August, 2009:

Jeremy Shipper asked if we would pass this call along and I am more than happy to do so! (And if I can get my act together I will even submit a paper. I love my administrative job but it makes research a challenge.) Jeremy tells us that, “Highlights for our 2010 meeting include our plenary address by Dr. Benjamin D. Sommer, Professor in the Department of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and our presidential address by Dr. Kenton Sparks, Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University.”

CALL FOR PAPERS

2010 SBL Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting

Hyatt Regency New Brunswick

March 11-12, 2010

Proposal Due Date: December 7, 2009

Dear Colleagues,

The Executive Committee for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Society of Biblical Literature (MAR-SBL)

cordially invites you to submit proposals for the 2010 MAR-SBL Meeting. The meeting will be held

jointly with the Mid-Atlantic and New England/Maritimes Regions of the American Academy of Religion

(AAR) on March 11-12, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

We are excited to announce that Dr. Benjamin D. Sommer will serve as our plenary speaker this year. Dr.

Sommer is Professor in the Department of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at the Jewish

Theological Seminary of America. We also look forward to our presidential address by Dr. Kenton

Sparks, Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University.

Please consider offering a paper proposal in any area of biblical studies. Any SBL member may submit a

proposal regardless of his or her region. This year’s MAR-AAR/SBL theme is “Perspectives on Social

Change.” Proposals related to this theme are encouraged but not required.

Proposal Guidelines and Submissions

The proposal should state the paper’s topic and purpose and give some indication as to how the argument

will proceed. Provide enough context to show that you are aware of the basic literature in the field and

summarize the argument of your presentation.

To submit a proposal, find the section that you feel best fits your presentation. See the list at the end of

this document. Then, email a 150-250 word proposal (250 words maximum) to the section head for the

appropriate section. When sending your email, you must title the subject line of your email: “2010 MAR-

SBL PAPER PROPOSAL” (use all capital letters).  Proposals must include your full name, title,

institution (or location), email address, and, as available, your phone number, mobile number, and mailing

address. Also, it is very important that you indicate any date or time restrictions that you have when you

send your proposal. While we try to accommodate all requests, we cannot guarantee that that everyone

will present during his or her preferred date/time slot. In general, we assume that those submitting

proposals will keep March 11-12 open. Proposals are due on MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2009, but we

encourage you to submit as soon as possible. Proposals that do not conform to these guidelines may be

disregarded.

Each section head will determine the time allotted for each paper presentation. Presentations will

generally last 20-25 minutes and allow a few minutes at the end of your paper for questions and

discussion. Usually, your final paper to be presented should be about 10 double-spaced, single-sided

pages. Please do not exceed your allotted time out of respect for your fellow presenters.

Also, we sincerely regret that we cannot supply any audio-visual equipment due to prohibitive rental

costs. So please plan accordingly.

Important Pre-Registration Information

Online preregistration will be available in January through the AAR website (NOT THE SBL

WEBSITE). If you are an SBL member, you may still register for the meeting through the AAR website

even if you are not an AAR member.  Simply check the SBL member box on the online pre-registration

form. You will be notified by email when the online preregistration is live. Please utilize the AAR

website for registration as it saves paper and helps the region fulfill the national AAR mandate to promote

environmentally sustainable gatherings.

Presenters are REQUIRED to pre-register for the conference to appear in the program book.

Important Hotel Information

The Hyatt Regency offers online hotel room registration. In order to receive the discounted conference

rate when booking online, be sure to indicate that you are attending the MAR-AAR/SBL conference.

Alternatively, you may call the hotel to reserve rooms. Please indicate that you are attending our

conference so that you can receive the conference rate. Discounted single and double-occupant hotel

rooms ($99 plus state and local taxes) will be held until February 17, 2010. After that date, normal hotel

rates will apply. Since only 50 discounted rooms have been reserved for the conference dates, we strongly

encourage you to reserve your room early. Parking is available at the Hyatt for $6 a day.

Hyatt Regency New Brunswick

Two Albany Street

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Phone: 732-873-1234

Fax: 732-873-1382

http://newbrunswick.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp

The New Brunswick Hyatt is three blocks from the local Amtrak/New Jersey Transit station, with trains

running from Newark Liberty International Airport, New York City, and Philadelphia (via Trenton).

SBL Conference Awards

MAR-SBL will confer the Howard Clark Kee Award of $100 for the best student paper by an SBL

student from the region. We will also participate in the SBL Regional Scholars Program, sponsored by the

society-wide conference of Regional Coordinators. Our region’s nominee for this honor will receive a

$100 prize upfront, in addition to whatever awards and recognition she or he may receive in the society-

wide program. To qualify for the SBL Regional Scholars Program scholars should be at least ABD and no

more than four years past the receipt of their Ph.D. Women and underrepresented minorities are

encouraged to apply. Those interested in either of these prizes should copy their full paper to Jeremy

Schipper (schipper@temple.edu) when submitting a proposal to the appropriate section head by

December 7, 2009. Please clearly indicate (1) for which prize or prizes you would like to be considered

and (2) your exact student status (Kee Award) and/or your exact status between ABD and when you

received your Ph.D. (Regional Scholars Program).

List of Sections with Section Head Email

Pentateuch/Law

James Getz, Temple University, jimgetz@temple.edu

Deuteronomistic History/Former Prophets

David Lamb, Biblical Theological Seminary, dlamb@biblical.edu

Latter Prophets

Mark Leuchter, Temple University, mark.leuchter@temple.edu

Wisdom Literature/Writings

John Herbst, Union Theological Seminary-PSCE, john.herbst@union-psce.edu 

Biblical Poetry

Mark Leson, George Mason University, mark.leson@verizon.net

Integration of the Bible and Archeology

Adeeb Mickahail, Baltimore Hebrew University, anebsprof@earthlink.net

Second Temple/Apocalyptic Literature

Matthew Gordley, Regent University, mgordley@regent.edu

Greco-Roman World

Matthew Novenson, Princeton Theological Seminary, matthew.novenson@ptsem.edu

Gospels

Kim Paffenroth, Iona College, kimpaffenroth@msn.com

Epistles

Robert Seesengood, Albright College, rseesengood@alb.edu

Panel Discussions Organized by Regional Faculty Members

Jeremy Schipper, Temple University, schipper@temple.edu

If you are unsure which section best fits your proposal, you may email your proposal to our regional

coordinator, Jeremy Schipper (schipper@temple.edu). Priority will be given, however, the proposals that

fit with the sections listed above. You may also direct general inquires about the meeting to Jeremy

Schipper. All other inquires regarding your proposal should be sent to the appropriate section head. You

should be notified by the section head regarding the status your proposal by mid-January 2010.

Regards,

Jeremy Schipper

Mid-Atlantic Region SBL Regional Coordinator