The title character of the book of Ruth has been viewed historically as everything from the paragon of a proselyte to a marginal figure who is ultimately nothing more than a pawn used by Naomi and, more lasciviously, by Boaz to attain their own ends. The Targum of Ruth works within the limits of its genre, rendering the text into Aramaic while subtly transforming the character of Ruth through the addition of bits of information and dialogue.

This paper will examine how the Targumist  has transformed the character of Ruth, providing her with a lineage of her own, a dramatic confirmation of conversion, and making her a rabbinic exemplar.

 

Dear Member:

This is a friendly reminder that the call for papers period for the 2012 International Meeting will end February 1, 2012. Remember to submit your proposals to the program units listed here. Please note the details about participation, registration, and membership for the meeting, which are available here.

The Universiteit van Amsterdam will host the meeting July 22-26.  SBL will organize this meeting in conjunction with the 2012 annual conference of the European Association of Biblical Studies (EABS) and the triennial joint meeting of the Oudtestamentish Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België (OTW) and the Society for Old Testament Study (SOTS). With delight the organizations herald this congress as a unique opportunity to advance biblical scholarship, to facilitate broad and open dialogue, and to demonstrate the strength of global collegiality.

 

Engaging the “Wired-In Generation”: Knowledge and Learning in the Digital Age
11/19/2011
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Room: 3002 – Convention Center
Theme: Hosted by the Student Advisory Board

Teresa Calpino, Loyola University of Chicago, Presiding

Mark Goodacre, Duke University
Pods, Blogs, and other Time-wasters: Do Electronic Media Detract from Proper Scholarship? (15 min)
Christian Brady, Pennsylvania State University
On the Internet No One Knows You’re a Grad Student, Or How Social Media Can Help You, Build You Up, and Tear You Down (15 min)
Kelley Coblentz Bautch, St. Edward’s University
Videoconferencing in the Classroom: Broadening the Horizons of Students through Interactive Scholarly Exchange (15 min)
Discussion (30 min)

Blogger and Online Publication
11/19/2011
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Room: Golden Gate C2 – Marriott Marquis

Robert R. Cargill, University of Iowa, Presiding

Robert R. Cargill, University of Iowa
Welcome and Introduction (5 min)
Alice Bach, Case Western Reserve University
Can Blogging at 3 AM Be Considered Scholarship? (25 min)
Madeleine Flannagan, University of Auckland and Matthew Flannagan, Independent Scholar
Blogging a Short-Cut to Peer Review: How to Do It Effectively (25 min)
Juhana Markus Saukkonen, University of Helsinki
Sense and Practicality: Building a Historical GIS Online (25 min)

Richard Price, Academia.edu
Academia.edu: The Past, Present, and Future of Scholarly Social Networking (25 min)
This session will conclude with a Q&A discussion period with Academia.edu CEO, Dr. Richard Price.
Discussion (25 min)

 

Dear Colleague:

At the Annual Meetings 2011 San Francisco, the Society of Biblical Literature and American Academy of Religion will introduce the use of Mobile Meeting Guide technology in a way that provides their members with a technically reliable, intuitive, and functional solution. Without additional cost, this solution will provide attendees with:

• the entire event program, including both SBL and AAR program unit and special sessions
• exhibitor info, including an interactive Exhibit Hall map
• maps of conference hotels

Attendees will be able to create and customize their own schedule, make notes about sessions, and share information and their schedule with colleagues and friends via built-in social networking. Because the solution features an intuitive offline program that is native to Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices, there is no waiting for schedule downloads or web pages to load and no dealing with slow or non-existent Wi-Fi connections. Schedule changes are downloaded in the background, allowing attendees immediate access to event information. A similar web-based solution will be accessible via one’s computer.

We are excited to announce that the app is available now in the App Store and Android Market—simply search for AM11AAR&SBL.  On the SBL and AAR websites, we have posted answers to numerous questions as well as an introductory guide to the app.  You will also find a mobile app help desk in the registration area in the Moscone West Convention Center and can send questions via email to charles.haws@sbl-site.org.  You can download the app to your mobile device from the Android Market and App Store now, use the web version of the app that is available here, or scan the appropriate QR code displayed on signage throughout the meeting.  We hope you will find the app useful!

Sincerely,

Your Annual Meeting Team

 

To celebrate the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature’s annual conference in HarperOne’s hometown of San Francisco—we’ve put together a special eBook promotion. So, load up on your reading for the plane! Even if you can’t attend the conference, you can still get this “stack” of great e-books at a great price! Hurry! This offer expires on November 13, 2011.

10 great books! $3.99 each!

Here’s your chance to rediscover your favorite authors in an eBook format:

THE HISTORICAL JESUS by John Dominic Crossan
THE BIRTH OF CHRISTIANITY by John Dominic Crossan
GOD’S PROBLEM by Bart Ehrman
THE MEANING OF JESUS by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright
DISCOVERING GOD by Rodney Stark
THE LOST HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY by Philip Jenkins
THE MISUNDERSTOOD JEW by Amy-Jill Levine
THE GNOSTIC GOSPELS OF JESUS by Marv Meyer
MORMON AMERICA by  Richard Ostling
WHY RELIGION MATTERS by Huston Smith

Hurry! This offer is good in the United States only from November 4-13, 2011.

You’ll find more information and links to purchase here. 

And, of course, we’re looking forward to seeing you at HarperOne’s SBL booth (536 & 537)—where you’ll find our new and classic print books at special prices throughout the conference.

Sincerely,

Laina Adler
Senior Director of Marketing
HarperOne

 

Technology at the Meeting

Our Mobile Meeting Guide will debut in November. You will be recieving an email with instructions. The mobile app will contain:

• the entire event program, including both SBL and AAR program units and special sessions
• exhibitor information, including an interactive Exhibit Hall map and
• maps of conference hotels.

Attendees will have the ability to create and customize their own schedule, make notes about sessions, and share information and schedules with colleagues via built-in social networking. The solution features an intuitive offline program that is native to Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices. This means there is no waiting for schedule downloads or web pages to load and no dealing with slow or non-existent Wi-Fi connections. Schedule changes are downloaded in the background, allowing attendees immediate access to event information. A similar web-based solution will be accessible via computer.

Exhibitor Locator Kiosks

• Trying to find the publisher of a book you’d like to buy? Use the locator kiosks in the front of the Exhibit Hall to search by title, author, or subject matter.
• If your search results include a book or product that is available through one of our exhibitors, the booth will be highlighted on the Exhibit Hall floor plan.

Free Wi-Fi and Cyber Café

• Enjoy free Wi-Fi in the Exhibit Hall and lobby areas of Moscone Center West.
• Check your email or use the Mobile Meeting Guide at the computers provided in the Cyber Café

 

S21-203 Aramaic Studies 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM 11/21/2011 Room TBD Christian Brady, Pennsylvania State University, Presiding Aaron Koller, Yeshiva University Jewish Aramaic literature of Achaemenid times (20 min) Discussion (10 min) Adam C. McCollum, Hill Museum & Manuscript Library Towards a Typology of Translation Technique from Greek to Christian Palestinian Aramaic (CPA) (20 min) Discussion (10 min) James F. McGrath, Butler University The Satirical Use of Christian Material in the Mandaean Book of John (20 min) Discussion (10 min) Ryan Armstrong, Princeton Theological Seminary The Fountain of Youth or the Lake of Fire? Job 33:25 in 11Q10 and Greek Bible (20 min) Discussion (10 min) David Shepherd, University of Chester Can Anything Targumic Come From Qumran? Revisiting Klaus Beyer’s ‘Targums’ of Tobit and Isaiah (20 min) Discussion (10 min) S21-104a Aramaic Studies 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM 11/21/2011 Room TBD The Elephantine Papyri This section will be invited papers addressing the Elephantine Papyri corpus, perhaps from the perspectives of language, law, and social history. Mark Leuchter, Temple University, Presiding 50 Years of Research by Bezalel Porten Alejandro Botta, Boston University, Panelist (20 min) Andrew Gross, Catholic University of America, Panelist (20 min) Bezalel Porten, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Respondent (20 min) Discussion (45 min)

 

Academia.edu is a platform for academics to share and follow research. Academics upload their papers to share them with other academics in over 100,000 research areas. They can also follow other academics, and see new papers and other research updates from those academics in their News Feeds.

I know many in our community are already on the site. (If you like, you can follow me on Academia.edu.) It appears to be a promising platform for collaboration and collegial interaction without being barraged with cute kittens, total depravity, or Top 50 lists. Please do come for the whole session, we have great speakers lined up, but be sure to stay for Richard as well.

S19-314

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Blogger and Online Publication
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
11/19/2011
Room TBD

Robert R. Cargill, University of Iowa
Welcome and Introduction (5 min)

Alice  Bach, Case Western Reserve University
Can Blogging at 3 AM Be Considered Scholarship? (25 min)

Madeleine Flannagan, Independent and Matthew Flannagan, A _Not Found
Blogging a Short-Cut to Peer Review: How to do it Effectively (25 min)

Juhana Markus Saukkonen, University of Helsinki
Sense and Practicality: Building a Historical GIS Online (25 min)

Richard Price, Academia.edu
Academia.edu: The Past, Present, and Future of Scholarly Social Networking (25 min)

This session will conclude with a Q&A discussion period with Academia.edu CEO, Dr. Richard Price.

Discussion (25 min)