Invitation
Harvard Divinity School invites application for the 2024-25 academic year as a Postdoctoral Fellow for Buddhist Ministry to join us in fall 2024. Proposals should focus on scholarly work related to Buddhism and ministry. We understand "ministry" in the most capacious sense—that of a leader or caregiver grounded in the Buddhist traditions or drawing from Buddhist wisdom to be of service to the world, whether in a Buddhist community or sangha setting; in an institutional setting such as a hospital or prison; in an activist or non-profit setting; or as an independent teacher, counselor, or consultant.
The Postdoctoral Fellowship for Buddhist Ministry invites new scholars to continue their nascent work on a wide range of ministry topics through research, writing, publication, and teaching. The fellow will spend one academic year (nine months) at Harvard Divinity School, where they will be mentored by HDS faculty and have access to Harvard resources. During that year, they will be expected to continue their ongoing work with the goal of producing a publication and teaching (in the spring semester) on the topic of their research. Work related, but not limited to, the following applied and practical topics will be considered: altruism, spiritual care and counseling, ethics, leadership, organizational management, ritual and meditation, diversity and social justice. Candidates continuing work from an earlier project (e.g. thesis or dissertation) to be adapted for broader publication will be strongly considered. This program is overseen by the Buddhist Ministry Initiative and Office of Ministry Studies at HDS.
Responsibility
The fellow will be in full-time residence at Harvard Divinity School throughout the academic year. The fellow will prepare an English-language publication (e.g. book, chapter, article, guide) on a relevant topic to be submitted by the end of the year. In the spring semester, the fellow will teach on a topic related to their research, either as a for-credit course or a co-curricular lecture series, as appropriate. The fellow will meet regularly with supervising staff to discuss progress on their projects and prepare their teaching.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to early career and senior scholars with doctorates in the fields of religion and to those with primary competence in other humanities, social science, and public policy fields who demonstrate a serious interest in Buddhist ministry and hold appropriate degrees in those fields. Applicants for the 2024-25 academic year must have received a doctoral degree by October 1, 2023. Selection criteria emphasize the quality of the applicant's research prospectus, outlining objectives and methods; its fit with the Buddhist Ministry Initiative’s mission; the significance of the contribution of the proposed research to the study and practice of Buddhist Ministry; and an agreement to produce a publishable piece of work.
Compensation
The salary for 2024–25 is $60,000. The appointment is full-time, lasting 10 months, and includes health benefits and reimbursement of some expenses.
Application Process
Applications must be made online at https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/postings/13379. When applying, applicants will need to provide the following documents in PDF, Microsoft Word, or another acceptable format:
- A cover letter and description of your proposed research project, not to exceed 1,250 words.
- The title and description of a Buddhist ministry course or lecture series related to your project, not to exceed one page.
- A description of your background in Buddhist ministry, both scholarly and practical, not to exceed 750 words.
- Curriculum vitae, not to exceed 10 pages.
- Two letters of recommendation, including at least one person who can speak to your ministry (or religious/spiritual leadership, service, or caregiving) experience, background, or interest.
All materials are due by February 23, 2024.
Additional Information
The appointment entitles the fellow to a Harvard University ID card (which allows access to the Harvard University Libraries) for the duration of the appointment. Visiting scholars are cordially invited to attend all HDS community and public events. However, HDS is unable to offer courtesy library cards, or appointments, for any additional members of a scholar's family.
A visiting scholar is considered an independent researcher and may not register for and take classes for credit. For information on how to audit classes (not for credit) at HDS, please consult the instructions on auditing.
This is a full-academic year appointment beginning August 1, 2023, and ending May 31, 2024. The extension of an appointment is unfortunately not possible.
For more information, please visit the main Buddhist Ministry Initiative page or contact the multireligious ministry initiatives coordinator.