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Society Report SocietyNovember 2011 of Biblical Literature Inside Tributes and Reflections 1 The Society of Mutual Support 1 KJV 400th Anniversary 4 The Lesson of the King James Version 5 Adele Reinhartz 6 The Society of Mutual Support James C. VanderKam 7 Digital SBL 8 In February 2011, one of our members, Alan Segal, passed away. Kind words, reflections, and Bible Odyssey Website 8 personal stories poured in. One I remember most said this: Digital Scholarship 8 - Year in Review 10 Alan was what was right about the SBL and the AAR. He moved seamlessly between the two—at home in an AAR session on Jewish mysticism and in the SBL on Christol Publications 10 ogy or Paul. But more than that, Alan was what was right about our profession. He 2011 SBL Book List 10 was curious to a fault, always self-effacing, and mentored everyone who let him. He- Editorial Boards 12 single-handedly forged bonds among a myriad of scholars. The joy and colleagueship that exists at our meetings are due to Alan and others like him, who see that scholar Congresses 14 ship is truly a social act. Alan understood his own education as a gift and gave freely to Regional Meetings 18 all. He embodied what is right about our common professions. Annual Meeting Program Unit Chairs 19 Each of us is a member of many different organizations: departments, unions, congregations, community associations, or sports clubs to name a few. We join and participate because such International Meeting groups support our personal interests, because we can exercise those interests better together, Program Unit Chairs 23 and because we are at our best when we unite to shape the future. - Professions 25 Alan Segal understood that the greatest value of an organization is in the relationships that Membership & are forged, and he embraced the value of shared responsibility and giving back. A learned soci Subscriptions 28 ety is an organization of scholars in an academic discipline who join together to strengthen, promote, and sustain a profession and field of study. It gives its members opportunities for People collaboration, cooperation, and community. At its core, SBL’s strength is about relationships. Donors 30 I attended a BoardSource conference recently, and the keynote speaker was Jeff Faux, In Memoriam 32 founding president and distinguished fellow of the Economic Policy Institute. The two-day forum, “Governing toward the Future,” looked at the new pressures nonprofit organizations Volunteers 33 face, individually and collectively, in a long-term economic environment in which the best- Finances 34 case-scenario is slow growth or no growth at all. In this new economy, we will see fierce competition for resources, he said. Organizations whose missions are clear will find ways to focus and continue to serve their membership or customers. He said, however, that whatever you are doing, you cannot do it alone. Likeminded cont’d on p. 3 organizations will need to work together. He encouraged his listeners to return to a culture of The Society of Biblical Literature Fostering Biblical Scholarship since 1880 - - The Society of Biblical Literature is the oldest Scholarship international scholarly membership organiza The Society publishes a rich selection of re tion in biblical, theological, and religious studies.- sources from studyJournal bibles ofand Biblical reference Literature works Founded in 1880, the Society has experienced a to classroom textbooks and highly specialized history of growth, keeping pace with the chang monographs. The , ing needs of its membership, which has grown to published since 1880, is the flagship journal in over 8,600 scholars, teachers, students, religious the field of biblical studies and Reviewremains of on Bibli the- leaders, and individuals from around the world, calcutting Literature edge by publishing articles on newer and all of whom share a mutual commitment to dialog traditional methodologies. The in the critical investigation of the Bible. - provides the most comprehensive, international, and timely review of books in the The Society’s mission, to foster biblical scholar field of biblical studies. ship, is a simple, comprehensive statement that- encompasses the Society’s aspirations. Our vision- Membership offers many benefits including: is to offer members opportunities for mutual sup Opportunity to port, intellectual growth, and professional devel • Gather for the exchange of ideas at regional, opment as teachers and scholars. national, and internationalReview of meetingsBiblical Litera- - • Publish books and articles Opportunity ture - • Review books for The Society makes available to its members es sential electronic resources that promote re • Participate in the governance of the society search and teaching. Our digital collaboration - • Participate in professional development with several partners makes numerous resources Journal of Biblical Literature available to our members. The SBL Font Founda Free access to tion is developing specialized fonts for biblical- • online from studies that are available to individuals at no cost.- 1880–2010 The Society supports women and under-repre • Jobs online sented racial and ethnic minorities in the profes • SBL’s Member Directory Reflections and Tributes and Reflections - The SBL Handbook of Style sion with mentoring and recruiting programs. • Specialized fonts and rare documents Special tools and sessions are provided for stu • dents and those outside the academy. The Society Eligibility for SBL Awards, including also fosters biblical scholarship through a variety • Paul J. Achtemeier Award for New Testament of publishing partnerships. Scholarship • David Noel Freedman Award for Excellence Community and Creativity in Biblical Scholarship SBL’s congresses promote the exchange of ideas • Regional Scholar Awards both within and outside the academy and on an JBL RBL Substantial discounts on international scale. The meetings are designed- as forums that encompass the diverse needs of • Print versions of and our members, from the intimate regional meet • Registration for congresses ings, to the diverse and growing International • Non-SBL journals Meeting, and to the energized Annual Meeting. As • All SBL books through semi-annual sales they have for well over a century, SBL’s meetings Informational publications, including keep scholarship active and up-to-date, introduce • Annual Meeting Session Guide scholars to the latest tools and resources, and • Annual Meeting Abstracts Online connect scholars from down the street to those • SBL New and Recent Titles Catalog across the ocean. • SBL and SBL Publications Newsletters PAGES 2 & 3 cont’d from p. 1 The SBL International Meeting, too, is a haven for many cooperation and mutual self help. He reminded us that we related organizations to meet and collaborate, to mutually revise our histories by lionizing rugged individualism, but if support the common ground we share. In Amsterdam, next- we revisit our histories we will see, in fact, that we do our June, SBL will partner with the European Association of best work together. Biblical Studies, Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Ned The history lesson to review is in Benjamin Franklin’s erland en België, and the Society for Old Testament Study.- observation, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most Partnerships at SBL’s Annual and International Meetings assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” We have recently reflect reality and help produce it. Moreover, this part seen dramatic grassroots nering extends beyond the movements—from Tahrir At its core, SBL’s strength is meetings. For example, many Square to Zuccotti Park— publishers have joined SBL’s that remind us again of the about relationships. International Cooperation power of people united. Initiative and provided free, online resources to members The pressures on higher- education and our academic in underresourced countries. I never met Alan Segal, discipline are clearChronicle and pres of Higher Education ent. Higher education’s business model is changing (for but I know his body of work, and by that I don’t mean just his scholarship. So it bears repeating: our organization’s example, see the ’s special- report “The College of 2020: Students”), seminaries and strength lies in relationships. It has always been that way, divinity schools have had to do more with less, and univer but it is good to remind ourselves. That truth holds within- sities have to make their cases anew for public funding. the Society of Biblical Literature itself as well as SBL’s work SBL is in a sound financial position (I encourage you with other organizations. So as we foster biblical scholar- ship—SBL’s simple, direct mission statement—consider to review the audit). We can build on that solid foundation- by responding to change and working toward our common the various areas of mutual support and cooperation, enu goals for the future (see, for example, SBL’s digital initia merated• in our vision statement, which make that fostering tives reported on pp. 8–11). By doing so, we share with the possible: next generation the legacy of the past. And we show the Advancing the academic study of the biblical texts enduring cultural, intellectual, and social relevance of the and their contexts as well as of the traditions and • texts we teach and study. contexts of biblical interpretation This year, the Annual Meeting in San Francisco marks Collaborating with educational institutions and an important moment—a renewed partnership of good other appropriate organizations to support