Whats more Employable?

[Therewillbeluke]

I'm interested in Historical theology from the Middle Ages to the Reformation and am wondering what, in you opinion, is more employable: a doctorate in church history or in theology is with a historical focus? 

 

For that matter, what sort of topics are even "sexy" these days in theology/church history, regardless of my stated interests?

[marXian]

Your first question is tough to answer without knowing what your ultimate goals are and if by "church history" you mean a PhD in history or religious studies from a "secular" department. If your goal is to teach at a seminary or religiously affiliated school somewhere, then I think either degree would be okay. If you'd be open to teaching in a secular department that does historical theology, then I would avoid the theology route, unless you're getting the degree from Harvard, Duke, etc.

 

I think the more important question would be what sort of project you're interested in and whether or not it could be adapted to different departments/tracks. Presumably, you could do "church history" (broadly construed) within a history or RS department. For example, James Bradley, the long time church history prof at Fuller Seminary has his PhD in history from USC. However, in a history dept., you'd more than likely just be doing history with little to no theology. The good thing about the middle ages is that it's really open to a number of departments. In a religious studies department (assuming it has a theology track), you would be able to get the benefit of being able to work on historical theology in that period and having doors still be open to teach in a secular department since your degree would be in RS and not theology.

 

With regard to your second question, it seems anything that falls under "political theology" is hot right now, especially topics related to ecology, eco-criticism, etc. 

Edited October 21, 2013 by jdharrison

[Lux Lex Pax]

My advice is to apply to History department doctoral programs that have strengths in Medieval and Early Modern European religious history. If I were in your position, I might apply to work with Constantin Fasolt at the University of Chicago. His work spans these historical periods with an emphasis on political, legal, social, and intellectual history. If you were to get in there, then you might be able to branch out into the Divinity school and take a couple of courses in theology. This would totally set you up for jobs in the history of political thought, political theory, and political theology and give you training that few who work at the intersection of religion and political thought have.

[MBIGrad]

Also, if you decide to apply for a Church History track in a religion department, theologically oriented schools with longstanding strengths in that area include Baylor and Fordham. Yale's Religion PhDs allow for an application for an extra year of funded coursework resulting in an MPhil in Medieval Studies en route. Along with Harrison, I would consider the programs in theology at Harvard and Duke, because they place their theology PhDs in a variety of posts. Also look at Emory.

[sacklunch]

Another consideration is where the school broadly fits theologically. I have been told by several professors at Catholic (Jesuit) schools that it is more difficult to get a job at Protestant schools, than for example the opposite. Looking through the faculty at many of the big name Prot. schools seems to verify this. So you may be put at a slight advantage going to a secular or Prot. school. Then again, this may all change. There has been, as I think most of you will agree, a rising interest in patristics and church history from the Prot. side (and thankfully, rising Catholic interests in biblical studies). Meh, my .02. 

[prepare2deluze]

 

With regard to your second question, it seems anything that falls under "political theology" is hot right now, especially topics related to ecology, eco-criticism, etc. 

 

What kind of schools are doing that? Do you think it'll grow? I know UF has a program in religion and ecology, but I didn't know that it was a hot topic.

[marXian]

"Ecology" in general is hot right now in the humanities. But I think those are both specializations that you may have to, in a sense, create yourself. More departments/universities are developing programs that address this area, but it's still relatively new. Northwestern just implemented a "Religion and Global Politics" certificate program last year. To be clear, what's new isn't the study of politics in theology/religion or visa versa, but it's the active engagement between scholars across those disciplines that wasn't really there before. So for myself (at Northwestern), my advisor is a theologian, an expert in historical theology from Luther to Schleiermacher, but not necessarily in "political theology." I'm accomplishing that piece through two certificates, "religion and global politics" and critical theory, and through the focus of my dissertation. A lot of programs will give you this kind of flexibility, but I think you'll have a better shot at putting together "political theology" or "politics and religion" as a subfield in a religious studies program at a research university that has lots of great humanities faculty to draw from. In other words, a school/department doesn't have to specify "religion and ecology" or "religion and politics" in order for you to be able to develop either as a subfield.