Societies
Ph D students might benefit from involvement in the following societies:
The Wesleyan Theological Society is a growing group of scholars who have joined together for several reasons. The society seeks to encourage the exchange of ideas among Wesleyan-Holiness theologians, acts as a source of ideas and essays for Christian Holiness Partnership seminars, stimulates scholarship among younger theologians, pastors, and inquiring laity, and publishes a scholarly journal twice a year.
Institute for Biblical Research
The Institute for Biblical Research, Incorporated (IBR) is an organization of evangelical Christian scholars with specialties in Old and New Testament and in ancillary disciplines. Its vision is to foster excellence in the pursuit of Biblical Studies within a faith environment. The achievement of this goal is sought primarily by organizing annual conferences, conducting seminars and workshops, and by sponsoring academic publications in the various fields of biblical research. IBR's conferences, seminars and workshops are open to the public and its publications are available for purchase.
Society for Pentecostal Studies
The Society for Pentecostal Studies began in 1970 and is an organization of scholars dedicated to providing a forum of discussion for all academic disciplines as a spiritual service to the kingdom of God. The purpose of the society is to stimulate, encourage, recognize, and publicize the work of Pentecostal and charismatic scholars; to study the implications of Pentecostal theology in relation to other academic disciplines, seeking a Pentecostal world-and-life view; and to support fully, to the extent appropriate for an academic society, the statement of purposes of the World Pentecostal Fellowship.
Society of Biblical Literature
The Society of Biblical Literature is the oldest and largest international scholarly membership organization in the field of biblical studies. Founded in 1880, the Society has experienced a history of growth, following the ever changing needs of its membership, which has grown to over 8,500 members. Our membership includes, teachers, students, religious leaders and individuals, all of whom share a mutual interest in the critical investigation of the Bible.
As a learned society and professional association of teachers and research scholars, the American Academy of Religion has over 10,000 members who teach in some 1,500 colleges, universities, seminaries, and schools in North America and abroad. The Academy is dedicated to furthering knowledge of religion and religious institutions in all their forms and manifestations. This is accomplished through Academy-wide and regional conferences and meetings, publications, programs, and membership services.
Within a context of free inquiry and critical examination, the Academy welcomes all disciplined reflection on religion–both from within and outside of communities of belief and practice–and seeks to enhance its broad public understanding.
American Society of Church History
The central purpose of the American Society of Church History, founded in 1888, is the scholarly study of the history of Christianity and its relationship to surrounding cultures in all periods, locations, and contexts. Through publications, conferences, awards, research support, and other means, the Society encourages the study of the Christian church and faith, its figures and movements, in institutional and non-institutional settings. We welcome scholars and practitioners of all backgrounds who employ traditional or newly developing methods, disciplines, and approaches to the study of religion. The ASCH cooperates closely with the American Historical Association and other scholarly societies and organizations in joint annual meetings.
The Medieval Academy of America, founded in 1925, is the largest organization in the world devoted to medieval studies. Its goal is the support of researh, publication, and teaching in medieval art, archaeology, history, law, literature, music, philosophy, religion, science, social and economic institutions, and all other aspects of the Middle Ages. Any person interested in the Middle Ages is eligible for membership.