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SBL e-Newsletter
June 15, 2012 e-newsletter
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The Society for Qur’anic Studies Initiative

The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) has been awarded a $140,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support a three-year consultation that will explore the formation of an independent network of Qur’anic scholars. This international consultation will meet to evaluate and frame a vision and mission for a professional organization, namely, a Society for Qur’anic Studies.
Press Release>>

See also:
Across Religions, Persistent Battles Over What the Faithful May Read
New York Times

For Koranic Studies, a Scholarly Society Is Born
Chronicle of Higher Education

A Big Tent Society
Inside Higher Ed

Meeting News

Register today and save money! Early bird registration rates end at midnight on June 15.

Update on the Hyatt Hotel Boycott at the Chicago Annual Meeting

On March 30th, we alerted the SBL members to the expired labor contract at the two Hyatt AM conference hotels. The contract is between the Hyatt hotels and the hotel workers union and will not impact SBL member hotel reservations at the Annual Meeting. The SBL and the AAR concurrent meeting staff have been staying on top of developments and helping address operational issues the contract situation raises. The SBL Council and the AAR Board have each been evaluating the situation and proposing near- and long-term policies.

Some of you, for example, may have been alerted to the letter campaign and appeal by UniteHere claiming that the AAR Board of Directors has unanimously voted to support the workers in the Hyatt-UniteHere disagreement. You will also find in that letter, as well as on the AAR website, a link to the AAR Board discussion. The SBL Council has had many extended, in-depth, and well-informed conversations about this issue.  SBL has developed an FAQ, summarizing its discussions. While recognizing the dignity of workers everywhere, Council is addressing this situation and focusing on the concerns of attendees, recognizing that membership and registration fees are committed to furthering their professional interests.

Later this month, subcommittees of the SBL Council and the AAR Board will meet to discuss their joint position, as well as positions each organization might take independently. SBL's goal for this meeting is to ensure a successful Annual Meeting in Chicago. We will inform you immediately of the outcome of this meeting.


International Meeting

Pre-meeting Book Sale for the International Meeting closes Sunday. Place your order now and pick up at the meeting with no shipping charges.

Registration for the International Meeting in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, is available online! Be sure to register now and make your travel plans.

The meeting, taking place 22-26 July 2012 at the Universiteit van Amsterdam, is being held in conjunction with the European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS) and the triennial joint meeting of the Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België (OTW) and the Society for Old Testament Study (SOTS).

The Program Book for the 2012 International Meeting in Amsterdam is available online, here!

ICI at the International Meeting
There will be an informal meeting to discuss ICI matters in Amsterdam at the International Meeting on Tuesday, July 24, at 9:00 am. Anyone interested in the work of the ICI is invited to attend this open discussion. You do not have to be from an ICI country to participate. Please notify either Ehud Ben Zvi or Leigh Andersen if you would like to attend.

International Cooperation Initiative (ICI) Liaison Network

The ICI Liaison Network welcomes two new representatives: Galen Hertweck from the Philippines, and Berekiah Olugbemiro from Nigeria. Tim Langille is working on establishing the Liaison Network. SBL members in ICI countries for which there is already a member in the Liaison Network are still encouraged to contact Tim to volunteer to further ICI and its goals. All SBL members, regardless of their country of domicile, are asked to suggest colleagues in ICI countries who might be willing to participate in this initiative. The goal of the Liaison Network is to establish open lines of communication that will promote awareness of the resources and opportunities made available through the ICI to scholars, teachers, and students and to communicate and develop an awareness of the scholarly work done in ICI countries.

Jobs

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Calendar

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June 2012
6/13-6/17 Annual Conference on the State of Higher Education
Hosted by the American Association of University Professors at the Mayflower Renaissance, Washington DC.
More information
6/18-6/20 American Association of University Presses
AAUP 2012 will be held Holiday Inn Mart Plaza - Chicago, Illinois
More information
6/27- 6/30 Orality and Literacy in the Ancient World X: Tradition, Transmission, and Adaptation
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

This iteration of the biennial conference on Orality and Literacy will consider the differences between oral and written transmissions, as well as their interactions. When knowledge crosses cultural and linguistic boundaries, does it matter whether it is transmitted orally or in writing? Are written texts always less fluid than oral performances? How should we think about the different kinds of writing as methods of transmitting information, from the wax tablet to the monumental inscription?

The conference will include an excursion to Detroit and a session introducing Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) oral tradition, and an opportunity to visit the University of Michigan's renowned papyrus collection.

For further information, please email Ruth Scodel
6/29 The Future of Biblical Interpretation: Responsible Plurality in Biblical Hermeneutics
A one day conference, honouring Professor Anthony C. Thiselton Speakers (provisional): Anthony Thiselton, James Dunn, Walter Moberly, Robert Morgan, Stanley Porter, Richard Briggs, Tom Greggs, Matthew Malcolm
To be held at the University of Nottingham. e-mail Matthew Malcolm for more information
July 2012
7/9- 7/20 Polemos/Pulmus: Ways of Confrontation in Judaism, Paganism and Christianity in Late Antiquity
A summer course offered by the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, Hungary.The course aims at exploring the nature and various ways of confrontation between and within Early and Rabbinic Judaism, the Early Church, and Pagan religions and schools of thought. The sessions discuss how these movements coped with conflicts within and without; what their strategies were in confronting and accommodating foreign ideas, competing religions, worldly powers or internal subversion; and what role these external and internal confrontations played in shaping them.Course faculty include Daniel Boyarin, Shaye J. D. Cohen, John M. Dillon, Mark Edwards and Guy G. Stroumsa. More information.
7/10- 7/13 Paul's Letter to the Galatians & Christian Theology
University of St Andrews' Fourth Triennial Scripture & Theology Conference in St Andrews, Scotland
Keynote speakers will be Richard Hays, George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina, Oliver O'Donovan, Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology at the University of Edinburgh (New College) and N.T. Wright Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, University of St Andrews (St Mary's College). Major papers will be given by Jean-Noel Aletti, Lewis Ayres, John Barclay, Ivor Davidson, Beverly Gaventa, Bruce McCormack, Karla Pollmann, Volker Rabens, Thomas Soding, Kendall Soulen, Timothy Wengert & Simeon Zahl.

More information >>>

7/15- 7/20 The 8th Congress of the Société d'Etudes Samaritaines
will take place in Erfurt (Germany), jointly organized by the SÉS and the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Faculty of Theology. The Congress of the SÉS meets every four years and is the most important meeting of experts working in the field of Samaritan studies worldwide.

Lectures may deal with any aspect of the Samaritan community, their contemporary life and living conditions, their history, their religion and their laws, their literature and languages etc. Scholars who wish to give a paper at this conference are invited to submit their proposal before 2nd January 2012. The proposal should state the paper's topic, purpose, and main argu¬ments, to be evaluated for acceptance by the scientific committee of the conference. A lecture should not exceed 30 min (plus 10 min discussion). SÉS-membership is not required at the time of submitting. Junior scholars are especially encouraged to submit a proposal.
Contact: Prof. Dr. Stefan Schorch
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg Theologische Fakultät D - 06099 Halle (Saale) Germany

stefan.schorch@theologie.uni-halle.de for more information.

7/22-7/26 SBL International Meeting (ISBL)
The Universiteit van Amsterdam will host the 2012 SBL International Meeting. SBL will organize this meeting in conjunction with the 2012 annual conference of the European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS) and the triennial joint meeting of the Oudtestamentish Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België (OTW) and the Society for Old Testament Study (SOTS).
For more information
7/22-7/26 European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS)
EABS meeting will be in conjunction with the International SBL meeting (ISBL). Registration and accommodation, as well as proposal for lectures, will all be done through the SBL site.
More information
7/26-7/28 Symposium of the Society of Indonesian Biblical Scholars (ISBI)
Topic: Bible and Ethics (in Bahasa Indonesia)
Place: Wisma Samadi, Klender, Jakarta
Registration through setomarsunu@yahoo.com  or casthelia@yahoo.com
7/26-7/28 Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniense LXI International Biblical Conference
Topic: Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the Scriptures
Venue: KU Leuven, Faculty of Theology
Proposals for offered papers should be submitted to the president before April 1, 2012
President: Prof. Dr. Eibert Tigchelaar 
Secretary CBL: Prof. Dr. Reimund Bieringer
For more information please contact the secretary or check the CBL conference webpage.
7/31 Call for Papers Deadline
The Institute of Pilgrimage Studies in conjunction with the International Consortium for Pilgrimage Studies invites abstracts for their first annual Symposium to be held October 12-14, 2012 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The topic of the conference is "Traveling Traditions: Pilgrimage across Time and Cultures." We encourage submission of papers involving research and creative activity on journey to a sacred center or travel for transformation from a broad range of disciplines and perspectives. Abstracts from religious studies, anthropology, language and literatures, art history, kinesiology, classical studies, history, sociology, theater and dance as well as others will be considered. Individual presentations will last ca. 15 minutes, with time for discussion in between papers.

More information

7/31-8/4 Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas
Society for New Testament Studies (SNTS) is an international society of New Testament scholars from around the world. The 2012 annual meeting will be held in Leuven, Belgium.
More information
August 2012
8/6-8/7 Summer Conference on "Violence as an Ethical Challenge in the Bible"
The Norwegian Summer Academy for Biblical Studies (NSABS) announces its first international meeting to be held in Kristiansand, Norway.
Invited speakers are Joshua Berman (Bar Ilan University, Israel), Lennart Boström (Örebro Missionsskola, Sweden), Karin Finsterbusch (Universität Koblenz-Landau, Germany), Friedmann Eissler (Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany), Lars Olov Eriksson (Johannelunds Teologiska Institution, Sweden), Georg Fischer (Universität Innsbruck, Austria), Terence Fretheim (Luther Seminary, USA), Hallvard Hagelia (Ansgar Teologiske Høgskole, Norway), Dana M. Harris (Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA), Knut Heim (Trinity College Bristol, UK), Robert Hubbard (North Park University, USA), Årstein Justnes (Universitet i Agder, Norway), Gordon McConville (University of Gloustershire, UK), Kirsten Nielsen (Århus Universitet, DK), Kristin Moen Saxegaard (Church of Norway), Martin Webber (Evangelische-theologische Faculteit Leuven, Belgium), Tommy Wasserman (Örebro Missionsskola, Sweden), Karl William Weyde (Menighetsfakultet, Norway), Peter Wick (Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany), Markus Zehnder (Ansgar Teologiske Høgskole, Norway).
The provisional schedule of the conference can be found here.
8/15-8/17 Gender studies at the interface of the humaniora
University of Johannesburg is hosting the conference to provide a forum for interdisciplinary dialogue on the status of gender research within the Humanities. The intention is to bring together academics, researchers, students, and activists, to explore how women's experiences in South African society have been structured, impacted, controlled or ignored.
More information..
8/23- 8/26 Stockholm 2012: "Ends and Beginnings."
The 11th European Association for the Study of Religions (EASR ) Annual Conference, Södertörn University, Stockholm with a Special Panel Session: Pentateuchal Mysticism? Ancient Israelite Priestly Initiation
More information..
8/28- 8/30 Oceania Biblical Studies Association Annual Meeting
will be held at the Sia'atoutai Theological College in Tonga.
More information or OBSAMail@gmail.com
September 2012
9/1 Call for Papers
The editorial board of Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations, a peer-reviewed electronic journal, invites submissions for its 2012 volume. SCJR publishes scholarship on the history, theology, and contemporary realities of Jewish-Christian relations and reviews new materials in the field, providing a vehicle for exchange of information, cooperation, and mutual enrichment in the field of Christian-Jewish studies and relations.

Interested authors are encouraged to contact the editors in advance. For publication in the 2012 volume, papers should be submitted by September 1, 2012 through the journal's website. Papers submitted after September 1, 2012 may be considered for publication in a future volume. All papers will be subject to peer-review before acceptance for publication.
More information..
9/6–9/8 Digital Humanities Congress 2012
This is a new conference to promote the sharing of knowledge, ideas and techniques within the digital humanities.Hosted by the University of Sheffield's Humanities Research Institute
More information
9/9-9/10 The Bible in the Public Square
The Duke Center for Jewish Studies is hosting an international conference at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Scholars will address the role of the Bible in everything from Public Schools and American Politics, to the Middle East and Popular Culture.
Speakers and moderators include Yaakov Ariel (UNC-Chapel Hill), Jacques Berlinerblau (Georgetown University), Mark A. Chancey (Southern Methodist University), Rubén R. Dupertuis (Trinity University), John Fea (Messiah College), Shalom Goldman (Duke University), Charles C. Haynes (First Amendment Center), Motti Inbari (UNC-Pembroke), Carol Meyers (Duke University), Eric M. Meyers (Duke University), David Morgan (Duke University), Adele Reinhartz (University of Ottawa), Melissa Rogers (Wake Forest University and The Brookings Institution), and David W. Stowe (Michigan State U.).
More information about the conference, including a schedule, can be found here.
October 2012
10/12-10/14 Traveling Traditions: Pilgrimage across Time and Cultures
The Institute of Pilgrimage Studies in conjunction with the International Consortium for Pilgrimage Studies is hosting their first annual Symposium to be held at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

More information

November 2012
11/17- 11/20 SBL Annual Meeting
Chicago, Illinois
December 2012
12/20-12/21 The Society for Biblical Studies in India (SBSI) will hold its biennial conference in Bangalore, Whitefield at the Ecumenical Christian Center. The Theme for this conference is: Biblical Jubilee: Indian Liberation Hermeneutics.
For more information contact Rev. Dr. K. Jesurathnam, Secretary, SBSI.

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