Asst. Dir. for Sun-Walking Fellowship Grant

Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary invites applications and nominations for a post-doctoral faculty position in practical theology who will serve as Assistant Director for the Sun-Walking Fellowship Grant (4-year contract – 2023-2027), a program that endeavors to strengthen congregational ministry with youth through communal art. The successful candidate should hold a PhD, or be ready to defend their dissertation in a field related to practical theology, with a focus in religious education or youth ministry highly desired. This colleague should be committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship and be interested in the constructive interpretation of Christian faith and life in conversation with other disciplines. The candidate will teach a series of required MDiv courses, with the opportunity of teaching another course in their area of interest.

All applications must be received by February 24, 2023. Instructions on how to apply and further specifications are available online.

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Asst. Prof. Practical/Pastoral Theology, St. John’s Collegeville

The School of Theology and Seminary (SOT/Sem) at Saint John’s University, Collegeville, MN announces a tenure-track faculty position in Practical/Pastoral Theology at the level of Assistant Professor, to begin in the Fall Semester, 2023. The successful candidate will be able to teach a variety of courses related to practical theology and ministry in the context of global Catholicism. In addition to teaching, this position includes serving as the project director for Saint John’s Sustained Encuentro Phase 3 Pathways Grant, funded by the Lilly Endowment (https://www.csbsju.edu/sot/sem/events/news/sustained-encuentro-announcement).

Many more details are available online. Review of applications will begin Monday, February 27, 2023.

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Proposals due January 31 for this year’s meeting!

Please remember that our call for proposals has been up for months now, and the final deadline of January 31st is rapidly approaching if you wish to present at our July 10-14, 2023 meeting taking place entirely online this year. You can find information on the call for papers as well as the electronic submission process at our meeting website.

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Make an REA New Year’s Resolution

Happy New Year!

Whether you typically make new year’s resolutions or not, I hope you will resolve this year to propose a paper, collaborative session, or poster that explores some aspect of the conference theme “Whose Children Are They? Responsibilities for religious formation of a new generation”. Proposals are accepted online (REA 2023 Proposal Submissions) and are due 31 January 2023. Check out the REA2023 | Call for Proposals and REA2023 | Guidelines for Proposals and think about how your work intersects theoretically and/or practically with children and youth.

If you typically focus on adult religious education, imagine how your findings or practices might also have implications for young people’s lives and wellbeing. For instance, how might trauma-informed ministry or racial justice education with adults also help create a different, more spiritually nurturing, world for children? Or how might calling adults to environmental stewardship or redressing broken ecclesial power structures have implications for children’s religious identity formation? Our interdependence across generations means our work with any one generation also affects other generations. Help REA focus attention on the intersections of all our work with children’s religious formation by proposing your offering today!

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CFP: The Future of Islamic Religious Education

Asia Pacific Journal of Educators and Education (APJEE) is abstracted/indexed by Scopus (Q3), ASEAN Citation Index (ACI), EBSCO, Google Scholar, and MyCite, and is putting together a Special-Theme Issue:

The Future of Islamic Religious Education (IRE): Expectations and Actions

Guest Editors:

Dr. Asyraf Isyraqi Bin Jamil (University of Malaya, Malaysia)
Dr. Abdurrahman Hendek (Sakarya University, Turkiye)
Dr. Nada Ghamra-oui (NNG Educational Consultancy, Australia)

Synopsis:

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a reminder of how fast our common expectations for the future can alter. More than ever, the pandemic has raised pressing questions about the future of education. Teachers, parents, and students have found themselves in what we would refer to as an inconceivable circumstance in which to be, learn, and make decisions. For many of us, such a quick-change evoked feelings of anxiety, as well as deep introspection as we contemplated the past, and ideas that are looking back, analyzing the present, and contemplating the future (Tesar, 2021).

Future studies in education involve having the capacity to reflect on what makes up the notion of the future of education. This entails reconsidering a futuristic education and how it is anticipated, can be thought out and critiqued to advance our development in education (Madjar, 2020; Tesar, 2021). Therefore, it is time to broaden studies on Islamic Religious Education (IRE) with future studies, considering the great changes that occur in the world of education as well as changing times. Notions such as globalization, pluralization, knowledge economy, and industrial revolution 4.0 certainly have an impact on IRE. The extent to which IRE can withstand the passage of time is determined by how IRE scholars anticipate the future and plan actions.

The current special-theme issue aims to provide future studies in the field of IRE to the readers based on conceptual, theoretical, and empirical findings on how IRE will evolve in the future. The studies, among others, can be based on extrapolation from past and present day religious, economic, social, and educational trends and developments. IRE here encompasses not only primary and secondary schools, but also pre-school and higher education. We welcome studies on IRE both in Muslim-majority and minority contexts. This call for papers invites contributors from scholars, researchers and policymakers from a range of disciplinary perspectives working within and beyond IRE.

Sub-themes (Not limited to):

• Conceptualization of IRE future studies
• Theoretical exploration of the future of IRE
• Development of IRE in the future
• Contextual factor that influence the future of IRE
• Action for the future of IRE

Abstract Submission:

Abstract should be in English language (for both English and Malay papers) and no more than 600 words (single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 font size). Abstract should be sent by email to: isyraqi [at] um [dot] edu [dot] my

At the top of the abstract, please provide full name, title, and affiliation of author(s), along with a complete mailing address, contact information and primary area of work for each author. Clearly indicate the title of your abstract. The abstract should explain the paper’s originality, objective or purpose, and ensure that it falls within the call of papers. The abstract should describe the paper’s conceptual perspective or theoretical framework, modes of inquiry or research methods, and at least an outline of main point of views or arguments or results or conclusions.

Paper Language:

English or Malay

Important Dates:

October 21, 2022: Call for papers

December 21, 2022: Due for abstracts submission

January 1, 2023: Invitation to submit full papers for accepted abstracts

June 1, 2023: Submission of full papers

September 1, 2023: Peer reviews complete

October 1, 2023: Reviewers feedback provided to authors

November 1, 2023: Final papers due

December 31, 2023: Special-theme issue published

References:

Madjar, A. (2020). Pedagogy here on the ground: Using lived experience to research and understand our lives with children. ACCESS: Contemporary Issues in Education, 40(1), 72-83.

Tesar, M. (2021). Future studies: Reimagining our educational futures in the post-Covid-19 world. Policy Futures in Education, 19(1), 1-6.

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Visiting Scholar in Religious Studies, Defiance

The Charles K. and Esther C. Krieger Visiting Scholars Program at Defiance College invites applications for a Visiting Scholar in Religious Studies for Fall 2023 through Spring 2025. The Visiting Scholar will teach three courses per semester (9 credit hours) in religious studies, including courses in the scholar’s area of interest, and the first-year seminar World Issues. The Visiting Scholar will coordinate programming on interfaith dialogue, understanding, and justice, and engage in research benefitting students and society. The Visiting Scholar will submit an annual report of activities to the Krieger foundation. The position duties also include academic advising; assisting with program leadership and curriculum development; committee work; and service to the college.

More details are available.

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Adjuncts needed at Austin Presby

Friends,

I’m hoping you can help me brainstorm some excellent names for filling adjunct teaching roles in the Master of Arts in Youth Ministry (MAYM) degree program at Austin Presbyterian Seminary over the next 24 months. I have several courses that need to be filled by experienced educators who have the ability to effectively teach those preparing for youth and children’s ministry in a hybrid format:

Spring 2024 — Introduction to Pastoral Care & Counseling
Fall 2024 — Introduction to Mission & Evangelism
Fall 2024 — Introduction to Hebrew Bible

We’re looking for instructors who:

• Have a strong teaching background and experience leading seminary courses
• Are able to travel to Austin or Nashville three times during a 15-week semester (all expenses paid)
• Are able to relate their discipline to the questions/needs of youth and children’s ministers
• Hold a Ph.D. or equivalent in their discipline (ABD will be considered)

The intensive-based structure of our program often makes it possible for those in faculty roles at other institutions, and/or those who live at a distance from Texas to teach in an adjunct capacity. We start looking for folks early because we value finding quality instructors for these roles.

If you have any names that come to mind, I’d love for you to pass them along to me!

Thanks in Advance,

Andrew Zirschky
Director, Master of Arts in Youth Ministry
Research Professor in Youth Ministry
Pronouns: he/him/his

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Austin Presby Sem: ChrisEd and Formation

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary announces a tenure-track position in the area of Christian Education and Formation. The person appointed to this position will focus their teaching on Christian education and formation within and beyond the congregational context. A particular research focus on the religious formation and Christian education of children, youth, and young adults is strongly desired. This faculty member will serve in the Department of the Church’s Ministry and will teach in all degree programs (MATS, MAMP, MAR, MAYM, MDiv, and DMin) as well as non-degree certificate programs. This faculty member plays a central role in the Master of Arts in Youth Ministry program, which offers courses on both the Austin campus and at the Nashville extension. The successful candidate will engage with diverse pedagogies of religious education originating in the Global South and the United States, including trends in digital and virtual pedagogy.

More details are available online. Reviews begin in January.

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Diane Joy Hymans, 28 October 2022

Diane Joy Hymans died peacefully at Ohio-Living Westminster Thurber Retirement Community on October 28, 2022. A significant stroke in July, 2017 started her decline in health.

Diane was born on February 11, 1948, in Hull, Iowa, the daughter of Dowie James and Dorothy Jean Hymans. She spent her childhood years in Hull, a small, rural farming community in northwest Iowa. After graduating from Boyden-Hull High School in 1966 with honors, she attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in music education in 1970.

In 1972 she entered the Adventures in Missions (AIM) program of the Reformed Church in America, doing mission work at an inner-city church in New York City. There she developed her life-long interest in church ministry and Christian education. In 1975, she enrolled at the Presbyterian School for Christian Education (PSCE), where she received her Master’s Degree in Christian Education in 1977.

After first working as the Director of Christian Education at the First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, North Carolina and later in the same role at the Springhill Presbyterian Church in Mobile, Alabama, she concluded she would like to become more directly involved in the education of Christian educators. She returned to PSCE in 1985 where she received her Ed.D. in Christian Education in 1992.

In 1993, she accepted a faculty position at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus Ohio, eventually becoming Professor of Christian Education. In 1994, she became a member of the Broad Street Presbyterian Church. She quickly found Columbus to be her home.

She remained at the seminary until she retired in 2017. She served both the seminary and the ELCA in many leadership roles. Early in her career, she was the director of Trinity’s Center for Educational Ministry in the Parish (CEMP) and later served as the seminary’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. In her teaching role, she enjoyed time spent with students and the joy that came in seeing those she taught blossom into effective and active participants in Christian education.

Over 28 years, Diane served in a variety of roles at Broad Street Presbyterian Church, including elder, faithful 3rd grade Sunday school teacher, an originator of Pizza & Prose and on the Peru Crew.
With her outgoing personality, Diane developed a large group of close friends. She enjoyed traveling, movies, music, reading, shopping and cats. Family was also important to her, as she sought to maintain relationships not just with her brothers but with members of their families, as those families grew over the years. She enjoyed traveling with them and relished their time together.

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Joe and Kelly George Professorship in Theology and Ministry, Bilingual

Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM) of Loyola University New Orleans invites applications for the Joe and Kelly George Professorship in Theology and Ministry at the assistant professor level. The successful candidate will be Spanish-English bilingual with expertise in Hispanic Ministry. This is not currently a tenure-track position but will be funded for at least three years and will ideally be converted to tenure track in the future. Application review begins January 6, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled.

Details of the position, how to apply, and much more is available online.

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