July 21

Theologian Uninvited to Hold Chair

Activist groups that try to pressure Roman Catholic universities to adhere to certain measures of fealty are praising the University of San Diego for telling a prominent theology professor that the invitation for her to teach there next year was being rescinded and that she would not hold a visiting endowed chair.

Looking for a job?

See all 244 new postings

Browse all job listings:

Faculty: 2,670
Administrative: 2,058
Executive: 151
FEATURED EMPLOYERS

The professor is Rosemary Radford Ruether, who currently teaches at the Claremont Graduate University and has also taught at the Pacific School of Religion and Holy Names University, and written a column for many years for the National Catholic Reporter. Ruether’s numerous books about theology have strong pro-feminist positions (she advocates the ordination of women, for example) and she identifies herself as a “progressive Catholic,” but very much as a Catholic thinker.

This fall, the New Press will publish her latest book, Catholic Does Not Equal the Vatican: A Vision for Progressive Catholicism, in which she challenges Vatican teachings on a range of issues. In the forward to the book, Rev. Susan Thistlethwaite, president of the Chicago Theological Seminary, writes: “In a truly just world, Rosemary Radford Ruether would be pope.”

While Ruether has no expectations of becoming pope, she did think she had an endowed chair. San Diego announced in June that Ruether would be named as the next Monsignor John R. Portman Chair in Roman Catholic Theology, a position that involves a one year appointment, teaching, and a major lecture on campus. The announcement — since removed from the university’s Web site — set off alarms among critics of Ruether’s views, who published articles on Web sites calling her a “radical non-Christian” and charging, among other things, that she calls God “Gaia.” (For the record, she said that she calls God “God,” and did so in a conversation with this reporter.)

In an interview, Ruether said that she was strongly recruited by the university for the position. She said that she has more invitations than she can handle, but that she agreed to the visiting chair after faculty members attended a lecture she gave, and spoke about how much they wanted her to teach. Terms were negotiated and the announcement was made, she said. Subsequently, she said, Provost Julie Sullivan called her and explained that the theology department “had not consulted with the donor and the donor had a different vision” of the chair, so the offer to Ruether was being rescinded. (The donor is anonymous, according to a university Web site.)

“This is obviously a case where the faculty were not able to ask the person they wanted to ask because of ideological bias,” Ruether said. She added that her academic freedom would not be affected because she would continue to write what she believes, but she said that the academic freedom of San Diego faculty members had been hurt by having her appointment blocked. She said that “it’s their academic freedom being denied,” when the faculty have appointments vetoed just for being controversial.

Lance Nelson, chair of the theology department and the person who recruited Ruether, declined to talk about the situation and said that only the provost could talk about the matter. The provost did not respond to e-mail messages. Pamela Gray Payton, a spokeswoman for the university, confirmed via e-mail that upon “review of the specific purpose of the Monsignor John R. Portman Chair in Roman Catholic Theology, the University of San Diego is no longer considering the appointment of Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether as the 2009-2010 chair holder.” Payton added that Ruether was “never officially appointed” to the position.

LifeSiteNews.com, which had previously urged Catholics to call the university to oppose Ruether, is praising the university’s latest action and urging readers to write the university to express support.

— Scott Jaschik

Want it on paper? Print this page.
Know someone who’d be interested? Forward this story.
Want to stay informed? Sign up for free daily news e-mail.

Comments

How Sad

It says something — and not something pleasant — when one of the foremost advocates of Catholicism being part of the 21st century is denied the ability to engage others in dialogue. I’ve always admired R3 (as I shorten her name for notes) for her willingness to question her faith, while being entirely grounded in it. It strikes me that those who are unwilling to ask the tough questions are those who don’t have a deep commitment to those beliefs. USD should welcome the tough conversations.

Melissa, at 6:55 am EDT on July 21, 2008

Academic Freedom Under Fire

This is yet another violation of academic freedom of liberals at a religious university, and part of the growing attack on academic freedom at Catholic institutions. The notion that a donor should have veto power over faculty appointments is absolutely unacceptable, and no self-respecting university can ever allow it. The University of San Diego administration owes its faculty, students, and the public a clear explanation of what happened, and why it is violating its own policies: “Academic freedom insures that the governance of a Catholic university remain autonomous so that the institution may flourish. USD’s Catholicity and its commitment to Catholic principles and values place no obligation on faculty, administration or staff with regard to their personal beliefs or religious practices, nor does it prevent statements of personal views that may differ from those held by the Catholic Church."(http://www.sandiego.edu/administr.../president/insight/intellectual.php)

John K. Wilson, collegefreedom.org, at 7:45 am EDT on July 21, 2008

I have read on this site that universities are increasingly being held to account by donors. That is, if accepting large donations for specific purposes (the purposes the donors had in mind), the universities are not free to use the donations for other purposes of their own choosing. Their freedom of operation is to return the money and do as they choose, on their own dime. I know what Catholics without the Vatican are commonly called: Anglicans. Ever since Henry VIII.

bystander, at 9:20 am EDT on July 21, 2008

San Diego

Rescinding the offer to Prof. Ruether ought to lead to an AAUP investigation of San Diego. Perhaps the Provost and the administration might want to review the history of the 1950’s to understand the devastation of censorship — whether it be from the government or the individual or the institution. This decision further elevates the ignorance pervading American sulture.

Sandi E Cooper, Professor at CUNY at Staten Island and The Graduate school, at 10:30 am EDT on July 21, 2008

What’s the problem here?

I see no issue here. An explicitly Catholic school has an endowed chair for teaching Catholic doctrine (theology). Someone was found to deviate too far from standard Catholic teaching to hold the position.

What kind of *explicitly religious* university would not do this?

This would all be grossly improper at a secular university, but the school in question is explicitly Catholic.

Bill M., at 11:50 am EDT on July 21, 2008

The Problem

Bill, the problem here is that they invited her, then rescinded the invitation under outside pressure. If she didn’t meet their requirements, then they shouldn’t have recruited her for the position in the first place. Since they offered her the position, the institution clearly felt that her ideology were not a problem. It was only when external pressure was applied that her ideology became a problem, and the university shamelessly caved.

Chris, at 12:40 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

That is awful! Although not a Catholic, I am appalled at the actions of USD. Whatever happened to academic freedom... and the free exchange of disparate views? The students are the ones who are the losers,,,I wrote to the newspaper that was quoted!Elaine

Dr Elaine R Parent, retired — ucsd, at 1:35 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

Theologian denied Chair position

USD is, after all, a Catholic university and the donor clearly had their own theological agenda in mind when they endowed the Chair. Dr. Reuther’s theology, apparently, did not comport to that of the donor and the funding was withdrawn.

USD administration was at fault by not vetting the appointment in the first place. If the Chair was legally offered and then rescinded, Dr. Reuther may have a legal case for damages, but sadly, her wisest choice may be to simply seek employment elsewhere.

Perhaps Duke? Just a thought...

feudi pandola, at 2:15 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

Ruether is by any reasonable measure one of the most prominent Roman Catholic theologians currently working — and indeed one of the most prominent theologians period. Her views are widely shared among many academic theologians, Catholic or not, as illustrated by the fact that she was offered the chair in the first place, and among many lay Catholics, as her NCR column testifies. Calling her teaching non-Catholic is like calling Democrats un-American.

The only acceptable course of action for the department now is to turn around and invite Mary Daly in Ruether’s place.

Adam Kotsko, PhD Candidate at Chicago Theological Seminary, at 2:30 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

Do you suppose ..."anonymous donor” = “vatican bank"?

Interesting isnt it that another woman is targeted by the “faithful orthodox". So far, all the “faithful orthodox” can seem to do is single out women for their targets. I wonder if the title “faithful orthodox male” is synonymous with “abusive spouse"?

JD, at 6:00 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

Deja vu all over again: The Charles Curran Case

Yes, it is true that courts have upheld that Catholic institutions have the legal right to decide to terminate (or not engage) the services of someone whose teaching does not conform to Catholic doctrine.

The Rev. Charles E. Curran back in the 80’s lost his battle with Catholic University in the D.C. Superior Court over his suspension from teaching theology because he permitted the “radical” view that contraception could be used by married couples. This action against the academic freedom of the tenured theology professor resulted in formal censure by the AAUP.

Father Curran, now a chaired professor at SMU, has recently won a prize from for his autobiography (published at Georgetown U Press, a member of the other AAUP), Loyal Dissent: Memoir of a Catholic Theologian (2007).

Anti-hypocrisy advocate, at 10:05 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

The idea that ‘Catholicism’ denotes a set of agreed upon ideas with little argument or controversy is just plain wrong. There are folks like Gutierrez and Curran and groups like Future Church that represent alternate ways of thinking about Catholicism. So, endorsing this woman’s uninvitation on the basis of some streamlined but ultimately mythical version of Catholicism seems to misrepresent the state of theological studies. Not everyone is a Thomist.

Charlie Lassiter, Fordham University, at 11:25 pm EDT on July 21, 2008

Endorsement? No...

Clarification: I was not endorsing the action of the university in the disinvitation of the professor, merely reporting what one court ruled. There are likely other rulings reaching similar conclusions in other courts.

For the record, while many thought then and still think that the Rev. Curran’s theological positions are nothing more than mainstream, it is noteworthy that the Vatican actually weighed in against him in a formal statement.

So, as in universities, so with churches: dissent from the hierarchy is not an easy path to pursue, no matter how buttressed by popular opinion or “truth, justice and the American way".

Anti-hypocrisy advocate, at 1:00 pm EDT on July 22, 2008

What I don’t understand is that if the donor was “anonymous,” how was it the case that the department was expected to vet the selection with the donor? Something doesn’t add up here.

JAC, at 10:10 pm EDT on July 23, 2008

Catholics Support the USD Decision

Catholics have launched a counter-petition in support of USD decision to keep Ruether from the Portman Chair.

Visit http://www.brianmcdaniel.org/?p=667 to read more and sign the petition.

Brian McDaniel, at 10:50 am EDT on August 22, 2008

Ruether’s views

Rosemary Radford Ruether is definitely entitled to her views. However, they should be defined, at the very least, as Ruether’s views, not “progressive Catholic” views. Believing in the right to terminate a beating heart is Ruether’s individualized religion; it is certainly not Catholicism.

Mary Howe, instructor at purdue, at 2:40 pm EDT on August 22, 2008

Jobs Related to Theologian Uninvited to Hold Chair

or search for jobs directly.

CLA 2212 Assistant Professor, Women and Religion in Global Context
Towson University

The Women’s Studies Department at Towson University invites applications for a full-time, tenure track appointment at the ... see job

Religion: Jewish Studies
Wesleyan University, CT

The Department of Religion at Wesleyan University invites applications for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of ... see job

Islamic Studies Scholar
Wake Forest University

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY’S Department of Religion seeks a distinguished scholar of Islamic studies. We strongly favor making ... see job

Religion
Augustana College, IL

Augustana College is a private, selective liberal arts college located on a 150-acre campus near the Mississippi River in ... see job

Professor of New Testament
Azusa Pacific University

Azusa Pacific University seeks applications for the Assistant/Associate Professor of the New Testament. see job

Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies (Critical Theological Studies)
Austin College

Austin College Department of Religious Studies invites applications for a one-year position in Critical Theological Studies ... see job

Full-Time Junior Level Tenure-Track Assistant Professor -Jewish Studies
Hofstra University

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY invites applications and nominations for a full-time, junior-level tenure-track Assistant Professor ... see job

Adjuncts- Humanities
DeVry University

As one of the largest degree-granting higher education systems in North America, DeVry University provides high-quality, ... see job

Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies
Willamette University

Willamette University, the first University in the West! If you embrace our vision and motto, Non Nobis Solum Nati Sumus — ... see job

Assistant Professor — Philosophy of Religion
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota is a premier employer and a talent magnet attracting leading faculty and staff from around the ... see job

Theologian Uninvited to Hold Chair

Related stories

Comments

How Sad

Academic Freedom Under Fire

San Diego

What’s the problem here?

The Problem

Theologian denied Chair position

Deja vu all over again: The Charles Curran Case

Endorsement? No...

Catholics Support the USD Decision

Ruether’s views

Jobs Related to Theologian Uninvited to Hold Chair

CLA 2212 Assistant Professor, Women and Religion in Global Context Towson University

Religion: Jewish Studies Wesleyan University, CT

Islamic Studies Scholar Wake Forest University

Religion Augustana College, IL

Professor of New Testament Azusa Pacific University

Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies (Critical Theological Studies) Austin College

Full-Time Junior Level Tenure-Track Assistant Professor -Jewish Studies Hofstra University

Adjuncts- Humanities DeVry University

Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies Willamette University

Assistant Professor — Philosophy of Religion University of Minnesota, Twin Cities