Postdoc Position: Early Christian Studies

1. Introduction

Are you a specialist in early Christianity and interested in questions of equality and inequality? Do you enjoy working in a team with other scholars to tackle big questions that are relevant to the present as well as to the past? Then please consider applying for this postdoctoral researcher position at Radboud University in the Netherlands.

2. Job description

The Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies at Radboud University is seeking to appoint an early-career researcher to join the NWO project Ethnicity and (In)Equality in Early Christianity. The aim of this project is to develop a thorough and nuanced understanding of the full spectrum of Christian views on ethnic equality/inequality during the first-fourth centuries CE.

As one of the postdoctoral researchers in this project, you will analyse how key early Christian authors depict people with ethnic backgrounds other than their own. A central question in this connection is the degree to which these early Christians rejected or reinforced traditional ethnic stereotypes and prejudices, and what these depictions suggest about the degree and nature of ethnic equality operative in their corpus. You will also engage in preliminary research that aims to uncover if and how these early Christian texts exerted influence on later ideas about race and ethnic difference.

A more detailed description of the research project is available here. You are strongly encouraged to consult this description to prepare your application. As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a brief statement in which you discuss two early Christian authors or texts that you would analyse and provide a motivation for this selection that takes into account your own expertise and the relevance of the selected authors to the overall project. All Christian authors from the first four centuries CE are eligible for inclusion.   

In this position, you will conduct independent research, produce sole-authored articles and contribute to collaborative publications. You will present your work at conferences and workshops, host visiting fellows with expertise in your field and help organise international conferences. If you are interested, you will be given the opportunity to engage in public-facing activities. No teaching is required but you may take on limited teaching and PhD supervision if you wish.

3. Profile

• You hold a PhD degree in early Christian studies or another relevant field. Applicants who are in the final stages of their doctoral studies will also be considered.
• You have a strong command of relevant research languages.
• You have a proven record of research potential (e.g. publications, high-quality dissertation).
• This is a position that requires you to live within commuting distance of Nijmegen.

4. We are

You will join a research team that consists of a PI, two postdoctoral researchers, a student-assistant and visiting research fellows, and is supported by an advisory board of leading senior scholars.

As a member of the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies you will be part of an international research community with notable strengths in Biblical Studies as well as the historical and conceptual study of race and racism. The Faculty has close connections with the departments of Ancient History and Classics, which house several scholars with expertise relevant to this research project.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract of two years. Upon successful evaluation after year 2, the initial contract will be renewed for another year, for a total of 3 years.
• Your salary within salary scale 10 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week.
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Matthijs den Dulk. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.  We look forward to receiving your application.

The first interviews will take place on 23 March. You will preferably start your employment on 15 June 2026.

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.

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