Society Of Biblical Literature

THE ORGANIZATION MISSION IS TO FOSTER BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP. WE PROVIDE MEMBERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUTUAL SUPPORT, INTELLECTUAL GROWTH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

PRESS. SBL PRESS, THE PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT OF THE SOCIETY, IS A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PRESSES, AND PUBLISHES PEER-REVIEWED BOOKS AND JOURNALS FOR THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY AND LIBRARIES. THE PRESS ACQUIRES, DEVELOPS, PRODUCES, AND MARKETS 27 BOOK SERIES, THE FLAGSHIP JOURNAL OF THE FIELD, AND A JOURNAL FOR BOOK REVIEWS. TO DO SO THE PRESS HAS PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND OVER 130 VOLUNTEER MEMBERS WHO SERVE AS GENERAL EDITORS, AS SERIES EDITORS, AND ON EDITORIAL BOARDS. SBL PRESS'S ANNUAL BOOK OUTPUT IS 35 TITLES, IN ADDITION TO THE TWO MAJOR JOURNALS. THE PRESS ALSO PARTNERS WITH OTHER PRESSES TO PUBLISH MAJOR RESOURCES AND REFERENCE WORKS.

CONFERENCES. SBL ORGANIZES TWO MAJOR ANNUAL ACADEMIC CONFERENCES EACH YEAR, ONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ONE OUTSIDE THE U.S. IT ALSO SPONSORS REGIONAL MEETINGS IN THE U.S. THE MAJOR U.S. MEETING BRINGS TOGETHER MORE THAN HALF OF ITS MEMBERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT OVER 1,000 SCHOLARLY PAPERS OF NEW RESEARCH IN HUNDREDS OF PROGRAM UNIT SESSIONS. THE CONFERENCE ALSO PROVIDES AN EXHIBIT HALL FOR ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS AND A JOB SERVICE FOR ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS WHO INTERVIEW AND HIRE MEMBERS. THESE ANNUAL CONFERENCES ARE HELD IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH SBL'S STRATEGIC VISION STATEMENTS: ORGANIZING CONGRESSES FOR SCHOLARLY EXCHANGE; FACILITATING BROAD AND OPEN DISCUSSION FROM A VARIETY OF CRITICAL PERSEPCTIVES; AND PROMOTING COOPERATION ACROSS GLOBAL BOUNDARIES.

PROFESSIONS. SBL OFFERS A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT ITS MEMBERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCATE FOR THE ACADEMIC FIELD IN HIGHER EDUCATION. IT HOSTS AN EMPLOYMENT SERVICE, PROVIDES WORKSHOPS AT ITS MEETINGS, PARTNERS WITH RELATED ORGANIZATIONS, COLLABORATES WITH ORGANIZATIONS IN HUMANITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION (SUCH AS THE NATIONAL HUMANITIES ALLIANCE AND THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES), AND FOSTERS PARTICIPATION THROUGH PROGRAM UNITS THAT ENLIST OVER 3,000 OF ITS 8,500 MEMBERS AS CHAIRS, PRESENTERS, PRESIDERS, OR PANELISTS. SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES, IN 2014 SBL LAUNCHED AN INTERACTIVE WEBSITE CALLED BIBLE ODYSSEY TO PROVIDE THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH ACCURATE AND ENGAGING INFORMATION ABOUT THE BIBLE, ITS CONTENTS, ITS BACKGROUND, AND ITS CULTURAL IMPACT.

THE SOCIETY HAS APPROXIMATELY 7,500 MEMBERS. THE MEMBERSHIP FEE PROVIDES A MYRIAD OF MEMBER SERVICES. MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON JOURNALS, MEETING REGISTRATIONS, AND BOOKS. MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THE GOVERNANCE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION THROUGH THEIR WORK ON COMMITTEES. OVER 3,000 MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AS CHAIRS, PRESENTERS, PRESIDERS, OR PANELISTS AT THE ELEVEN REGIONAL MEETINGS, THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING, AND THE ANNUAL MEETING; OVER 5,700 MEMBERS ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS. THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IS MADE UP OF A COMMUNITY OF MEMBER SCHOLARS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND TALENTS TO FURTHER BIBLICAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND TO PASS ALONG THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS.