By Don Goldstein

Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash

Have you ever encountered a request for a religious statement or statement of faith while searching for faculty jobs in your field? Maybe you’re wondering what that is and why you might need to write one.

Higher Education & Religion

The relationship between higher education and religion in the United States is long and historical. Institutions that we don’t think of as religious, such as Harvard and Yale, were founded primarily for the training of the clergy. Today, there are many types of religious institutions, comprising hundreds of colleges and universities connected to different religious traditions. Some of them have a historic connection to their religious founders that doesn’t influence the institution’s contemporary mission at all; others have religion as a deeply held value. And there are many institutions that are positioned somewhere in between.

Institutional Religious Affiliations

The largest group of religious colleges and universities are the Catholic universities, such as St. Johns, Villanova, Notre Dame, and Duquesne. Within the category of Catholic institutions, there are also Jesuit-affiliated schools, like Boston College, Georgetown, Gonzaga, and Fordham.

Then there are schools with Methodist affiliations, like Emory and Henry, Wesleyan, and Millsaps College, and Historical Black Methodist schools, like Bethune-Cookman and Clark Atlanta. There are Lutheran-affiliated schools, like Muhlenberg, Valparaiso, and Wagner, and Baptist schools, like Baylor, Howard Payne, and Samford.

There are Quaker institutions, such as George Fox University, Swarthmore, and Bryn Mawr, and Presbyterian-affiliated schools, like Davidson and the University of Tulsa. The most well-known Mormon school is Brigham Young. There are also Evangelical schools like Liberty, Oral Roberts and Wheaton College.

Although Christianity is the most represented religion among religiously-affiliated American colleges and universities, there are also Islam-affiliated schools, like Zaytuna College and the Islamic College of Minnesota, and Jewish institutions, like Yeshiva University and Gratz College.

Religious Statements

To apply for a faculty position at most public and private colleges and universities, a candidate is usually asked to send a CV, cover letter, teaching statement, research statement, and diversity statement. However, if you are applying for a position at a school with a strong religious affiliation, you may also be asked to supply a religious statement or a statement of faith. Not all of the schools mentioned above will require one, but some will.

Here is an example of a request for a statement of faith from Whitworth University, an Evangelical liberal arts college in Spokane, Washington: “In a one-page essay (approximately 300 words), describe your Christian belief and its influence on your life.”

Other schools might ask the candidate about childhood religious upbringing, formative spiritual experiences, personal religious traditions, fidelity to a church and church participation, certain theological doctrines, beliefs about God and prayer, and service to the community.

At this point, you might be asking yourself if making religious belief a criterion for employment is legal. The answer is actually yes. These are private institutions, and if religious faith is deemed to be an essential part of an institution’s mission, the right to raise questions about a candidate’s personal faith and practice is recognized by law, accrediting agencies, and even some academic professional associations. There is also the Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) category within employment law. For instance, in hiring a rabbi, it is acceptable to require that the person be of the Jewish faith.

Somewhat like a diversity statement, there is no standard format for a religious statement; statements of faith are open to interpretation and are very personal and individual. Also, every school is different in their beliefs, even within the same religious tradition. Remember, some schools have a nominal connection rooted in their history that doesn’t affect day-to-day campus life. Other schools expect an adherence to the basic tenets of the given religion but would not require you to practice the religion actively. Some institutions emphasize commitment to community service and/or social justice. For others, faith and religion are an integral part of campus life, and both faculty and students are expected to adhere to certain religious doctrines and behaviors.

What to Do as an Applicant

So, how do you handle this as an applicant?

1. Learn what the school is all about

The school’s mission statement will give you a lot of information about how they view themselves. Here is the mission statement from Baylor University, a Baptist school in Waco, Texas: “Baylor is founded on the belief that God’s nature is made known through both revealed and discovered truth. Thus, the University derives its understanding of God, humanity and nature from many sources: The person and work of Jesus Christ, the biblical record, and Christian history and tradition, as well as scholarly and artistic endeavors. The mission of Baylor University is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.”

2. Thoroughly read the website

What types of religion related courses and majors are there? What’s required? Are students and faculty required to attend services or dress in a certain way?

3. Research the religion

Do research on the history and heritage of the given religion as well as the current thought and practice.

4. Talk to faculty

If you can, speak to people who recently or currently work at the school that you’re applying to in order to learn what it’s really like, day to day.

5. Find out what the school requires you to affirm

Determine whether, if you are hired, you will be required to sign a faith statement where you affirm certain theological doctrines and fidelity to a certain tradition.

6. Examine your own beliefs

Would you be willing to affirm the doctrines that the school espouses? Is the school’s faith compatible with your beliefs and how you live your life? If you disagree with some aspects, could you still live with it? Are you willing to make religious faith part of your curriculum, teaching, and research if that is what the school is requiring?

If you answer no to any of these questions, do not apply for the position. Even if you could fabricate your statement, it is never a good idea to lie on a job application, and if you got the position, it’s doubtful that you could be comfortable there.

However, if you have determined that the mission statement and the religious life of the schools mirrors your own, your job in writing the religious statement becomes fairly easy.

Writing a Statement of Faith

Tailor it to the religious beliefs and values of the institution. Give appropriate examples and narratives from your own life drawing on your childhood religious upbringing (if you have one), spiritual experiences, and current faith practice. Emphasize how your personal life, teaching, and research fit within that community of faith.

Depending on the school, it may be enough to show that you understand their mission statement, support its values, and have integrated some of their beliefs into your own life, teaching, and research, even if you have a different faith.

Obviously, this all takes a great deal of time and effort, but applications that are thoughtful and tailored to a school’s mission and values will stand out and increase your chances of landing the interview.