January 25, 2010 SBL e-Newsletter
2009 News
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| October 16, 2009 |
Annual Meeting
We will be sending an e-mail next week to Annual Meeting registrants with meeting-specific news.
See SBL's online Program Book.
Thank you to all the publishers coming to New Orleans. To start planning your Exhibit hall time, see the Annual Meeting Exhibitors page, which lists exhibitors and their booth number.
Publications
Six new books have been added to ICI Online Books Project:
Amidon, S.J., Philip R, translator. Philostorgius: Church History. Writings from the Greco-Roman World 23. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2007.
Ben Zvi, Ehud and Michael H. Floyd, eds. Writings and Speech in Israelite and Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy. Symposium Series 10. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2000.
Boda, Mark J., Daniel K. Falk, and Rodney A. Werline, eds. Seeking the Favor of God, Volume 3: The Impact of Penitential Prayer beyond Second Temple Judaism. Early Judaism and Its Literature 23. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008.
Cosaert, Carl P. The Text of the Gospels in Clement of Alexandria. New Testament in the Greek Fathers 9. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008.
Kelle, Brad E. and Frank Ritchel Ames, eds. Writing and Reading War: Rhetoric, Gender, and Ethics in Biblical and Modern Contexts. Symposium Series 42. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008.
van de Sandt, Huub and Jürgen K. Zangenberg, eds. Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in Their Jewish and Christian Settings. Symposium Series 45. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008.
Professions
Nurturing the Next Generation of Scholars
Partnering with the Society of Biblical Literature, the Fund for Theological Education's Nurturing the Next Generation of Scholars initiative attracts promising students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to advanced studies in religion, Bible, and theology. This session features a welcome and an introduction followed by a panel discussion on the importance of diverse voices in the academy, the life of a graduate student, the graduate admissions process, and professional relationship building, as well as a break-out workshop on writing the infamous personal statement. Participation in the session is by application. Selected participants will receive a complimentary one-year SBL membership and registration to the 2009 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. For more information, contact Matthew Williams at doctoralinfo@thefund.org. The session is scheduled for Friday, November 20, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Look for Session 20-202a in SBL's online Program Book.
Career Center at the Annual Meeting
Employers can now reserve private interview rooms online for the Career Center at the Annual Meeting.
Optional Profile Drawing Winners
Completing the Optional Profile Information page in your membership profile automatically enters you in a random drawing to win a free one-year membership. Congratulations to our two winners for October:
1) Christoph Heil
2) Brian Tucker
So far, 4064 of 8600 members have completed this profile. If you have not yet filled out this information, please do so by logging in on our website using your SBL Member # (JS097319) and clicking "My Profile."
Upcoming deadlines for subscriptions
November 15 is the deadline to subscribe to the Journal of Biblical Literature beginning with issue 128:4 (Winter 2009).
Click here to subscribe today!
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| September 28, 2009 |
Annual Meeting
Have you registered for the 2009 Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, yet? If not, then now is the time.
The Advance Registration Rates end midnight EST, September 30th.
Register today to avoid the increased prices.
To register, click here. Remember to log in using your SBL Member # before signing up. If you have registration questions, e-mail AnnualMeeting@sbl-site.org.
Nurturing the Next Generation of Scholars
Partnering with the Society of Biblical Literature, the Fund for Theological Education's Nurturing the Next Generation of Scholars initiative attracts promising students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to advanced studies in religion, bible, and theology. This session features a welcome and introduction followed by a panel discussion on the importance of diverse voices in the academy, the life of a graduate student, the graduate admissions process, and professional relationship building, as well as a break-out workshop on writing the infamous personal statement. Participation in the session is by application. Selected participants will receive a complimentary one-year SBL membership and registration to the 2009 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. For more information, contact Matthew Williams at doctoralinfo@thefund.org. The session is scheduled for Friday, November 20, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Look for Session 20-202a in SBL's online Program Book.
Career Center at the Annual Meeting
Employers can now reserve private interview rooms online for the Career Center at the Annual Meeting.
New Affiliation
SBL has a new affiliation with Bibliobloggers.
International Cooperative Initiative (ICI) – Reduced Membership Rates
In July 2008, we began offering reduced membership rates to persons who reside in countries with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita lower than the average GDP of the United States and the European Union who find our regular membership fees difficult to manage. The rates offered to these individuals are $15 for a full membership and $10 for a student membership. We want all of our members to be aware of this program so that you might help us spread the word to those who might benefit from these rates. In addition, we would like to encourage any who can afford it to sponsor the membership of someone who might otherwise be unable to join. As a Society, we have said that our mission is “To Foster Biblical Scholarship.” We believe that we embody this mission best when biblical scholars from around the globe are included in our conversation. To learn more about the full scope of the International Cooperative Initiative, click here. To view the list of qualifying countries, click here. To find out more information, please contact the Customer Service Department at customerservice@sbl-site.org.
ICI Teaching Collaboration
Have you visited https://www.sbl-site.org/educational/ICITeaching.aspx? There are opportunities to be involved with this exciting initiative that encourages the exchange of ideas across the globe. Please check out the site and spread the word to your institution, your colleagues, and your students. It is easy to sign up or to contact one of the many scholars who have already agreed to participate by teaching classes online, acting as mentors, or becoming visiting lecturers at other institutions. Please send your thoughts on the ICI Teaching Collaboration to Leigh Andersen.
Membership
A new audio interview has been posted with SBL member Shawna Dolansky.
Upcoming deadlines for subscriptions
October 1 is the deadline to subscribe for print Review of Biblical Literature 2009 (Volume 11).
November 15 is the deadline to subscribe for print Journal of Biblical Literature beginning with issue 128:4 (Winter 2009).
Click here to subscribe today!
Optional Profile Drawing Winners
Completing the Optional Profile Information page in your membership profile automatically enters you in a random drawing to win a free one-year membership. Our two winners for September:
1) Michael McGowan
2) James Starr
If you have not yet filled out this information, please do so by logging in on our website using your SBL Member number and clicking "My Profile."
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| August 25, 2009 |
African Studies Association and SBL to Partner in New Orleans
The African Studies Association and the Society for Biblical Literature are pleased to partner to take advantage of our coinciding annual meetings, November 19-22 and November 20-24, respectively, in New Orleans. We have agreed that a registration badge for either meeting will allow reciprocal entry to the general sessions and the Exhibit Hall of the other. SBL registrants are also welcome to participate in the ASA special sessions and to visit the ASA Video Marketplace. Please see the Annual Meeting Programs, available on the
ASA and
SBL websites, for further details.
Both the ASA and the SBL value their members' participation and we look forward to successful annual meetings in 2009.
News
SBL has received a National Endowment for the Humanities planning grant to develop an interactive website that would improve public understanding of the Bible and its contexts.
Click here for the press release.
The SBL now publishes Teaching the Bible , a monthly e-pub geared to high school teachers of Bible electives and their students. The goal is to deliver scholarly content about the Bible in easy-to-grasp writing, visuals, activities, and audio segments that can be readily used in the high school classroom. See: https://www.sbl-site.org/assets/media/TBv1_i1.htm
Teaching the Bible currently seeks writers who can translate academic scholarship on the Bible and its contexts for the high school audience. If you think you would like to contribute, contact editor Moira Bucciarelli for writers’ guidelines and details.
Read a report on the class for Texas high school teachers offered by the SBL and partners.
Career Center
Employer and Candidate Registration for the 2009 SBL Annual Meeting in New Orleans is open. The Career Center provides the opportunity for employers and those seeking employment to register for interviews at the AM, as well as interview facilities, job listings, candidate credentials, and a messaging service.
Membership News
Thanks to all who have filled out their Optional Profile information! This summer’s Optional Profile Information drawing winners are:
July
1) Alan Applebaum
2) Dr. Mary L. Coloe
August
1) Rev. E. Heather Benson
2) Dr. Stan Harstine
Completing the Optional Profile Information page in your membership profile automatically enters you in a monthly, random drawing to win a free one-year membership. So far, 3000 of our 8700 members have completed this information. To join this growing number, log in and click "My Profile."
Question of the Month
Some of us wonder if any of the social networking tools would serve the purposes of members to advance their teaching, research, or networking with colleagues.
Is there a need for SBL to develop an online, interactive platform for members?
Think about the SBL publishing, congresses, and professional initiatives and let us know if you see a connection between the SBL strategic objectives, your personal/professional needs, and the possibility of an SBL blog or Wiki.
Reply to this e-mail and give us your perspectives.
SBL is now on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Please give generously to The Society Fund.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| July 16, 2009 |
Publications
This month on The SBL Forum, a special issue on Bible Translation
Rewriting the Cultural Myths: Clarence Jordan and the Cotton Patch Gospels
Frederick L. Downing
Translation and Narrative: Transfiguring Jesus
Scott S. Elliott
A New Thing under the Sun: A Doctor of Ministry Degree in Bible Translation
Roy E. Ciampa
The Jewish Quest for a German Bible: The Nineteenth-Century Translations of Joseph Johlson and Leopold Zunz
Abigail Gillman
A Reexamination of Phoebe as a “Diakonos” and “Prostatis”: Exposing the Inaccuracies of English Translations
Elizabeth A. McCabe
Unavoidable Gender Ambiguities: A Primer for Readers of English Translations from Biblical Hebrew
David E. S. Stein
Remember— one of the benefits of membership is a gratis online subscription to the Journal of Biblical Literature through MetaPress. Just log-in to the SBL website using your member number and navigate to the JBL page to view the latest issues of the journal. Members will also find a link for accessing back issues of JBL through JSTOR.
Looking for a back issue of Semeia? The entire set of ninety-one Semeia journal issues is available on a CD-Rom from Logos Bible Software [link CD-Rom to: https://www.logos.com/products/details/2061]
Membership News
A new audio interview has been posted. This month, Moira Bucciarelli talks to Brigitte Kahl.
Brigitte Kahl received the Th.D. (1983) and the Dr.Sc.Theol. (1986) from Humboldt University in Berlin. She is an ordained minister of the Protestant Church of Berlin-Brandenburg. As a Professor of New Testament at Union Theological Seminary and an Associate Professor at the Columbia Religion Department, a major focus of her work has been examining the relationship between New Testament and Empire.
We have 2 winners of the Optional Profile Information drawing for June:
Ben C. Blackwell and Renate Viveen Hood
Completing the Optional Profile Information page in your membership profile automatically enters you in a random drawing to win a free one-year membership.
Give generously to the Society Fund.
Meetings and Events
Read a Report from the International Meeting in Rome
[https://www.sbl-site.org/publications/article.aspx?articleId=836]
Career Center
Employer Registration for the 2009 SBL Annual Meeting in New Orleans is now open! The Career Center provides the opportunity for employers and those seeking employment to register for interviews at the AM, as well as interview facilities, job listings, candidate credentials, and a messaging service.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| June 30, 2009 |
Member Services
We have 2 winners of the Optional Profile Information drawing in May:
Russell Morton and Kevin Caldwell
Completing the Optional Profile Information page in your membership profile automatically enters you in a random drawing to win a free one-year membership.
Give generously to the Society Fund.
Meetings and Events
Annual Meeting registration prices step up on July 1: register now to get the Early Bird prices.
[https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/AnnualMeeting.aspx]
Report from the International Meeting
The International Meeting in Rome opens today with the Opening Session: The Pontifical Biblical Institute: A Century of History
Kent Richards, Society of Biblical Literature, Presiding
Rev. José María Abrego de Lacy, S.J., Rector, Pontifical Biblical Institute, Welcome
Maurice Gilbert, Pontifical Biblical Institute
Paul Achtemeier, Union Theological Seminary, Respondent
Lawrence Boadt, Washington Theological Union, Respondent
James Kugel, Harvard University, Respondent
The Opening Session is followed by the Opening Reception this evening.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| May 27, 2009 |
Meetings and Events:
International Meeting: Rome
New travel and tour information has been posted.
Just after the International Meeting: London
Codex Sinaiticus: Text, Bible, Book
International conference, British Library, 6-7 July 2009
The conference will celebrate the virtual reunification of Codex Sinaiticus - an outstanding manuscript which ranks as one of the oldest and most complete Bibles in existence.
For details on how to register for this event please, go to the conference page on the Codex Sinaiticus website.
Publications
SBL Forum June issue is posted:
Articles include:
A Case for Domestic Abuse in 1 Kings 14? A Look at the Marriage of Jeroboam I
Robin Gallaher Branch
Jack of All Trades and Master of None: The Case for “Generalist” Scholars in Biblical Scholarship
Michael F. Bird with Craig Keener
Service-Learning, Biblical Studies, and Resurrecting Flooded Bones in New Orleans
Michael M. Homan
Do Not Forsake Me: Biblical Motifs in Zinnemann’s High Noon
Robert Paul Seesengood
Arcade Fire’s Parodic Bible
Michael J.Gilmour
Remembering Angels: The Memory Work of Samuel Bak
Danna Nolan Fewell and Gary A. Phillips
A New Thing under the Sun: A Doctor of Ministry Degree in Bible Translation
Roy E. Ciampa
Membership
The Featured podcast for June in our SBL Interviews Series is with John Strong at Missouri State University.
The Paul J. Achtemeier Award for New Testament Scholarship is open for submissions.The $1,000 award will be given to an SBL member who: submits a paper of publishable quality in New Testament scholarship; delivers the paper for discussion at an SBL national or international meeting; and demonstrates excellence in New Testament research and teaching.
Deadline for submission is 1 July 2009.
The Dutch Centre for Bible Research has started to translate its Bible commentaries into Spanish and is looking for translators who speak fluently Dutch and Spanish. For more information contact Dr A. de Heer.
Het Centrum voor Bijbelonderzoek is aan een mega vertaalproject begonnen. Zij gaat de commentaren van de Studiebijbel vertalen in het Spaans. Er wordt begonnen met het evangelie van Lukas. In het kader van dit megaproject worden goede vertalers gezocht. Als u denkt dat u hieraan een zinnige bijdrage kunt leveren, mail dan naar Dr A. de Heer.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| May 1, 2009 |
Annual Meeting 2009
- Additional Meeting Registration is now available on-line.
- To register online, click here.
- To fax or mail in your Additional Meeting registration, download this form.
- Exhibitor registration and Housing now posted .
Publications
- With your continued support, we were able to add ten more books to the ICI Book Program.
Please support SBL by donating today at https://www.sbl-site.org/membership/donatenow.aspx
Membership
Winners of a free one-year membership
Congratulations and thank you for completing your optional profile. The winners are:
March - Cynthia Kittredge and Richard Miller
April - Nina E. Livesay and William L. Lyons
Completing the Optional Profile Information page in your membership profile automatically enters you in a random drawing to win a free one-year membership.
SBL Interviews
- Carol Bakhos is our featured interviewee for May.
Web site updates
Syllabi Collection — now also linked to the Wabash and AAR syllabi collections. If you have developed a syllabus that worked well this year—send it in!
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| April 14, 2009 |
Religion and the Bible
Jonathan Z. Smith
Whatever Happened in the Valley of Shinar? A Response to Theodore Hiebert
André Lacocque
Ideology and Social Context of the Deuteronomic Women's Sex Laws (Deuteronomy 22:13-29)
Cynthia Edenburg
Samson's Last Laugh: S/ŠHQ The Pun in Judges 16:25-27
Charles Halton
Topographical Considerations and Redaction Criticism in 2 Kings 3
Erasmus Gass
Why 2 Kings 17 Does Not Constitute a Chapter of Reflection in the "Deuteronomistic History"
Hartmut H. Rösel
The Devil Made David Do It … Or Did He? The Nature, Identity, and Literary Origins of the Satan in 1 Chronicles 21:1
Ryan E. Stokes
"She Binds Her Arms": Rereading Proverbs 31:17
Tzvi Novick
Accession Days and Holidays: The Origins of the Jewish Festival of Purim
Jona Schellekens
Rachel's Tomb
Benjamin D. Cox and Susan Ackerman
April SBL Forum has been posted:
FEATURE
The Perils of Prepublication in the Digital Age: Essenes, Latrines, and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Ian Werrett
IN THE CLASSROOM
Biblical Studies in the Context of the Emerging Religion Major
Jane S. Webster
IN POPULAR CULTURE
Evil in Contemporary American Film: Deep Darkness and Eschatological Hope
Greg Garrett
The Apocalypse of John and Its Mediators, or Why Johnny Cash Wrote a Better Apocalypse than John of Patmos!
William John Lyons
Inventory Reduction Sale through April 30
Almost 300 Society of Biblical Literature and Brown Judaic Studies titles at $7 each are included in the current SBL Inventory Reduction Sale, now through April 30. Click here to browse or download an order form and list of titles.
SBL Spring Sale
Almost all new, recent, and backlisted titles are available to SBL members at a forty percent discount during the spring sale. Download the order form, then mail, fax, or phone your order by June 15. If you prefer to order at the SBL Store, make sure to use the promo code SPG2009 at checkout to receive your discount.
NEW—Special rates for RBL subscriptions:
Individuals and institutions qualifying for SBL online books are also eligible for discount subscription rates to the Review of Biblical Literature.
Click on this link to access the forms.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| March 26, 2009 |
Meetings
New Orleans
2009 Annual Meeting Registration
Supersaver rates end Tuesday, March 31 at midnight.
Rome
2009 International Registration
Register today for the 2009 SBL International Meeting
Celebrating the Centenary of Pontifical Biblical Institute
Publications
Inventory Reduction Sale through April 30
Almost 300 Society of Biblical Literature and Brown Judaic Studies titles at $7 each
are included in the current SBL Inventory Reduction Sale, now through April 30.
Fill the gaps among your JBLs from over 40 on-sale issues.
Click here to browse or download an order form and list of titles.
New from SBL Publications
The Second Church: Popular Christianity A.D. 200-400
Ramsay MacMullen
Paper $24.95. 222 pages. ISBN 9781589834033. Writings from the Greco-Roman World Supplements.
Hardcover edition
www.brill.nl
Member News
Complete your Personal Profile: The drawing for a free year of membership will be done next week for those who have updated their Optional Profile Information in the member database. Log in on the homepage
www.sbl-site.org to access your “My Profile” and use the edit button under Optional Profile Information.
SBL and its staff would like to thank all of you for your continuous commitment to our mission –
fostering biblical scholarship. Your gifts of time and money enable SBL to offer the resources and programs for professional advancement. Please help us continue our work by donating to the Society Fund. Visit
the website to make your online contribution.
ICI Teaching Collaboration Program
The International Cooperation Initiative (ICI) has launched a program to facilitate scholarly exchange. To participate in the teaching collaboration program,
click here and follow the links to the registration forms. We especially encourage you to engage your institution in this program. For more information on the Teaching Collaboration or on ICI in general, please email
Leigh Andersen.
Books to China, Ethiopia, and Kenya
SBL continues to supply at no charge some books to colleges, seminaries, and universities in underresourced areas of the world. We sometimes send books that have slight cosmetic flaws, such as a slight bend or crease in the cover. Rather than destroy these books, we think that they need to be put to good use.
The cost of shipping books is high, but we have been able to get the books to libraries through a variety of ways that cost us nothing. Sometimes a benefactor of a school provides funds. Last year a professor in the United States paid to ship books to China. In March 2009, we were able to supply fifty-three pounds of books for a library in Ethiopia by getting them to a group that was going there. They each put a few books in their suitcases and delivered them to the library. We also have partnered with the Theological Book Network (TBN) to ship books to Kenya and have donated overstocked books to TBN for their program.
Through creative partnerships and donations, such as to the SBL Society Fund, we can continue this project and make it grow. This is one more way that SBL is striving to fulfill our mission to foster biblical scholarship internationally.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| March 13, 2009 |
Meetings
Rome
2009 International Registration is Open!
Register today for the 2009 SBL International Meeting
Celebrating the Centenary of Pontifical Biblical Institute
New Orleans
2009 Annual Meeting Registration
Super-Saver Rates Ending Soon.
Register by March 31st for Super-Saver Rates
Three new affiliate organizations will be joining the SBL Annual Meeting! We are excited to announce the Institute for Biblical Research, the Society of Christian Ethics, and the Gospel and Our Culture Network will be with us in New Orleans.
Publications
SBL SPRING SALE
Almost all new, recent, and backlisted titles are available to SBL members at a forty percent discount during the spring sale.
Download the order form, then mail, fax, or phone your order by June 15.
If you prefer to order at the SBL Store, make sure to use the promo code
SPG2009 at checkout to receive your discount.
NEW TITLES
The Second Church: Popular Christianity A.D. 200-400
Ramsay MacMullen
The author uses excavation reports about hundreds of churches of the fourth century to show what worshipers did in them and in the cemeteries where most of them were built. What emerges, in this richly illustrated work, is a religion that ordinary Christians, by far the majority, practiced in a different and largely forgotten second church. The picture fits with textual evidence that has been often misunderstood or little noticed.
The Sicarii in Josephus’s Judean War: Rhetorical Analysis and Historical Observations
Mark Andrew Brighton
This book offers a comprehensive study of the Sicarii in Josephus’s Judean War. In a departure from the classical proposal that the Sicarii were an armed and fanatical off-shoot of the Zealots, this work concludes that from a historical perspective, “Sicarii” was a somewhat fluid term used to describe Jews of the Judean revolt who were associated with acts of violence against their own people for religious/political ends.
International Cooperation Initiative's (ICI) Teaching Collaboration Program
After several months in development, SBL is pleased to announce that the online forms for participation in the International Cooperation Initiative's (ICI) Teaching Collaboration program are now available. The forms are designed for institutions and scholars to provide the necessary information for SBL to establish databases that will facilitate international partnerships in biblical studies. In the first phase of the project, lists containing the pertinent information will be created and posted on the SBL web site; the long-term goal is for searchable databases to be established.
Scholars who are interested in and willing to (co)supervise and generally mentor students in institutions outside their home country, those who are willing to teach courses for appropriate individuals through distance education via e-communication, or those who would like to travel to another country to teach are all encouraged to participate in this exciting initiative. Some host institutions may be able to only provide room and/or board, but the rewards of living in and experiencing the culture of another country cannot be measured monetarily. Retirees, as well as scholars on sabbatical or with travel time, are invited to join this initiative.
Institutions that are interested in these types of cooperative efforts will be listed separately. Individual scholars and schools will then have the information needed to contact each other and make their own arrangements. The SBL will not be responsible for any arrangements made by these parties. The SBL, as the host of these lists, will take reasonable steps to protect the privacy of the individuals who offer their services through these databases. Scholars and institutions that wish to participate should complete the appropriate online forms and submit the information for inclusion in the databases to SBL.
For more information on the ICI, please go to https://www.sbl-site.org/InternationalCoopInitiative.aspx or contact the SBL staff liaison, Leigh Andersen
New pages on the SBL website:
SBL Interviews, a new series of audio interviews with members.
SBL Greek: SBL is pleased to announce the release of the SBL Greek font. SBL Greek is an advanced Unicode font for use on the Windows, Macintosh, and Linux platforms. It is the second in the SBL font series, along with SBL Hebrew. Please be sure to check out the Biblical Font FAQ as well by clicking here.
Our Font Forum has also moved. We invite you to join the discussion about all things SBL Fonts at our new location.
Humanities Advocacy Day
A report on SBL participation in the 2009 event.
A member is requesting participation in a survey on Introductory Bible Courses and Student Religious Commitment.
| SBL E-Newsletter |
| February 27, 2009 |
Publications
This month on The SBL Forum:
Love Turns into Hate: The Rape of Tamar (2 Sam 13:1–22) in Baroque Art
Sara Kipfer
Know*Be*Do: Using the Bible to Teach Ethics to Children
Valerie A. Stein
"They’ve Given You a Number and Taken Away Your Name": Gnostic Themes in The Prisoner, Television’s Ultimate Cult Classic”
Mark Holwager and Valarie Ziegler
The City as Salvific Space: Heterotopic Place and Environmental Ethics in the New Jerusalem )
Thomas W. Martin
PLUS! Essential links to articles and news items of interest and much more!
SBL has posted additional titles to the International Cooperation Initiative Online Books page. We are pleased to welcome our publishing partner, Brown Judaic Studies (BJS), to this program. There are currently six BJS titles available free of charge to scholars and students who live in countries whose GDP is considerably less than the average GDP of the US and the EU. Please visit the ICI book page to view a list of available SBL and BJS titles.
JBL Subscriptions
The deadline for subscriptions to JBL that will include the Spring 2009 issue has been extended to March 4. If you set aside your renewal notice thinking you would get to it later, now is the time to take action! We welcome new subscribers and urge members to make sure that their libraries do not allow their JBL subscriptions to lapse. For more information on SBL journals, please go to our website.
SBL Spring Sale
Almost all new, recent, and backlisted titles are available to SBL members at a forty percent discount during the spring sale.
Download the order form, then mail, fax, or phone your order by June 15.
If you prefer to order at the SBL Store, make sure to use the promo code
SPG2009 at checkout to receive your discount.
New Title
They Were All Together in One Place?: Toward Minority Biblical Criticism
Edited by Randall C. Bailey, Tat-siong Benny Liew, and Fernando F. Segovia
Critics from three major racial/ethnic minority communities in the United States—African American, Asian American, and Latino/a American—focus on the problematic of race and ethnicity in the Bible and in contemporary biblical interpretation. With keen eyes on both ancient text and contemporary context, contributors pay close attention to how racial/ethnic dynamics intersect with other differential relations of power such as gender, class, sexuality, and colonialism.
Meetings and Events
New Orleans
2009 Annual Meeting Registration is Open!
Register today for the 2009 SBL Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Teaching Bible Electives in School Systems: A Workshop for Faculty will be offered at several regional meetings in March including the Pacific Coast, Southeast and Southwest regional meetings.
Congratulations to Review of Biblical Literature
2009 is the ten-year anniversary of the Review of Biblical Literature. Please give generously this year to honor the work of all the SBL members and all of the publishers who volunteer their time and books on this valued service. In support of these efforts, please make a tax-deductible contribution to the Society Fund by visiting our website at www.sbl-site.org
REGISTER FOR A FREE-MEMBERSHIP!
We encourage all of our members to take a few minutes to update or complete their Optional Profile. Log in your account on our website and click on “My Profile.” By completing the Optional Profile Information page, you will be automatically entered into a drawing for a free membership. Names will be randomly selected twice a month. Winners will be notified by e-mail or mail. One entry per member per calendar year.
| SBL e-Newsletter |
| January 23, 2009 |
For Obituaries, click here.
For News Archive, click here.
2008 News
November 14, 2008
SBL announces the David Noel Freedman Award for Excellence and Creativity in Biblical Scholarship
The primary goal of the David Noel Freedman Award for Excellence and Creativity in Biblical Scholarship is to encourage the finest scholarship in biblical studies.
The Freedman Award will be given annually to one junior or mid-level scholar for a paper on a topic that engages and advances some dimension of biblical scholarship. The paper will be evaluated by a select committee of SBL members and judged on the basis of three categories: clarity, creativity, and advancement of biblical scholarship. A cash award will be given for an amount that will be stipulated annually.
Preference will be given for a junior or mid-level scholar with fewer than ten years in a teaching/research position. A form and CV must accompany the submission. The papers must follow the SBL Handbook of Style and be submitted in electronic form. The nominations will be opened annually during the SBL Annual Meeting or shortly thereafter. The awards will be announced in March of the following year or shortly thereafter. The paper will have a place on the SBL North American Annual Meeting or International Meeting program of the year of the announced award. The paper may be presented in a specific program unit or as a self-standing paper.
There are two objectives in fulfilling the goal of the award: 1) to orally present a paper for discussion that can be delivered with excellence and 2) to present a paper of the quality that could be selected for publication in the Journal of Biblical Literature. The selection of the paper does not automatically qualify it for publication in JBL.
The specific dates and forms will be posted on the SBL website
November 7, 2008
The upcoming NOVA film: The Bible's Buried Secrets is due to air November 18, 2008. Several SBL members feature prominently in this film. The Bible's Buried Secrets has a companion website at
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bible
There is a section on the website called Ask the Experts This unique page is where people can ask questions about the history of the early Israelites and the origins of the Hebrew Bible. From now through November 19, the day after the broadcast, NOVA will collect e-mailed questions. Three prominent biblical scholars, Carol Meyers, William Dever, and Michael Coogan, will respond to selected questions.
There are several film preview and panel discussions planned this month in Boston, New York and Chicago. See the Calendar of Events for more information.
October 29, 2008
e-news update for the Society of Biblical Literature
etings and Events
Program Book
The Program Book for Boston will have all of the SBL Sessions, Affiliate Sessions, and Additional Meetings. All information for these sessions will be provided in the book, including all presenters and paper titles. You will be able to pick up the Program Book at the Annual Meeting on Friday, November 21st, beginning at 1:00pm.
Program Books will be in the Tote Bags you pick up on-site. Don’t forget your tote bag tickets.
Stainability and the Annual Meeting
The SBL is working to make our meetings more environmentally friendly. We are using recycled paper in the program book and the signage at the meeting. In keeping with these efforts, the abstracts are available online prior to the meeting or via the computers in the Cyber Center in the exhibit hall. Printing the abstracts would have used 500,000 sheets of paper (equal to 30 trees) and added 450 tons of CO2 to the atmosphere – all at an additional cost (estimated conservatively) to the SBL of $12,000. On the basis of the environmental and economic impact, the decision was made not to print the abstracts
New Tour: Biblical Themes in the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
A 60-minute tour organized by the Bible and Visual Art Section of the SBL.
Exhibitor Lists: On the Annual Meeting page you can see the list of exhibitors that will be at the meeting in Boston and download a map of the Exhibit Hall.
Media Registration: If you are with the media, we have posted a press release with links to the press registration form.
New Titles from SBL Publications
Images of the Word, Hollywood’s Bible and Beyond
David Shepherd, Editor
The Studia Philonica Annual XX, 2008
Gregory E. Sterling and David T. Runia, Editors
SBL Journals News
The 2008 print edition of the Review of Biblical Literature is now available. If you did not subscribe and would like to order a copy, please visit the SBL store.
International Cooperation Initiative News
Under the auspices of the SBL’s International Cooperation Initiative, two new online series have been established this year. In addition to the Ancient Near East Monograph series , International Voices in Biblical Studies is being added to the SBL publications program. An esteemed team of scholars from around the world will edit this series and their structural planning meeting will be held in Boston next month. The goal of this series is to facilitate the distribution of works written in numerous regions of the world well beyond their respective spheres, thereby contributing to the efforts of the ICI to promote “two-way” collaboration in the guild. For information on publishing in this series, please contact one of the Co-General Editors: Louis Jonker, lcj@sun.ac.za. or Monica Melanchthon, monixm@gmail.com.
ICI Online Books continues to grow each month. Information on the current book list and the countries currently eligible for the program can be found on the ICI Online Books page.
Web Updates:
Fellowships and Grants There are several new additions to the grant and fellowships listings in the career center. Several have December and January deadlines coming up.
Philanthropy page: A new philanthropy page has been posted to the SBL site that allows us to tell the SBL story as well as suggest alternative ways to contribute.
Welcome page: A new page with translations of a synopsis of SBL’s mission has been posted in an effort to be more welcoming to visitors. Thank you to everyone who helped with the translations! It can be found by clicking on the current welcome box on the home page.
2008 Society Fund
Honor the individuals that have made you who you are today with a tribute gift to the Society Fund. Please give generously
Calendar items for November and December 2008
For more information on all Events, click here.
If you have any events of interest to biblical scholars: call for papers deadlines or conference dates- send in your information to Sharon Johnson. Please send it in as early as possible as other planners use this calendar to plan their events.
October 2, 2008 e-news update
Meetings and Events
Sign up for Annual Meeting Tours in Boston
Annual Meeting registration rates go up on October 17, register by October 16 to get Advance rates.
New Titles from SBL Publications
Anatomies of Narrative Criticism: The Past, Present, and Futures of the Fourth Gospel as Literature
Tom Thatcher and Stephen D. Moore, editors
Experientia, Volume 1: Inquiry into Religious Experience in Early Judaism and Christianity
Frances Flannery, Colleen Shantz, and Rodney A. Werline, editors
Writing and Reading War: Rhetoric, Gender, and Ethics in Biblical and Modern Contexts
Brad E. Kelle and Frank Ritchel Ames, editors
Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in Their Jewish and Christian Settings
Huub van de Sandt and Jürgen K. Zangenberg, editors
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WAW Series Now Available through Logos
The first sixteen volumes of the SBL's Writings of the Ancient World series are now available through Logos Research Systems. SBLWAW provides teachers, literary critics, historians, general readers, and students direct access to key ancient Near Eastern writings that date from the beginning of the Sumerian civilization to the age of Alexander the Great. The volumes typically offer historical and literary background to the writings, the original text and an English translation, explanatory or textual notes, and a bibliography. For more information or to order your own electronic edition of SBLWAW, see Logos Research Systems.
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International Cooperation Initiative
Our Online Books offering continues to grow by ten titles each month. For a complete listing of books available at no charge to persons in countries whose GDP is considerably lower than the average GDP of the US and European Union, please go to Online Books and click on the link.
Special rates for membership are offered to scholars and students in ICI countries and libraries in these countries are offered a special subscription price for JBL. If you would like to sponsor any of these efforts to foster biblical scholarship internationally, please contact Leigh Andersen.
posted September 15, 2008
The first sixteen volumes of the SBL's Writings of the Ancient World series are now available through Logos Research Systems. SBLWAW provides teachers, literary critics, historians, general readers, and students direct access to key ancient Near Eastern writings that date from the beginning of the Sumerian civilization to the age of Alexander the Great. The volumes typically offer historical and literary background to the writings, the original text and an English translation, explanatory or textual notes, and a bibliography. For more information or to order your own electronic edition of SBLWAW, see https://www.logos.com/products/details/3523.
posted September 7, 2008
The Society of Biblical Literature partners with Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, PA for a one-day series of lectures by biblical scholars on how politics affects the Bible and the Bible affects politics.
Saturday, September 27th; 2008
Santee Chapel, The Lark Academic Building
9am to 3:30pm
More information on the Lancaster Lectures >>
August 18, 2008 e-news update
Career Center
Candidate registration for Jobs at the Annual Meeting is now open. Candidates are able to upload their CVs at the time of registration.
Employer registration for Jobs at the Annual Meeting is now open. Private Interview rooms are available now as well.
Society News
The Codex Sinaiticus Project announces the launch of the Codex Sinaiticus Project website. The purpose of the project is to create a virtual reunification of the Codex. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament.
Meetings and Events
Society Fund
Giving to SBL is not just about the work we do today – it is about the future and generations to come. Speak to your financial advisor about a general bequest or an endowment for SBL.
Planned giving offers many ways to support the Society. If you have any questions, please contact our Development Manager, Sandra Stewart Kruger at
sskruger@sbl-site.org
Calendar items for August and September 2008
posted September 3, 2008
August 14, 2008 e-news update
Career Center
Candidate registration for Jobs at the Annual Meeting is now open. Candidates are able to upload their CVs at the time of registration.
Employer registration for Jobs at the Annual Meeting is now open. Private Interview rooms are available now as well.
Society News
The Codex Sinaiticus Project announces the launch of the Codex Sinaiticus Project website. The purpose of the project is to create a virtual reunification of the Codex. Handwritten well over 1600 years ago, the manuscript contains the Christian Bible in Greek, including the oldest complete copy of the New Testament.
Meetings and Events
- Annual Meeting
- Registration nearing 4,000. Don’t be left out. Register and make your housing arrangements today.
- Exhibitors, add a link to your site from the SBL exhibitor list by emailing Sharon.Johnson@sbl-site.org.
Society Fund
Giving to SBL is not just about the work we do today – it is about the future and generations to come. Speak to your financial advisor about a general bequest or an endowment for SBL.
Planned giving offers many ways to support the Society. If you have any questions, please contact our Development Manager, Sandra Stewart Kruger at sskruger@sbl-site.org
Calendar items for August and September 2008
For more information on all Events, click here
posted July 16, 2008
Canadian Society of Biblical Studies Awards:
Four different awards were presented during the Annual Meeting of the CSBS at the University, of British Columbia, May 31 – June 3, 2008.
Two Student Essay Prizes were given for essays related to the field of Biblical Studies. Submissions must demonstrate graduate level research ability and show familiarity with the appropriate original languages and the modern languages of scholarly research. Special attention will be paid to clarity (the cogency with which the thesis of the paper is structured, articulated, developed, and defended) and originality (the contributions which the thesis makes to scholarship, e.g., by employing new methods, new comparisons and/or new bodies of evidence). Entries may be based upon work already completed at the graduate level and should be suitable for oral delivery at the Annual Meeting of the Society. The 2008 recipients are:
The Jeremias Prize: Andrew Pitts (andrewwp@gmail.com), McMaster Divinity College, “Authoritative Citation in Greco-Roman Historiography and in Luke(-Acts)”
The Founders Prize: Heather Macumber (heather.macumber@canada.com), University of St. Michael’s College, Zechariah 1-8: A Prophecy in Transition”
The Frank W. Beare Book Award recognizes an outstanding book in the areas of Christian Origins, Post-Biblical Judaism and/or Graeco-Roman Religions written by a member of the CSBS and published during the previous two years. The 2008 recipient is:
Kimberly Stratton (kim_stratton@carleton.ca), Naming the Witch: Magic, Ideology, and Stereotype in the Ancient World. Columbia University Press, 2007.
The R. B. Y. Scott Book Award recognizes an outstanding book in the areas of Hebrew Bible and/or the Ancient Near East written by a member of the CSBS and published during the previous two years. The 2008 recipient is:
Gordon J. Hamilton (gjhamilton01@hotmail.com), The Origins of the West Semitic Alphabet in Egyptian Scripts. CBQMS 40. Catholic Biblical Association of America: Washington, DC, 2006.
Congratulations to all the winners!
posted July 3, 2008
e-news update for the Society of Biblical Literature
July 3, 2008
Publications News
New JBL posted
- Note the upcoming price changes for the Journal of Biblical Literature one-year print subscription. (JBL on-line included in membership)
- Member pricing: $40 for print issue; Non-member pricing: $165 online only, $180 print only and $195 for print and online.
- This increase will be effective starting with the Spring 2009 128:1 issue. If your renewal comes up before then or if you have already purchased a 2009 subscription, the price remains $35.
Logos has announced the upcoming availability of the Review of Biblical Literature (RBL)—9 years worth of reviews from 1998-2006 through Libronix.
Ten more books have been added to the ICI Online Books Project. Click here for the complete list of books in the project.
Meetings and Events
The International Meeting in Auckland begins July 6. On-line registration is closed. You can only register on-site at this point.
Annual Meeting Session Guides have been mailed to all SBL members. Look for yours in the mail soon. You can check the Online Program for changes or register for the meeting at https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/AnnualMeeting.aspx.
Career Center
- Candidate registration for Jobs at the Annual Meeting is now open.
- Employer registration for Jobs at the Annual Meeting will open July 15.
- The American Theological Library Association is partnering with the Career Center. The Career Center's broad audience will make more visible the various opportunities available in the library field and provide SBL members additional career services. Check the Career Center homepage for more information.
Technology
We are aware that using FireFox 3.0 has led to users experiencing errors with the site. We are working to get everything corrected.
Society Fund
We invite you to make your 2008 contribution to the annual Society Fund. Your contributions are essential to SBL programs such as the Online books Project which provides online access to current, critical scholarship to students in qualifying countries.
Please join your colleagues in helping us reach our goal of $75,000.
Thank you for your continuous support and a special thank you to those who have already made their 2008 commitment.
Calendar items for July and August 2008
For more information on all Events listed, click here.
posted June 3, 2008
June 3, 2008
Best wishes for a good summer of reading and research!
Meetings and Events
Register for the Auckland International Congress. Don’t miss your chance - Time is running out. Register today!
2008 International Meeting Tours
July 6 - 11, Auckland, New Zealand
If you are going to Auckland for the International Meeting, consider expanding your visit with one of the special tours arranged for SBL members: make sure you don't miss the sights with a City Tour of Auckland; gain a deeper understanding of the Maori culture with the Tamaki Hikoi Guided Tour; To get outside of Auckland, chose the Half Day Wilderness ExperienceTour for a drive to Waitakere Ranges, Auckland’s largest Regional Park or participate as crew on an actual America’s Cup yacht in the America’s Cup Sailing Experience.
Publications News
A new tool has been added to the website!
Google Book Search has been added to the
Publications page.
You can search the full text of all SBL books through Google Book Search.
Please note the upcoming price changes for the Journal of Biblical Literature one-year subscription.
Member pricing: online access: included in membership; $40 for print issue
Non-member pricing: $165 online only; $180 print only; $195 print and online
This increase will be effective starting with the Spring 2009 128:1 issue. New prices go into effect Monday June 9th. If you have already submitted your subscription, the current prices apply.
Ten new volumes were added to the International Cooperation Initiative (ICI) online book program in May:
Barr, David L., ed. The Reality of Apocalypse: Rhetoric and Politics in the Book of Revelation;
Boda, Mark J., Daniel K. Falk, and Rodney A. Werline, eds. Seeking the Favor of God: Volume I, The Origins of Penitential Prayer in Second Temple Judaism;
Dozeman, Thomas B. and Konrad Schmid, eds. A Farewell to the Yahwist?: The Composition of the Pentateuch in Recent European Interpretation;
Kelle, Brad E. Hosea 2: Metaphor and Rhetoric in Historical Perspective;
Kinlaw, Pamela E. The Christ Is Jesus: Metamorphosis, Possession, and Johannine Christology;
Kraus, Wolfgang and R. Glenn Wooden, eds. Septuagint Research: Issues and Challenges in the Study of the Greek Jewish Scriptures;
Runia, David T. and Gregory E. Sterling, eds. The Studia Philonica Annual: Studies in Hellenistic Judaism, Volume XVIII (2006);
Shipp, R. Mark, Of Dead Kings and Dirges: Myth and Meaning in Isaiah 14:4b–21; Wright, Benjamin G. III and Lawrence M. Wills, eds. Conflicted Boundaries in Wisdom and Apocalypticism;
Yeivin, Israel. Introduction to the Tiberian Masorah
Career Center
Candidate registration will open at the end of June.
Employer registration will open in mid-July.
The American Theological Library Association is partnering with the Career Center. The Career Center's broad audience will make more visible the various opportunities available in the library field and provide SBL members additional career services.
Membership Center
With all the changes that happen over the summer, remember to update your member profile with any new contact information…otherwise we won’t be able to find you for the Annual Meeting.
Society Fund
We invite you to make your 2008 contribution to the annual Society Fund. Your contributions are essential to SBL programs.
Please join your colleagues in helping us reach our goal of $75,000.
Thank you for your continuous support and a special thank you to those who have already made their 2008 commitment.
e-news update for the Society of Biblical Literature
Meetings and Events
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Reminder to register for the International Meeting in Auckland, New Zealand. A rich program of over 100 sessions is due to a collaboration of 19 societies meeting for five days in July.
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Publications News
Feature Article:
What Makes the Bible Meaningful/Useful: The Ten Commandments and American Ideals (posted 5/1/08)
Scott M. Langston
Thabo Mbeki's Bible: The Role of the Religion in the South African Public Realm after Liberation (posted 5/1/08)
Gerald O. West
Towards an Ethic of Liberation for Bible Translation: Marketing (posted 5/1/08)
Steven Voth
Giving Up on Life: Jephthah's Daughters (posted 5/1/08)
Jane S. Webster
Teaching the Biblical Hebrew Verb (posted 5/1/08)
Naama Zahavi-Ely
PLUS! Essential links to articles and news items of interest and much more!
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Coming this summer from SBL Publications!
Exploring Ecological Hermeneutics
edited by Norman C. Habel and Peter Trudinger
In these groundbreaking essays, sixteen scholars seek ways to identify with Earth as they read and retrieve the role or voice of Earth within the biblical text and its interpretation.
Writing and Reading War: Rhetoric, Gender, and Ethics in Biblical and Modern
Contexts
edited by Brad E. Kelle and Frank Ritchel Ames
This book, with a foreword by Susan Niditch, explores writing and reading war in contexts ranging from ancient Israel to early Judaism to contemporary Christianity.
Last Stop Before Antarctica: The Bible and Postcolonialism in Australia, Second Edition
by Roland Boer
Drawing upon colonial literature, including explorer journals, poetry, novels, and translations, this second edition creates a mutually enlightening dialogue between postcolonial literature and biblical texts on themes such as exodus and exile, translation, identity, and home.
updated 28 April, 2008
To: Members of the SBL
RE: AAR Announcement
On April 14th the AAR issued the following statement to its members:
In light of scheduling and logistical problems connected with the proposed Independent Annual Meeting, and given the views our members expressed in our recent member survey, the [AAR] Board, in its April 12, 2008 meeting, approved a recommendation that the AAR begin scheduling concurrent, yet independent Annual Meetings with the Society of Biblical Literature as soon as is feasible. Assuming that the SBL is agreeable to meeting concurrently, it is our intention that such meetings would feature ….
(The full text of this announcement may be found on line at: https://www.aarweb.org/About_AAR/Announcements/2008/IAM.asp
The SBL Council discussed this announcement at its meeting on April 26, 2008, and offers the following comment to SBL members.
We are pleased to hear of this new development, and wish to reaffirm our continued interest in meeting at the same time and in the same city as the AAR. The SBL was not involved in the original decision by AAR; nor have we been involved in the present one. We will certainly discuss with AAR the feasibility of meeting in the same city at the traditional time (the weekend before US Thanksgiving) as soon as it is possible given present scheduling commitments and contractual arrangements. We are already scheduled through 2012 (Chicago) and 2013 (Baltimore). Once discussions commence with AAR regarding future concurrent meetings, the SBL Executive Director will report regularly on the progress in making this a practical reality. We firmly believe that holding the SBL Annual Meeting at the same time and in the same city as other organizations involved in the advancement of biblical, religious, theological, and related academic studies is a good idea. It brings together people from diverse disciplines and backgrounds to exchange ideas and build relationships.
April 4, 2008
e-news update for the Society of Biblical Literature
Society Fund
Please consider a gift to the 2008 Society Fund today. Your contributions are essential to the success of our programs and outreach.
Your tax deductible contribution of:
· $100 allows us to give four complimentary student memberships.
· $200 enables us to give a complimentary membership and meeting registration to a colleague in an under developed country.
· $500 permits us to prepare and develop five new resources
for the ICI electronic access program.
Publications News
New on The SBL Forum :
The April issue focuses on a controversial new German Bible translation: Die Bibel in gerechter Sprache (The Bible in Inclusive Language).
The Spring 2008 Journal of Biblical Literature 127.1 has been posted.
SBL Publications has added new books to the Online Books Program.
For the complete list of books available, click here.
e-news update for the Society of Biblical Literature
Publications News
Recent Reprints:
Hymnic Affirmation of Divine Justice, James L. Crenshaw
Prophetic Conflict: Its Effect upon Israelite Religion, James L. Crenshaw
A Comprehensive Bilingual Concordance of the Hebrew and Greek Texts of Ecclesiastes, John Jarick
Semitic Interference in Marcan Syntax, Elliott C. Maloney
The Hand of the Lord: A Reassessment of the "Ark Narrative" of 1 Samuel, Patrick D. Miller and J. J. M. Roberts
Sepher Ha-Razim: The Book of Mysteries, Michael A. Morgan
Logos and Sophia: The Rhetorical Situation of 1 Corinthians, Stephen M. Pogoloff
The Syriac Version of the Psalms of Solomon: A Critical Evaluation, Joseph L. Trafton
Brown Judaic Studies Reprints:
Sparda by the Bitter Sea, Jack Martin Balcer
Sectarian Law in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Courts, Testimony and the Penal Code, Lawrence H. Schiffman
Fear Not Warrior: The Study of 'al tira' Pericopes in the Hebrew Scriptures, Edgar W. Conrad
Babylonian Witchcraft Literature: Case Studies, Tzvi Abusch
The Doctrine of the Divine Name: An Introduction to Classical Kabbalistic Theology, Stephen G. Wald
New on The SBL Forum :
In Essential Links: Harvard Passes Resolution on Open Access
Also: Announcing a new email discussion list for biblical studies, called "The Biblicalist"
Most new, recent, and backlist titles are available to SBL members at a 40% discount through June 15, 2008. This discount applies to SBL and Brown Judaic Studies titles. It does not apply to titles from Sheffield Phoenix Press.
Download the order form or order online using promo code SPG2008.
SBL Publications is adding ten new books to the Online Books Program this month.
For the complete list of books available, click here.
Meetings News
Wabash Center is offering hands-on, interactive workshops on teaching college introductory religion courses before several of the Regional Meetings and our Annual Meeting. For more information:
https://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/programs/article.aspx?id=12699
Career Center
SBL e-news goes out to all members twice a month. Let us know what you think.
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March 3, 2008 e-newsletter
Publications News
Ancient Languages Are Still Around, but Do We Really Know How to Teach Them? (Rachel Halabe)
The Wiki Way: Improving Your Class Notes Using the Internet for Online Student Collaboration (Carl N. Toney)
Most new, recent, and backlist titles are available to SBL members at a 40% discount through June 15, 2008. This discount applies to SBL and Brown Judaic Studies titles. It does not apply to titles from Sheffield Phoenix Press.
SBL Publications is adding ten new books to the Online Books Program this month. For the complete list of books available, click here.
Professional Development
A report from the most recent SBL lecture series for religious leaders: The Death Penalty - Engaging the Bible held last weekend atTexas Christian University and Brite Divinity School.
Membership News
Please fill out your Optional Profile Information! Log into the site and click the “my profile” link in the “Welcome” box. Then click "Edit" under Optional Profile Information. This information gives the committees the information they need to serve the membership and address trends in the profession.
Career Center
Career Center Updates : March 1 we started taking ads for jobs.
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February 15-29, 2008 e-news
Meetings News
Annual Meeting News: Call for Papers closes March 1. Additional Meetings packet has been posted and more…
International Meeting News: Register on-line, Advertiser and Exhibitor packet posted and travel info now available.
Regional Meetings: The Midwest Region is meeting this weekend in Bourbonnais, IL.
The Bible and Death Penalty - A public workshop will take place Feb 22-23 featuring Virginia Owens, author of numerous books on the subject. Her latest work is Living Next Door to the Death House (Eerdmans, 2003). The workshop will be at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University.
Publications News
Journal of Biblical Literature 126.4, Winter 2007 has been posted.
The SBL Forumhas added an article from J. H. Charlesworth: Rebutting Sensational Claims Concerning a Symposium in Jerusalem
The Hittites and Their World, by Billie Jean Collins, 2007, SBLABS 7
John, Jesus, and History: Critical Appraisals of Critical Views, edited by Paul N. Anderson, Felix Just, and Tom Thatcher, 2007, SBLSymS 44
Professional Development
For those interested in the Bible in Public Education: The Southeastern Region has a pre-conferenceWorkshop on “Improving Introductory Courses in Religion and Theology” scheduled for March 7 at their meeting in Atlanta.
SBL Publications offers a resource to enable biblical studies instructors to facilitate engaging classroom experiences by drawing on the arts and popular culture.
Teaching the Bible through Popular Culture and the Arts
Mark Roncace and Patrick Gray, editors
Membership News
Thank-you to Donors: we reached our goal!
International Cooperation Initiative one of the projects supported by donations
Career Center
Career Center Changes: Keep up on news about the new SBL Jobs lists and Jobs at the Annual Meeting plans.
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January 28, 2008
We want to alert you to changes that are soon to take place in Openings, our online job posting service, and in the Employment Information Services that are offered at AAR and SBL Annual Meetings.
The Openings website will be closed on March 31, 2008. Advertisers may continue to place Openings ads until Monday, March 18, 2008. Please note that advertisements placed between now and March 18, 2008 can be run only until March 31, 2008.
On Tuesday, April 1, 2008, both the AAR and the SBL will open new independent websites, similar to Openings, on which job listings may be posted and viewed. Advertisers who plan to place April 2008 ads should contact the AAR or SBL offices for more information about the new services. Look for announcements from each organization about these new services.
The AAR and the SBL will provide services similar to the Employment Information Services at their respective Annual Meetings in Chicago and Boston. Look for announcements from each organization about these new services.
We hope these new services will meet your advertising and job search needs.
2007 SBL News
November 12, 2007 Newsletter
New Website Design
SBL has a new website design with enhanced navigation--a new search function and lots of new content! https://www.sbl-site.org
Meeting News
Keep up-to date on news about the Annual Meeting by going to the Meetings and Events section of the SBL site https://www.sbl-site.org/meetings/default.aspx
If you are in the exhibit hall in San Diego, use the Cyber cafe at the back of the exhibit hall.
If you cannot attend the meeting this year: search for blogs on Technorati, many members blog during the meeting or post comments and pictures on Flickr Just search for SBL or AAR SBL.
Publications News
For all the great new SBL Books go to the New Books page
Remember, even if you cannot attend, you can still get the meeting discount on all your SBL books.
Annual Meeting Exhibitor News
To see news about upcoming meetings go to the new Exhibitors page on the website.
Members are automatically subscribed to this newsletter. If you would like to unsubscribe: login and unsubscribe under your member profile. Archives of the SBL Newsletters are posted here: https://www.sbl-site.org/membership/membernews.aspx
2007 Awards
Regional Scholars
Lee A. Johnson, Eastern Great Lakes Region
Lee A. Johnson is an Associate Professorof New Testament at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies from the University of St. Michael’s College in the Toronto School of Theology, where she was also taught courses in New Testament and Greek. She has published articles in Catholic Biblical Quarterly and Biblical Theology Review and has contributed to the ESCJ series by Wilfred Laurier Press on Religious Rivalries and the Struggle for Success in Caesarea Maritima. She is a member of the Context Group and is completing an article on the relationship between pneumatic gifts and the authority of women in the Pauline communities, using a cross-cultural comparison between glossolalic women in modern worship communities and the women at Corinth. She is also currently completing a manuscript entitled “The Epistolary Apostle: Paul’s Response to the Challenge of the Corinthian Congregation.” Lee presented “An Examination of Funk’s Apostolic Parousia in the Corinthian Correspondence: The Impact of the Epistolary Apostle” at the SBL Eastern Great Lakes regional meeting in March 2006.
Eric F. Mason, Central States Region
Eric F. Mason is Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Judson University, Elgin, Illinois, and teaches in the areas of New Testament and Second Temple Judaism. He holds a Ph.D. in Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity from the University of Notre Dame, an M.Div. from Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, and a B.A. from Union University. Mason was selected as a Regional Scholar by the Central States Region for his paper titled “Melchizedek in Hebrews and the Dead Sea Scrolls,” and he will present a revised version of the paper at the 2007 Annual Meeting. His monograph on priestly messianism in the Epistle to the Hebrews and Second Temple Jewish literature will be published by Brill, and he is co-editing a Festschrift that will appear in 2008. He is an associate editor for the journal Henoch: Studies in Judaism and Christianity from Second Temple to Late Antiquity.
Jeremy Schipper, Mid-Atlantic Region
Jeremy Schipper (Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary, 2005) is a Lecturer in Hebrew Bible at Temple University in Philadelphia. Before coming to Temple, he taught for two years at Siena College near Albany, New York. His research has focused on the Former Prophets as well as disability in the Hebrew Bible and cognate literature. It has appeared in JBL, JSOT, VT, and CBQ. He is the author of Disability Studies and the Hebrew Bible (T&T Clark, 2006) and the co-editor with Hector Avalos and Sarah Melcher of This Abled Body: Rethinking Disabilities in Biblical Studies (Society of Biblical Literature, 2007). Schipper serves as the co-chair with Rachel Magdalene of the Disability Studies and Healthcare in the Bible and Near East SBL program unit. He received the Regional Scholars Award for a paper subsequently published under the title, “Did David Overinterpret Nathan’s Parable in 2 Samuel 12:1–6?” (JBL 126 [2007]: 381–89). Portions of this paper will appear in his next book, which is tentatively titled “Proverbs of Ashes”: Confl ict and Parables in the Hebrew Bible. This book will examine the relationship between parables, genre, and conflict in the Hebrew Bible.
Susan E. Hylen, Southeastern Region
Susan E. Hylen is Mellon Assistant Professor of New Testament at Vanderbilt University. She has a Ph.D. from Emory University and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. The author of two books on the Gospel of John, her current research focuses on characterization in the Gospel. Susan presented a paper entitled “Metaphor and Ethics in Revelation” at the Southeastern regional meeting (SECSOR).
Michael Heiser, Pacific Northwest Region
Mike earned an M.A. in Ancient History from the University of Pennsylvania (major fi elds: Syria-Palestine and Egyptology) and the M.A. and Ph.D. in Hebrew and Semitic Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His dissertation was entitled “The Divine Council in Late Canonical and Noncanonical Second Temple Jewish Literature.” The dissertation sought to demonstrate the acceptance of divine plurality in Judaism into the Common Era and the Canaanite/Israelite roots of first-century Jewish monotheism’s notion of two powers in heaven. Mike’s paper submitted for consideration as a regional scholar was entitled “Are Yahweh and El Distinct Deities in Deut 32:8–9 and Psalm 82?” The paper was read at the 2006 Society of Biblical Literature’s Pacific Northwest regional meeting and was subsequently published online in the scholarly journal HIPHIL. Mike is currently the Academic Editor for Logos Bible Soft ware. He is responsible for targeting and evaluating potential data projects for scholarly products dealing with primary texts related to the languages of the Bible and the ancient Near East, overseeing scholars who are participating in team data projects for Logos, and creating content for the Logos platform. Before coming to Logos, Mike taught on the undergraduate level for twelve years.
Travel Grant Recipients
The SBL Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession is pleased to announce the 2007 Travel Grant award recipients:
Mercy Itohan Idumwonyi, Nigeria
Mercy is currently Assistant Lecturer in Religion with a specialization in Old Testament studies at the University of Benin in Benin City, Nigeria. She received her B.A. (1998) and M.A. (2002) in Religious Studies from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Her professional experience includes work as a research fellow for the Centre for Democracy & Development in Benin City and a year as Senior Program Officer for the African Women Empowerment Guild, also in Benin City.
Micheline Kamba Kasongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Micheline is currently a Ph.D. student in Theology at the University of Kwa- Zulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa. She holds the equivalent of a B.A. in Theology from l’Université Protestante Au Congo (UPC) and both an M.A. in Theology and an M.A. in Education from UPC. She has served as a consultant for the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network of Central Africa and as consultant for Women’s Justice and Peace Commission of the WCC. In February 2006 she was elected WCC Central Committee member.
Siang-Nuan Leong, Singapore
Since 2005 Siang-Nuan has been a Ph. D. student in New Testament at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She holds a B.A. from the University of Singapore, a postgraduate diploma from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Singapore Bible College. She has worked as a secondary school teacher and has taught a short-term intensive course in the Myanmar Christian Preachers Training Centre. She translated the Letter of Titus for the Chinese New Version Bible (2006).
Program Committee Travel Grant Awardees
Jacob Cherian, Southern Asia Bible College, Bangalore, India
Paul, Poverty, and “Equality”: A Plutocritical Reading of 2 Corinthians 8:1–15 Paul and Politics Group (S19-27)
Ernest M. Ezeogu, Spiritan International School of Theology, Enugu, Nigeria The Politics of Bible Translation in Nigeria: A Case of the Igbo Catholic Bible African Biblical Hermeneutics Section (S17-3)
“Out of Egypt I Have Called My Son”: Matthew’s Infancy Narrative in Afrocentric Perspective Contextual Biblical Interpretation Consultation (S18-9)
Panelist, Contextual Biblical Interpretation Consultation (S18-112)
Alexey Lyavdansky, Russian State University for the Humanities
Politeness Strategies in Biblical Hebrew Directive Utterances Bible Translation Section (S17-55)
Vasile Mihoc, Theological School Sibiu St. Paul and the Jews in John Chrystostom’s Commentary on Romans 9–11 Joint Session: Bible in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Traditions Consultation/ Romans through History and Cultures Group (S19-82)
Stelian Tofana, Babes Bolayi University
The Interdependency between Destiny and Humankind and Creation according to Romans 8:18–23: An Orthodox- Patristic Perspective Joint Session: Bible in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Traditions Consultation/ Romans through History and Cultures Group (S19-82)