We regret to announce that Dr. Joanne Chafe, past president of REA (1985–89), passed away suddenly in Ottawa last weekend at the age of 60. She was Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario. Joanne worked for 37 years in the National Office of Religious Education of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, serving as its Director for many of those years. A brief obituary can be found in The Ottawa Citizen.
Reporting to the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students, the Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life oversees religious and spiritual life on campus including interfaith understanding, dialogue and pastoral care. The Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life is responsible for the leadership, development and oversight of the College’s religious and spiritual life program, provides clerical leadership to one of the faith traditions and supervises two part-time chaplains. The Dean will work collaboratively with all campus constituencies to extend the academic mission of the college outside the classroom to promote student inquiry, religious learning and interfaith literacy, spiritual growth, ethical leadership, and interfaith cooperation. The Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life coordinates educational programs on moral, ethical, religious and spiritual issues and leads multi-faith community worship opportunities throughout the academic year. S/he also serves on the student affairs management team, playing a central role in the ongoing development and implementation of the College’s newly adopted strategic plan for student life, Colby 360.
More information, including requirements, is available here. To apply electronically send to hr@colby.edu. A review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. For more information about the College, please visit the Colby website: www.colby.edu.
St. Mark’s School seeks an experienced Associate Chaplain and religion teacher for the 2012–2013 school year. Teaching responsibilities include to teaching core courses in Judaism, Christianity and Islam and in Ethics and Moral Philosophy, as well as elective courses of his or her choosing. At St. Mark’s, Religion courses are taught as they would be at a secular college or university: in a critical, analytical, and non-sectarian manner. This person would also serve as Associate Chaplain, assisting with and leading Morning Chapel and voluntary Sunday worship services, advising and supporting student religious groups of various denominations and faiths, and generally supporting all members of the St. Mark’s community in their spiritual journeys and lives. Along with teaching and chaplaincy duties, this person would take on other duties typical to boarding school work, such as student advising, residential duty, coaching, and committee work.
More information, including requirements, is available here. Interested candidates should direct a letter of introduction and resume to Michael Wirtz, Assistant Head of School/Dean of Faculty, St. Mark’s School, 25 Marlboro Road, Southborough, MA, 01772, or via email to deanoffaculty@stmarksschool.org.
The Faith Action Network (FAN) of Washington State is seeking a Director of Administration and Mission Advancement to be responsible for finances and fund development; to coordinate office operations; and to share leadership with the Director of Advocacy to help FAN achieve its mission to build a just, compassionate, and sustainable world. The Faith Action Network is an interfaith partnership of faith-based communities and individuals launched in September 2011 with the merger of the former Washington Association of Churches and the Lutheran Public Policy of Washington State. This is a full-time position with health benefits and salary DOE. Position is located in Seattle. For more information, including qualifications and duties, visit www.fanwa.org or contact Rev. Rich Gamble at richg@ccsww.org or 206 632‑6021.
Time is short! But here are 2 new grant announcements that suggest exciting possibilities for colleagues with interest in these areas:
1. From the Wabash Center, “Expanding Ministry Formation into New Pedagogical Contexts.” Grants of up to $20,000 for projects that explore the process of teaching ministry formation outside the classroom: in local contexts, in congregations, in online environments, or through satellite locations. Deadline for submission: March 1, 2012. Click here for details.
2. From the Greater Good Science Center: “Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude.” Funded by the Templeton Foundation, grants of up to $500,000 are available for research projects to expand the scientific understanding of gratitude, particularly in the key areas of health and well-being, developmental science, and social relationships. Investigators interested in being considered for funding should submit a three-page, single-spaced Letter of Intent (LOI) by February 15, 2012. Click here to read the full RFP, including background, eligibility, and application instructions.
Ryan Gardner has shared the powerpoint from his workshop at the 2011 REA Annual Meeting in Toronto, “Improving Teacher Reflection in the Religious Education Classroom.” Find it listed in the 2011 Proceedings.
Engaged Scholars Studying Congregations is a program of mentoring, networking, and study support funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. The Congregational Studies Team is pleased to announce the availability of Fellowships* to support scholars who are interested in disciplined inquiry into the life of local communities of faith. These 18-month fellowships include $18,000 in research support, plus $2000 for related travel. In addition, Fellowships include a program of mentoring by a senior-scholar coach and participation in two summer consultations that bring together the Fellows and coaches with the Team.
Applications are encouraged from scholars in a variety of disciplines — from practical theology to the social sciences, from history to biblical studies and contextual education — for projects that involve learning from and about living communities of faith. Fellows will explore avenues for making that knowledge available for the sake of those communities’ wellbeing, as well as developing strong academic contributions appropriate to their disciplines. Applicants should have completed their graduate work and be placed in a professional position at the time of application. We especially encourage early-career scholars to apply, but will consider applications from persons who have recently been tenured.
Engaged Scholar 2011 Fellowship Instructions
Note that the application deadline has been extended to 1 February 2012. For application information and instructions, visit www.hirr.hartsem.edu or contact the Engaged Scholars project office at Hartford Seminary (engagedscholars@hartsem.edu).
*This program is supported by a major grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. and is administered by the Congregational Studies Team: Nancy Ammerman, Anthea Butler, Bill McKinney, Omar McRoberts, Larry Mamiya, Gerardo Marti, Joyce Mercer, James Nieman (project director), Bob Schreiter, Steve Warner, and Jack Wertheimer.
Spend the month of July in New York working on a research or writing project related to the theme, “The Role of Religion in Social Movements,” with access to libraries and research facilities at Columbia University, Union, Auburn, and Jewish Theological Seminaries. Fellowship includes room, board and support staff.
Application deadline is February 1, 2012. For further details and information on how to apply see: http://www.crosscurrents.org/colloquium.htm
It is time to renew your REA membership for the 2012 calendar. Remember, renewing early ensures that you receive all of the benefits of membership throughout the entire year. Your 2012 membership is valid from January 1 through December 31. Regardless of when you renew your membership, all memberships expire on December 31 each year. Join REA Online and enjoy the full benefits of REA.
The Religious Education Association proudly announces a new book publishing series HORIZONS IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, published in cooperation with Wipf and Stock Publishers
