Assistant Theology Professor

Job Description

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, whose mission is to educate and form Franciscan servant leaders of all faiths and to be a living witness to Jesus Christ and the Gospel message in communion with the teachings of the Catholic Church, is seeking a full-time (10-months a year) faculty member in Theology at the assistant or associate level, to start in August 2026. Applicants in dogmatic, systematic, historical, and biblical theology are strongly encouraged to apply, though other disciplines will be considered.

The successful candidate should embrace our mission (https://www.franu.edu/about/mission-values) and the vision of Catholic education described in Ex Corde Ecclesiae. Theologians are expected to teach undergraduate courses (the standard courseload is 4/4, though awarded endowments and other duties can reduce this), embrace service commitments to the university and community, and manifest excellence in scholarship. The Theology program is administered in the Department of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in the School of Arts & Sciences and provides support for the general education core for all programs. It offers a B.A. in Theology, though the successful candidate should be willing to help in the creation of an M.A. program as well as teach graduate courses if required. Additionally, theologians provide intellectual formation for propaedeutic seminarians, deacon candidates, religious sisters, and lay leaders in the diocese within the context of the regularly scheduled courses. The successful candidate will teach the required introduction to theology course and other upper division courses depending upon need and expertise. A person who is broadly trained, committed to student formation, willing to teach a variety of courses, and eager to provide service to both the diocese and wider community will flourish in this position.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is a private, Catholic university founded by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady with an enrollment of approximately 1,200 students. The university's enrollment has increased in the past two years and had its largest incoming class in the Fall of 2025. The University serves as a ministry of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS), Louisiana's largest Catholic healthcare organization. It is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and grants associate, baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degrees primarily in the health care professions and is an equal opportunity employer that seeks to recruit, develop, and retain a talented and diverse workforce.

Salaries are competitive and rank will be commensurate with experience.

Applications received by November 1, 2025, will receive full consideration. The position will remain open until filled. Applicants must first send the following materials by email (preferred) or postal service: (1) a letter of application describing mission fit, teaching interests, scholarly research, and service experience, (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) unofficial doctoral transcripts, and (4) three letters of recommendation (which may be sent directly from the recommenders). The materials should be sent to:

Brian Pedraza, Ph.D.
Theology Search Committee Chair
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
5414 Brittany Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
E-mail: brian.pedraza@franu.edu
Office: (225) 526-1986 -768-179898

Because we are part of a larger health system Human Resources program, upon receipt of those materials candidates will be asked to complete an online application with the health system.

Responsibilities
Job Function :
1. Teaching
-Implements curricular and instructional interventions
-Develops student learning outcomes
-Utilizes peer review and coaching
-Applies what has been learned from formative and summative feedback on instruction
-Engages in professional development activities to promote development in the scholarship of teaching and learning
2. Advising
-Reflects on summative students' evaluation of academic advising experience
-Assesses reports and perceptions of peers and others regarding fidelity to academic advising roles and responsibilities
3. Contribution to role related knowledge base
-Presents at local, state, national and international professional conferences
-Demonstrates publication of works identifying type (i.e. peer review), audience (journal and journal distribution), and focus (discovery, application and/or integrated knowledge focus)
-Demonstrates citations of own work(s) in others' works
-Solicits and participates in funded research (identifying specific role, funding source, and status of project)
4. Professional Service
-Participates in local, state, national, or international professional agencies
5.Community Service
-Actively participates in community groups and organizations as related to the College Mission
6. Institutional Service
-Participates in committee work at the program, school, or institutional level (delineate roles and nature of participation)

Qualifications
Minimum Requirements:
Doctoral degree in theology (ABD candidates will also be considered)
1 year of teaching at an institution of higher education
Eligibility and willingness to apply for the mandatum from the local ordinary

Preferred Qualifications:
Expertise in dogmatic, systematic, historical, or biblical theology
Knowledge of the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition

About the Employer

The mission of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is to educate and form Franciscan servant leaders of all faiths. We honor and preserve the legacy of our founders by preparing highly skilled professionals, integrated thinkers, and faith-filled citizens. Inspired by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady to be a living witness to Jesus Christ and the Gospel message, the University is in communion with the teachings of the Catholic Church.