Biblical Studies Societies

How to Attend Biblical Studies Conferences – A Guide for Students (Part I)

In a previous post, I overviewed the various biblical and religious studies societies, how to join them, how to and whether you can participate, and why you would do such a thing. Well, one of the major reasons I mentioned is attending conferences. So, especially since it is September again and the new academic year is upon us, that is what I will focus on here, and chalk this post up as a Resource Review particularly targeted at current students of biblical studies hoping to enter a doctoral program.

Image result for saints church

The conferences distinctly do NOT look like this.

The conferences, while often chaotic, offer wonderful opportunities for young scholars. But, as I mentioned in the prior post, as a newcomer, not only will you feel like a peon amidst the humming throng of scholars around you, that feeling is accurate. The conferences will give you a healthy, to-scale understanding of how insignificant you are as you drift amidst the endless sea of other aspiring scholars (trust me, I’ve had plenty of first-hand experience). So if you think you’re going to one of these conferences primarily to give education rather than receive it, don’t bother going. The real opportunity at these conferences is a learning opportunity. So consider this a strategy guide to getting as much as you can out of it.

The Opportunities of Biblical Studies Conferences

Let’s just get the obvious out of the way: if you are involved in biblical studies, but have never attended SBL in particular, you should go. It’s a wonderful opportunity to network and find out more about your field of interest. Particularly if you plan to enter doctoral studies (and especially if you are already in your doctoral work), attending this conference – and others – will help you tremendously. Here are a few opportunities, in no particular order, that you can take advantage of:

No. 1 – The Book Display

The book display at SBL

One benefit of registering for a conference is your access to the book display. At the larger events like SBL/AAR these displays can reach monumental proportions. Prepare to make use of a map lest you be lost for hours. What is exciting about the book displays is not just their size, however, but that all the major publishing companies set up shop and bring all the newest volumes. Even if you don’t have a budget to blow on books, it’s a great way to see the most recent scholarship and be able to page through it at your leisure.

Another thing to note is that most of the vendors know people have traveled great distances to be there. To incentivize purchases, not only are there significant discounts offered (although I recommend checking Amazon prices too, even if they are pre-order), but many offer free shipping to wherever you came from. That way you don’t have to haul books with you when you go home.

Finally, every vendor booth will have a brochure or handout of some kind listing all of their volumes. Usually these function as order forms that you can take with you to look through in a less hectic setting, and yet still take advantage of the conference rates. In many cases even the free shipping option applies for a period of time as well.

No. 2 – Hearing Papers

Of course, one of the major reasons for going to a conference is to attend sessions. If you register early enough, many organizations will mail you the program for the entire event. That is nice since it allows you to peruse the various topics to be discussed and gather your top choices to attend. Of course, these programs can reach biblical scales – literally hundreds of pages long for SBL/AAR – and therefore offer many hours of page-flipping, not to mention several pounds to your luggage. Some organizations are now opting for annual mobile apps that essentially do the same thing but in a more searchable and user-friendly fashion.

maintenance-mgmt-software-cost-720x478

Avoid this part of the conference experience – plan ahead!

However you choose to do it, go through the conference program in advance and schedule out sessions you’d like to attend. This is easier to do if you have a relatively decent idea of your field of interest, but quickly becomes overwhelming and can be extremely frustrating if you do not. It’s easy to think you can just pop from session to session as your fancy leads you, but at the bigger events Talk A can be a twenty minute walk (or more) from Talk B even assuming you know where you’re going. At that point, you’ve missed Talk B with nothing to show for it but sweat stains. Plan ahead. Orient yourself to the conference center upon arrival so that you can navigate from session to session without hiccup. Most events have staff members here and there to help you do so, but it’s best to be confident navigating for yourself. Some of the apps mentioned above have a scheduling feature with reminders and even conference center maps built in – use them!

Perhaps this is a good time to say that you should have some concept of your narrower field of interest (e.g. the Pastoral Epistles, Papyrology, Essene Studies, etc.) if you are going to attend a conference. While of course you don’t have to have a dissertation proposal in-hand, it certainly goes a long way to know the kinds of sessions you want to be in, the kinds of topics you find fascinating, and – most importantly – the people at work in those areas. This leads me to the next opportunity.

No. 3 – Networking

Possibly the biggest pay-off for attending a conference is the opportunity to meet other scholars. I say “possibly” because this opportunity is in large part what you make of it. If you plan to shoot from the hip and let fate/providence have its way, I submit that you’ve lost the principal on your conference investment. The Academy is made up of people, and it is people that therefore present the greatest resource to the young scholar.

This is your chance to talk to real people.

While it’s true that attendees will be wearing name tags, don’t count on this being your primary means of meeting scholars of interest (although it is always fun to see who’s standing behind you in the coffee line). Here is my recommendation: Again, assuming you have a decently focused idea of your area of interest for doctoral work, spend lots of time on the front end of your trip researching scholars in that field. Find out who they are, where they studied (and under whom), what they’ve written, which institution they are currently on faculty, the kinds of dissertations they have supervised recently, and whether their interests overlap with yours. Most of this information can be found on faculty members’ webpages. Even if you are planning to undertake an American-style doctoral program where choosing an advisor comes late in the game, it’s important to develop relationships nevertheless.

Once you have, say, six to ten people of interest to you – and these should be top tier choices – you need to get in touch with them. Don’t just plan to bump into them. Last year in Baltimore I saw one of my Old Testament professors heading down an escalator as I went up one next to him, and we said “Oh, hey!” as we passed by, both knowing we would certainly never cross paths again that weekend. This is where planning ahead comes into play, since many scholars will only attend part of a conference, or will have already drawn up a full schedule in advance, especially if they are presenting work themselves. You will need to email them directly. In most cases, email addresses can be found on university faculty pages. Look them up, pluck up your courage, and send a note their way.

Others I’ve spoken with about this step seem to express some level of intimidation. That is understandable. But remember that doctoral supervisors are in the business of seeking out new students. Not only do they want prospective students to contact them, but they need such students! Supervisors need supervisees. So be cordial but forthright. Here’s a sample email that I sent two years ago (with success) if you’re really stuck:

_________________________

Hi Dr. ___________,

I hope you’re doing well and enjoying the new academic year. I am a current student at __[your institution]__, and I’m becoming increasingly interested in the field of _______________ studies for doctoral work. I am familiar with your material in this field, and I’m curious to know if you are planning to attend the upcoming ___________ conference. If so, I wonder whether we might be able to meet up for coffee. I’d love to discuss prospects for doctoral work in general, and _[the professor’s institution]_ in particular.

Thanks, and take care,

[your name]

_________________________

Avoid over-enthusiasm. It’s off-putting.

Remember, you’re dealing with scholars who are extremely busy and who don’t particularly care to be fussed over. Get to the point with clarity and professionalism. Read this article for more pointers.

Of course, not everyone will respond, and not everyone who responds will be going, and not everyone who is going will have time to meet up. Hence the need to plan ahead. Most likely, however, you’ll get enough meetings on the agenda to make your attendance more than worthwhile. Oh, and make sure you buy their coffee!

Finally, you will want to be sure to attend the sessions of scholars you are interested in studying under. Be sure to tell them in advance that you’ll be there, although when you go give plenty of space, especially if you’ve already spoken with them or will. When you do meet with scholars, be sensitive to their time. Do your homework on their research, publications, and institution well in advance so you can skip it and spend more face-time dealing with important matters. Think of strategic questions (e.g., are they taking doctoral students when you’ll be matriculating? are they aware of work already done in the vein that you are proposing? what kind of placement rates do their prior students have? what publishing opportunities can they connect you with? etc.). A a bit of forethought goes a long way in establishing a foundation for a potential working relationship. First impressions and all that…

More to come…

I will bring this post to an end here, but in my next I will continue this discussion with some tips on being frugal. As mentioned, it can be expensive to attend conferences, but there are a few practical ways to make your pennies last.

Biblical Studies Societies – A Guide for Students

In this Resource Review, I will offer an overview of the world of professional biblical and religious studies organizations. I had no idea what they were at first – or that they existed – so hopefully this will be helpful. The information I have here is particularly targeted at helping current students of biblical studies hoping to enter a doctoral program understand the kind of parallel universe they’re approaching.

The Societies

No gauntlets required.

The first thing you need to know, if you don’t already, is that like many communities in higher academics, biblical studies as a discipline has a variety of professional organizations that are by and large called “societies” or “organizations.” While this may sound medieval, the only rites of passage you will have to endure are membership fees and the sudden feeling of insignificance.

In large part, the whole point of these societies is the refined, scholarly version of what anyone else would call networking. The point is to share ideas, compare work and conclusions, argue about minutiae, and (naturally) catch up with old friends. As a result, it’s an invaluable opportunity for younger scholars to learn and get to know the discipline and its community. But, when you first join, and for years afterwards, you’ll be a mere newcomer who knows nothing and no one. (This is my current status, by the way.) So settle in, get ready to listen, and try not to bother anyone.

The societies I deal with in this post are the main ones you want to be aware of, although there are innumerably more if you search around. In each, I try to discuss how and why to join the organization, and what is required to present at one of their conferences.

Who’s Who in Biblical Studies Societies

The main societies you want to know about are as follows, listed roughly by largest membership and broadest in range, to more narrow either in terms of religious outlook or technical discipline.

American Academy of Religion

AAR is about as broad as you can get. Limited only to anything called “religion,” this group offers a venue for “ongoing reflection upon and understanding of religious traditions, issues, questions, and values.” For the last number of years, AAR has joined with SBL (below) for its annual national conference, usually in November (brochure here). Also, like SBL, AAR has a number of annual regional conferences: Eastern International, New England-Maritimes, and Pacific Northwest. The wonderful thing about both AAR and SBL is that they are remarkably organized, and have meetings planned for the next handful of years already. Students can become a member of AAR for $55, which has a number of benefits, which include faculty position postings. I am not personally a member of AAR, and am not entirely sure what goes into qualifying to present at the conferences, but my guess would be that it is the same as SBL.

Society of Biblical Literature

The big kahuna for biblical studies is the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), whose mission statement is simply: “Foster biblical scholarship.” Anyone can join, and there are many benefits of doing so, not least of which include online access to the society’s Journal of Biblical Literature and Handbook of Style. More importantly, there is a student discount to join for $60 a year. As the oldest society for biblical studies (founded in 1880), it is the most reputable and respected.

Every year SBL throws a conference that is eagerly attended by thousands upon thousands of scholars from around the world. The conference booklet listing presentations is fatter than most college textbooks. Since the annual SBL conference is combined with the AAR conference, the event is even more massive. It’s an exciting experience, made only more exhilarating by the coffee stampede that occurs when the only Starbucks in the entire facility closes down at 2pm. Best of all, this coming year’s conference, held from Nov. 22nd-25th, will be in sunny California. 

SBL also has an international conference each year, as well as numerous regional conferences that are usually held in the spring. These include Central, Eastern Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, Midwest, New England, Pacific Coast, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains – Great Plains, Southeastern, Southwestern, and Upper Midwest regions. It is possible, but not typical, for pre-doctoral students to present at the regional conferences (I did it). But the national conference requires presenters to be current doctoral candidates. Moreover, the SBL website is valuable in and of itself, with career and educational resources to boot. 

The International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament

IOSOT (pronounced “YO-sot” or “EYE-oh-sot”) is the biggest, specifically Old Testament-focused society. It’s so large, it doesn’t have “conferences,” but “congresses.” And it doesn’t meet except for every three years at a given location around the world. The last meeting was in Munich 2013, which I attended and presented a paper (see here). Some prior meetings were Basel 2001, Leiden 2004, Ljubljana 2007, and Helsinki 2010. As far as I know, there is no way to “join” IOSOT, as much as attend and possibly participate in the congresses. The next one is slated to be in Stellenbosch, South Africa in 2016, so mark your calendars. Nor is there an IOSOT website, but only sites for the next congress. I’m not totally clear on whether you must be a current doctoral candidate to present at one of these congresses. I presented when I was in my masters program, so theoretically the answer is “no,” but it may have only been because it was assumed that I was a doctoral student!

When IOSOT meets, a number of other, more specialized organizations also meet, such as the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies (IOSCS, see below), of the International Organization for Masoretic Studies (IOMS), of the International Organization for Qumran Studies (IOQS), the International Organization for Targumic Studies (IOTS), and the International Syriac Language Project (ISLP).

International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies

One of my favorite organizations is the IOSCS, which is among the organizations that meets under the auspices of the IOSOT congresses. This group is “a nonprofit, learned society formed to promote international research in and study of the Septuagint and related texts,” the latter of which include the apocryphal and pseudepigraphical literature contemporary to the turn of the era. The main page of this organization includes lots of announcements that are regularly updated.

The IOSCS also publishes the Journal of Septuagint Studies (JSCS), which can be slow in coming but is usually worth the wait. The group meets at the triennial IOSOT congress, but also every year at the SBL national conference as well, which means you cannot present a paper unless you are accepted through SBL’s call for papers. It’s easy and quite affordable to become a member ($15 for students), which subscribes you to the Journal.

Evangelical Theological Society

Another group you may consider becoming involved with is ETS. Founded in 1949 with the purpose statement: “To foster conservative Biblical scholarship by providing a medium for the oral exchange and written expression of thought and research in the general field of the theological disciplines as centered in the Scriptures.” (Constitution, Article II.). ETS requires members to subscribe to a doctrinal statement, which says: “The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory.”

Membership is $15 for students, and includes a subscription to the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (JETS). Somewhat frustratingly, the process of joining is a bit complex. Only those with a completed ThM or equivalent can become full members, and students can join only by applying with a recommendation from a full member. As a result, you’ll have to pester one of your professors to fill out a form when you apply to join.

ETS also has a national conference that follows SBL around each year. Like SBL and AAR, there are yearly regional meetings as well. It is possible, but not typical, for pre-doctoral students to present in the regional conferences (at least, I did it), but you must be a current doctoral candidate to present at the national conference.

Institute for Biblical Research

IBR is still another organization that may be worth your time, particularly if you wish to or have joined ETS. The group’s vision is to “to foster excellence in the pursuit of Biblical Studies within a faith environment,” which occurs primarily through conferences, seminars, workshops, and publications. One of the primary forms of the latter is the Bulletin for Biblical Research (BBR).

Like the IOSCS meeting at the SBL conference, IBR generally has their annual meeting during the ETS national conference, where they will hold a number of sessions for general attendance (see this schedule from 2013). Membership is somewhat confusing in this group also. One can only be a “fellow” after completing a research doctoral degree and requires two letters of recommendation from current fellows. You can become an “associate” member only if you are currently in a doctoral program, and get a letter of recommendation from a full fellow. Finally, “friends” of IBR covers everyone else, but still requires nomination by a full fellow. Fellows’ and Friends’ memberships are $62.00 per year.  Associates’ memberships are $42.00 per year.  If you also wish to subscribe to the Tyndale Bulletin, IBR’s journal, you may do so for $35.00 per year.

As a historical point, IBR was begun as a result of the scholarly community at the Tyndale House, in Cambridge, England. Also, the site includes a job posting page.

The Conference Scene

Part and parcel with joining any of these societies and organizations is participation in the life of the community. This means, at least, keeping up with the journals and publications either in print or online (or listed in newsletters). Ideally, however, you will also be able to attend the conferences. Doing so is a major project and can be very expensive, but is extremely beneficial for aspiring doctoral students. I will be posting a similar “Guide for Students” for attending these conferences – why you should, how to go about it, what to do when you’re there, etc.

It’s great if you can also begin participating in these conferences by actually presenting your own work. This can be difficult to do, and at the pre-doctoral level is generally limited to regional conferences or the odd coincidental vacancy that you providentially fill at a more significant conference. More difficult still, even if you meet requirements for presenters, it can be intensely competitive to get accepted. I’ll cover these topics a bit more in the next post.