Since I am no longer working as a college professor, I find myself in an interesting position. I am a scholar who is not getting paid to do scholarship. I am not teaching or serving on school committees.  I am continuing to research, but it is not counting towards tenure or job security. I am accomplishing nothing but the furtherance of human knowledge.
Because of this, I am at a loss to what to call myself. Unemployed is depressing, and it doesn’t taking into account the fact that I am still doing some of the things I did before but without pay. I considered “Biblical Scholar at Large,” but it makes it sound like the police are looking for me. “Biblical Consultant” might make people think that Moses or Peter contacted me for advice when writing the Scriptures, while “Biblical Mercenary” would suggest that I can be contracted to fight the Amorite, Perazites, or Hivvites.
I finally settled on “Freelance Biblical Scholar.” I think that it will look better than the others on a business card. Freelance is a term that says “unemployed but looking.” It implies that I will keep on doing what I am doing, even if no one is willing to pay me, but also that I am willing to pimp my skills for money.
So if any of you need to refer to me, you should stop saying “I have a friend who is a college professor in Lithuania . . .” and start saying “I have a friend who is a freelance biblical scholar in Massachusetts . . .”
On February 26th, 2007 at 10:30 pm
I have seen people referred to as “independent scholars.” Somehow I knew it wasn’t referring to their objectivity.
I think “freelance” works well. Perhaps you can contact the Discovery network and see what sort of help they need with that Ark.
On February 28th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
At one stage my son described himself as a “historian for hire” - made him sound like a gunslinger except firing words… Whatever word you use to describe it, I hope the state soon resolves itself.