Assistant/Associate Adjunct Faculty in Theology & Religious Studies (TRS 380) Great Themes

Description

Founded in 1863, Saint Mary's is a residential campus nestled 20 miles east of San Francisco in the picturesque Moraga Valley. Based in the Catholic, Lasallian and Liberal Arts traditions, Saint Mary's currently enrolls more than 4,000 students from diverse backgrounds in undergraduate and graduate programs. The De La Salle Christian Brothers, the largest teaching order of the Roman Catholic Church, guide the spiritual and academic character of the College.

As a comprehensive and independent institution, Saint Mary's offers undergraduate and graduate programs integrating liberal and professional education. Saint Mary's reputation for excellence, innovation and responsiveness in education stems from its vibrant heritage as a Catholic, Lasallian and Liberal Arts institution. An outstanding, committed faculty and staff that value shared inquiry, integrative learning and student interaction bring these traditions to life in the 21st century. The College is committed to the educational benefits of diversity.

Saint Mary’s College seeks to hire a per-course adjunct faculty member to teach Theology and Religious Studies, Great Themes,  in the traditional undergraduate program in Fall of 2026.

This course will be taught on the Moraga campus, in person, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 PM-3:10 PM during the 2026 Fall term (August 31 through December 20, 2026).

This course invites students to engage the foundational ideas and texts of the Catholic Christian tradition, with particular attention to the Bible and its interpretation. Students approach the tradition both from within its own theological horizon and through the historical, literary, and other critical methods employed in academic theology and religious studies. The course does not presume any particular faith commitment on the part of students.

          Because every reading of Scripture involves interpretive assumptions, students learn to identify the historical, theological, cultural, and social lenses through which Christian communities have interpreted the Bible, both in the past and today. They also practice scholarly methods of biblical interpretation that develop careful reading, critical thinking, and reasoned argument -- skills that are applicable across many areas of study. This is neither a class in biblical studies divorced from theology nor a class in theology divorced from historical-critical study. Instead, in the spirit of Vatican II, it brings theological reflection into conversation with historical criticism and the broader range of critical approaches employed in the academy.

          Integral to the course’s theological engagement with Scripture, students examine the Catholic principles of the fundamental dignity of the human person and the common good and consider how these principles call forth the virtue of solidarity and a preferential option for our poorest sisters and brothers. 

 

         All TRS courses numbered in the 380s are reserved for transfer students and fulfill both the “Christian Foundations” and “Theological Explorations” learning outcomes. Like TRS 281, they introduce students to the foundations of the Catholic Christian tradition, while each section also develops a sustained theological exploration of a particular theme or question arising from a diverse range of biblical texts.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess one of the following:

• an earned doctorate in biblical studies or a closely related field;

• an earned doctorate in theology or religious studies, together with substantial graduate preparation or scholarly specialization in biblical studies; or

• current and active ABD status in one of these doctoral fields, with all required doctoral coursework and qualifying or comprehensive examinations completed, and with demonstrated progress toward completion of the dissertation.

Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate one or more of the following:

 

• substantial familiarity with Catholic approaches to Scripture and theological exegesis, including the relationship of Scripture and the Church’s living Tradition;

• evidence of effective undergraduate teaching, particularly in introductory or general-education courses;

• expertise in interpretive approaches attentive to race, gender, culture, and social location.

Candidates must reside in California.

The salary range for this position is $9,929 -$13,744 dependent on qualifications. The salary range for this position is covered by the Collective Bargaining Agree