the position is filled. In addition to a cover letter, applications should contain (1) a curriculum vitae, (2) a research statement, (3) a teaching statement, (4) a set of 4-5 course descriptions in their areas of expertise that reflects a commitment to teaching in a small liberal arts department, and (5) names of three references. The committee will solicit letters of recommendation from selected candidates and conduct initial interviews online. At that time, the committee may request sample syllabi and selected publications. For questions about the position or the application processes, please contact the search co-chairs, Prof. Stephanie Cobb (scobb@richmond.edu) and Prof. Jane Geaney (jgeaney@richmond.edu).