Society of Biblical Literature

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Revision as of 02:18, 10 January 2012

The Society of Biblical Literature, founded 1880,^[1] is a constituent society of the American Council of Learned Societies (since 1929),^[2] with the stated mission to "Foster Biblical Scholarship". Membership is open to the public, including over 8,500 individuals from over 80 countries.^[3]

The SBL was not the first association dedicated to biblical studies in North America, but it was the first that was interdenominational.^[4] The thirty-two founding members of SBL in 1880 even included a Unitarian, Ezra Abbott.^[5] The society's development was contemporary with increasing interest in Ancient Near East studies.^[6] The SBL later developed specialist sections, such as the Textual and Linguistic Section.^[7]

In 2011 the society was awarded a $300,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to produce Bible Odyssey, "an interactive website that would bring nonsectarian biblical scholarship to the general public."^[8]

The SBL Handbook of Style was developed for its own use but is also adopted by some schools for students of religion.^[9] The SBL Handbook of style includes a recommended standard format for abbreviation of Primary Sources in Ancient Near Eastern, biblical, and early Christian Studies.^[10] The Handbook and the Student Supplement are downloadable, and also contain recommendations for transliteration standards.^[11]

The Society of Biblical Literature published the Journal of Biblical Literature.

References

• 1. Cutter, Charles (2004). Judaica Reference Sources. Littleton: Libraries Unlimited. p. 102. ISBN 1591581338. "Society of Biblical Literature The Society of Biblical Literature was founded in 1880 "to advance the public understanding of the Bible and biblical scholarship."
• 2. SBL @ American Council of Learned Societies official site.
• 3. SBL membership, Society of Biblical Literature
• 4. Frank Ritchel Ames, Charles William Miller Foster Biblical Scholarship: Essays in Honor of Kent Harold Richards 2010 p68 "The Society of Biblical Literature was not the first association dedicated to the study of the Bible in North America, but it was the first group that was both interinstitutional and interdenominational. To be sure, it was dominated by ..."
• 5. Richard Thomas Hughes The American quest for the primitive church 1988 p90 "The Society of Biblical Literature was founded in America in 1880. Of the thirty-two founding fathers only one – Ezra Abbott – was a Unitarian, and he was educated at Bowdoin and self- trained in biblical criticism.41 Five of the fathers ..."
• 6. William Rainey Harper, Ernest De Witt Burton, Shailer Mathews The Biblical world 1912 p39 "In the same year in which the Society of Biblical Literature was founded Francis Brown began to offer courses in Assyrian at Union Seminary. Rightly to appreciate the progress made in the last thirty years we should have to review the ..."
• 7. Journal of Biblical literature: 73-74 Society of Biblical Literature, Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis (U.S.) - 1970 "The relationship between the Seminar and the Textual and Linguistic Section of the Society of Biblical Literature was brought to attention and discussed. To avoid duplication of function, it was suggested that the Seminar reconsider its ..."
• 8. NEH gov April 2011 grants State by State
• 9. Nancy Jean Vyhmeister Quality Research Papers: For Students of Religion and Theology 2009 "The Society of Biblical Literature has developed a style for use in its own publications. Some schools use this style ... If your school uses the SBL style, please refer to The SBL Handbook of Style (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999)."
• 10. Darrell L. Bock Studying the historical Jesus: a guide to sources and methods - 2002 "For standard abbreviations of the Old Testament books, see The SBL Handbook of Style for Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies, ed. Patrick H. Alexander et al. (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1999), 73"
• 11. Student Supplement to the SBL Handbook pdf

Further reading

• Attridge, Harold W. and James C. VanderKam (eds). Presidential Voices: The Society of Biblical Literature in the Twentieth Century. Society of Biblical Literature, 2006. ISBN 1589832590

External links

• Official website
• "Society of Biblical Literature" in the American Council of Learned Societies directory. Updated September 15, 2008.