Pat McCullough (who evidently is a member of AAR- I’m not) passes along an email that he received (I guess in good Pauline tradition of passing on what he hears), and posts it here. I think the SBL should hold out for some sort of advantage or other- you know- the way jilted women do when their man comes crawling back. Anyway, I’m glad they made the decision that they have. It’s great seeing AAR friends at the Annual Meeting (because otherwise I have nothing to do with those crackpots). 
Posted by: Jim | April 14, 2008
The AAR Has Decided Not To Break Up With The SBL
Posted in conferences
agreed. i for one would have loved the ability to have the sbl conference at smaller venues with the reduced numbers. i would have also loved to not have to deal with the aar crowd, since anything worth hearing is at the sbl conference. but, had the aar split off, what would we have done for entertainment? one of my favorite pastimes is to go through the aar catalog and read the titles of some of their accepted papers. now that is fun.
By: robert r. cargill on April 14, 2008
at 3:24 pm
Oh my so true! At the San Diego meeting Tilling and I stood in the foyer and pointed out the most bizarre looking people (as sort of an evil sport). I’m convinced that the people who won the prize were AAR. But oh what entertainment they did provide!
By the way, I think the reason AAR decided to come back to the Annual Meeting was because they were expecting dismal turnout for their separate meeting. But that’s just my guess. It’s their cake, really, so however they bake it is fine with me since I won’t eat any of it.
By: Jim on April 14, 2008
at 3:28 pm
Are they coming to Boston this year? I had looked forward to an AAR-less SBL meeting for my triumphal return…
By: Esteban Vázquez on April 14, 2008
at 3:34 pm
I don’t know. I don’t keep up with their doings.
By: Jim on April 14, 2008
at 3:44 pm
No, we are meeting in Chicago this year. This will be my first year going. The AAR made sense for me but the SBL??? That’d be like reading Zwingli or something boring like that, and really, who wants to do that?
Actually, I am quite excited as the AAR regionals are coming up first of next month and it is within driving distance. Yay.
But it is comforting that one of these years I’ll get to meet the famous Jim West. Perhaps you will have plaques for wierdest looking AARer and I’ll win! I’d proudly display that puppy in my study.
By: Frank Emanuel on April 14, 2008
at 5:35 pm
Ew, an AAR person!
Meanwhile, I have wondered what draws Systematic Theology people to AAR rather than to explicitly theological societies. If I were a Wesleyan, for instance, there would be no question that the Wesleyan Theological Society, and not the peculiar AAR, would be the place for me! But I digress.
And Jim, I don’t so much, either; hence the question!
Anyway, I’m glad that, if only for this year, we shall have an AAR-free SBL. It will be good to see what a standalone SBL looks like, by comparison to what a standalone AAR. But I think that question might be partially answered already.
By: Esteban Vázquez on April 14, 2008
at 6:28 pm
I’m a Systematic Theology person. What attracts me is the opportunity to cross denomination, religion and discipline boundaries. This has to be the future of theology if it is to remain relevant in a pluralist society. I think there is definitely a place for denominational (narrow) societies, as a theologian I stand in my tradition to help us understand our faith. But I also stand outside my tradition as both an ambassador of the good things from my tradition as well as a listener to the good things in other religions and denominations. As a theologian I then help my tradition understand the world out there and how we, as members of our tradition, can participate in the world as ambassadors of Christ. To work only within my tradition is, in my mind, a great tragedy.
By: Frank Emanuel on April 14, 2008
at 9:17 pm
i was kinda looking forward to having the theologians off doing their thing with the aar while the real scholars are at sbl doing the heavy lifting of languages, archaeology, history, and biblical crit.
but, at least now i can read about ‘leathersexuality in book of jeremiah’ and other classic aar offerings…
By: robert r. cargill on April 15, 2008
at 6:36 pm