RSN October 2013Contents
Annual Meeting News
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Pacific Northwest Region
New Registration FeesThe following registration rates are in effect beginning in 2014: Fully Employed: $75.00 Housing and RegistrationInformation is available in the Spring 2014 Newsletter. You may also access this information on the Region's website in February 2014. Opening for Program Unit CochairThe Religion and Society Section is looking for a volunteer for the position of cochair beginning in 2014. If you are interested, please contact one of the current cochairs, Kevin O’Brien (obrien@plu.edu) or Bruce Hiebert (brucehiebert@shaw.ca). Audio-Visual Equipment at the Regional MeetingThe use of audio-visual equipment (computers, projectors, etc.) at our meeting location this year is very costly, i.e., starting at $250/day for each projector. Therefore, we cannot accept any requests for audio-visual equipment with the exception of these two program units: ASOR and Arts and Religion. You are welcome to bring your own projector/laptop with you if AV equipment is essential to your presentation. If you have any questions, please contact Ardy Bass (bassa@gonzaga.edu). Call for PapersPaper proposals will be submitted through Oxford Abstracts. A link to the Oxford Abstracts site will be posted on the PNW Region’s webpage (http://pnw-aarsbl.org/) by October 15, 2013. Special Joint Session: The Challenges of Teaching Religions with Sacred Texts in a Contemporary Context This joint session will bring together teacher-scholars from five different units (Asian and Comparative Studies, Study of Islam, Special Topics: Mormon Studies, New Testament and the World of Early Christianity, and Hebrew Bible) in the PNW AAR/SBL Region in order to discuss common teaching challenges. The purpose of this session is to generate a cross-disciplinary conversation on teaching and learning. Call for Papers Presentation Questions:
Guidelines:
The American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) The Pacific Northwest Region of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) encourages and supports research into, and public understanding of, the peoples and cultures of the Near East from the earliest times. As such, the unit is concerned with
Call for Papers Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions can be directed to the chair, Roger W. Anderson, Mukilteo, Washington (rwander48@comcast.net). Arts and Religion The Arts and Religion Section provides a space for interdisciplinary exploration of religion through the arts (in broad contexts). We invite multiple perspectives, embodied passionate scholarship, and rich discussion of the vital role arts have played and continue to play in attempts to create meaning of the human condition, and to address the enduring questions posed by the world’s religions and spiritual traditions. Call for Papers Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Susan G. Carter, Marylhurst University and The California Institute of Integral Studies (scarter@marylhurst.edu ), and Louise M. Pare, Center for Women in Global Community (lmpare849@aol.com). Asian and Comparative Studies The Asian and Comparative Studies Section promotes scholarship in non-Western areas of religion and theology and to assess various comparative methods of investigation. Call for Papers Questions can be directed to the chair, Nick Gier, University of Idaho (ngier@uidaho.edu). Hebrew Bible Since the Biblical Hebrew texts are part of the larger category of “biblical texts,” the rationale for the Hebrew Bible Section falls naturally within the mandate of the SBL, the central purpose of which is “advancing the academic study of biblical texts and their contexts as well as of the traditions and contexts of biblical interpretation.” The goal of the Hebrew Bible session is
Call for Papers The Challenges of Teaching Religions with Sacred Texts in a Contemporary Context: The Hebrew Bible program unit will be participating in the special joint session, The Challenges of Teaching Religions with Sacred Texts in a Contemporary Context (see the full description above), and invites proposals for this session. Hebrew Bible Research Group on Clothing 2014-2016: The Hebrew Bible Unit announces the creation of a research group on the topic of clothing in the Hebrew Bible. The goal of this group is going to be the sustained examination of the multivalent importance of clothing in ancient Israel. This group will work closely over the course of three years in the manner of a think tank. Each member of the group will undertake the investigation of a topic that s/he will select. Each member will share her/his research with the rest of the group for peer review, brainstorming and feedback. The members of this group will meet during the Pacific Northwest SBL/AAR/ASOR meeting. The minimum commitment time to this research group is two years. If you are interested in participating during the 2013-14 academic year please send an email to the chair, Antonios Finitsis, Pacific Lutheran University (finitsak@plu.edu), by December 1, 2013. Include in your email the tentative title and a 200-300-word description of your project. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions about the Hebrew Bible Section can be directed to the chair, Antonios Finitsis, Pacific Lutheran University (finitsak@plu.edu). History of Christianity and North American Religions This program unit invites both historians of Christianity and scholars studying North American religions to present their research and engage in collegial discussion of their work. Review panels of selected new works in these fields are also included in the sessions. The section seeks to develop an ongoing dialog and network among participants. Call for Papers
Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Charles J. Scalise, Fuller Theological Seminary (cscalise@fuller.edu), and Brenda Llewellyn Ihssen, Pacific Lutheran University (ihssenbl@plu.edu). New Testament and the World of Christianity This program unit provides an opportunity to discuss topics in New Testament and related interdisciplinary studies, such as Hebrew Bible and early Christianity, as well as topics relating to Hellenistic religions and related literature. While the name of the program unit has recently changed (from New Testament and Hellenistic Religions), the focus of the unit has not, as we strive to be inclusive of a wide range of topics of interest to the study of early Christian writings and the world in which they developed. Call for Papers New Testament and the World of Early Christianity Unit will also be participating in the special joint session, The Challenges of Teaching Religions with Sacred Texts in a Contemporary Context (see the full description above), and invites proposals for this session. We are also interested in conducting a book review panel for a book by a participant in the New Testament and the World of Early Christianity Section that has been published in the past year. Book suggestions may be sent directly to the cochairs, Amy M. Donaldson, Portland, Oregon (amy.m.donaldson@gmail.com), and Kent L. Yinger, George Fox Evangelical Seminary (kyinger@georgefox.edu). Religion and Society The Religion and Society Section creates a space for the interdisciplinary analysis of religion, ethics, social science, and current events in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. Our goal is to make space for academic presentations and for significant dialogue about them. Call for Papers Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Bruce Hiebert, University Canada West (bruce.hiebert@ucan.ca), and Kevin J. O’Brien, Pacific Lutheran University (obrien@plu.edu). Special Topics: Mormon Studies This special topic of Mormon Studies promotes the exploration of a wide range of topics relating to Mormonism. This section seeks to provide scholarly inquiry into Mormon history, culture, belief and practice, theology, scripture, and the role of Mormonism in contemporary politics. This section encourages the study of Mormonism from multiple disciplines and methodologies. This section will better equip those in the academy to teach on the subject of Mormonism and actively promotes opportunities for interfaith dialogue. Call for Papers
We are hoping to create a joint session with the History of Christianity and North American Religions Sections. We will also be participating in the special joint session, The Challenges of Teaching Religions with Sacred Texts in a Contemporary Context (see the full description above), and invite proposals for this session. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Kirk Caudle, Brigham Young University–Idaho (caudlek@byui.edu), and Susanna Morrill, Lewis & Clark College (smorrill@lclark.edu). Study of Islam The Study of Islam Program Unit fosters intellectual exchange and collaboration among regional scholars working in any area of Islamic Studies. In addition to research panels, we host an annual roundtable devoted to a topic of current pedagogical concern, and we have launched an annual film series. We welcome papers from academics at any career stage. Call for Papers Pedagogy Panel: We also seek participants for our annual pedagogy roundtable, focused this year on teaching modern Islam. If you are interested in participating in the pedagogy roundtable, please contact cochair Josie Hendrickson by e-mail (jnhendri@ualberta.ca) rather than submitting a proposal through the online system. Specialists as well as interested non-specialists are welcome. The Challenges of Teaching Religions with Sacred Texts in a Contemporary Context: Our unit will also be participating in a joint session on the challenges of teaching religions with sacred texts in a contemporary context. The full call for this special session is included above. Proposals related to Islam should be submitted through the online submission system to the Study of Islam Unit. Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Josie Hendrickson, University of Alberta (jnhendri@ualberta.ca), and Paul Powers, Lewis & Clark College (ppowers@lclark.edu). Philosophy of Religion and Theology The Philosophy of Religion and Theology Section exists to provide a forum for scholars to critically examine politics, scriptures, ethics, history, art, literature and/or culture from explicitly philosophical and theological perspectives. We welcome diverse perspectives and encourage the collegiality of frank and open dialogue between and among disciplinary areas. Call for Papers
Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Mari Kim (marikim@me.com) and Michael Zbaraschuk (mzbara@uw.edu). If the presenter would prefer to avoid a particular time due to religious observance (e.g., Friday night or Sunday morning) please include this information in the proposal and we will do our best to accommodate all requests. Women and Religion This section explores the lives of women in religion from antiquity to the modern era. It is a forum for the inquiry into literary and material culture of the activity and presence of women in religion and the history of interpretation. It is also a forum for how female and gender related issues are portrayed in sacred texts. Call for Papers SBL: We invite proposals on women in religious literature including, but not limited to, ancient Greek and Roman, Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Asian religions. Proposals should be submitted electronically at the region’s website. Questions can be directed to the cochairs, Elizabeth Goldstein, Gonzaga University (goldstein@gonzaga.edu), and Valarie Ziegler, DePauw University (vziegler@depauw.edu). 2014 Student Paper CompetitionAwards will be given for outstanding student papers in the fields of biblical studies and religious studies: two $100 awards for winning graduate papers, and two $100 awards (first place) and two $50 awards (second place) for winning undergraduate papers. Submissions must meet the following criteria to be considered:
Submissions should include:
Submit electronically by March 15, 2014, to Timothy Hyun, Faith Evangelical Seminary (thyun@faithseminary.edu). Awards will be announced at the Pacific Northwest AAR/SBL and ASOR Regional Meeting in 2014, at the University of Calgary. Students need not be present to win.
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