Director, Center and Library for the Bible and Social Justice


Published 25 October 2017

The Board of the Center and Library for the Bible and Social Justice seeks a ¼ time Director to lead the development of CLBSJ.

Mission: To foster research and activism at the intersection of the interpretation of the biblical tradition and the pursuit of social justice. The Center and Library connects biblically informed activists and justice oriented scholars through a research library and educational programs in order to develop an empowering use of the Bible for enacting social justice.

Description: CLBSJ was established in 2010 with the accession of the libraries of three major biblical scholars and activists who were seeking a way to make their beloved collections available to a wider community. The Library now contains 12,000 volumes and is an outstanding collection of resources for research on the Bible and the various issues of social justice in a highly accessible and cordial environment. The Center has also sponsored a series of programs and conferences that have brought together a diverse group of scholars, students, clergy, activists, and community organizers. The Center and Library is located at Stony Point Center in Stony Point, New York.

Stony Point Center is a 90 Guestroom conference facility in the lower Hudson Valley (35 miles north of NYC) with growing ties to the broader, multifaith movement for justice, peace and earth care. It is the home of the Community of Living Traditions, a residential multifaith community of persons who represent the traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. During the years of Mark Johnson’s tenure as Executive Director (2014 – 2017), a collaborative partnership has developed between the two organizations that shows great promise for the development of the program of CLBSJ.

Responsibilities: The work of the Executive Director is to maintain and develop the library and programs of CLBSJ, emphasizing the following responsibilities:

  • To recruit and support volunteers to maintain the library and welcome visiting scholars and activists, and sustain a modest office in the library itself to carry out the correspondence and business of the organization.
  • To lead the board of directors in program development and fundraising efforts including:
    • Grassroots appeal to individual donors
    • Grant Proposals to sympathetic foundations and organizations
  • To foster relationships with scholar/activists who will:
    • use the library as theologians in residence,
    • lead conferences and workshops on the intersection between faith, theological scholarship and activism
    • participate in collaborative writing projects
  • To develop and implement an effective communications strategy, including website content management
  • To represent the CLBSJ in public gatherings from grassroots actions to scholarly conferences
  • Manage the development and implementation of Scholar/Activist in Residence program

The Opportunity: This is a part-time position (currently 10-12 hours/week) and requires residence within commuting distance of the Center and Library. Depending on successful fundraising, the job could grow into a half time or full time position.

Though the CLBSJ is a Christian initiative, the close association between the CLBSJ and the Community of Living Traditions at Stony Point Center give it strong ties to scholar/activists of other religious traditions as well. The library has significant Jewish and Muslim holdings, and multifaith members of the community are frequent users of the library and a potential support to the mission of CLBSJ.

This position offers a unique opportunity to organize a biblically grounded resistance to the erosion of social and environmental justice in the USA and around the world. The right person will be a self-starter who is facile with academic ideas, has activist inclinations, and who offers the skills and instincts of an organizer. We seek a person who is able to help the board develop a strong commitment to being anti-racist and anti-oppression organization. We offer a great opportunity for a motivated and highly committed social entrepreneur who shares our passion for the intersection between sanctuary, seminary and the streets.

Compensation and Job Location: This is a ¼ time opportunity, to be remunerated at $900 per month, no benefits. The Director will be asked to keep a regular presence in the Center and Library at Stony Point Center, the number of hours to be negotiated between the search committee and the candidate. (There will be no travel reimbursement to and from the Center and Library for regular office hours.)

Supervision: The Director will be responsible to CLBSJ board, with the expectation that he or she will provide short (but complete) reports each month with a description of all progress made on the various projects for which he or she is responsible. The Board is geographically dispersed and meets every two months by conference call.

Qualifications:

  • Demonstrated facility with Christian theology and/or biblical studies
  • Demonstrated history as an activist in social justice/peacemaking movements
  • Strong organizational leadership ability and capability to set goals and accomplish tasks within an established timeline
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills

CLBSJ welcomes all persons to apply, including persons of color, persons with disabilities, and those of any sexual orientation, gender, and age. We will give preference to those of non-dominant economic, gender and racial backgrounds

The position will be held open for applications through November 15, then filled as soon as a viable candidate is identified.

Email Cover Letter and Resume to both of the co-chairs of the Search Committee:

Rick Ufford-Chase and Norman Gottwald
Rickuffordchase@gmail.com
Ngrejoice@comcast.net

bible justice Job