The 2024 Bible Faculty Summit will be held at Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, Wisconsin, Monday–Wednesday, July 29–31, 2024. Please save the dates on your calendars!

The committee has confirmed that the schools it represents are able to come at that time. Note please that this means meeting Monday through Wednesday instead of Tuesday through Thursday like we do most years.

Also, we do not yet have dates set, but Kevin Oberlin has offered to host the 2025 Summit at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC.

Don’t forget to notify Paul Himes, who keeps up our Publications page, about any publications that result from your Summit papers. Popular-level publications based on Summit papers count, too.

The paper proposal period for the 2024 Summit will open January 1, 2024, and will close April 30, 2024.

Phil Brown of the Bible Faculty Summit committee wishes to share the following with the Greek teachers on the Summit mailing list.

Jordash Kiffiak is one of the world’s foremost speakers of Koine Greek; he is doing much to advance the study and practice of Koine Greek as a living language—and he’s offering two courses you may want to know about.

τὸ ὄγδοον κεφάλαιον καὶ τὸ ἔνατον κατὰ Μαθθαῖον

This course looks at Matthew 8–9 in detail, where we see 10 miracles Jesus performs following the Sermon on the Mount, as well as conflicts with those who oppose him and his call for some to become his disciples. Participants will build listening and spoken fluency, hearing the teacher elucidate key aspects of the text, as well as discussing the stories in pairs and groups.

ἀνάγνωτε περὶ τῆς ἀγωγῆς Ἑλληνιστὶ ὧδε.

Time: Tuesdays 3:00pm-5:00pm EST (+ online self-guided material throughout the week)

Course dates: Sept 5, 12, 19, 26, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, Nov 7, 28, Dec 5, 12, 19. (No class on Nov 14, 21.)

Course duration: 14 weeks (28 hours live instruction)

Tuition: $546 (USD)

Register here.

ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Φιλήμονα καὶ ἐπιστολὴ Ἰούδα

Questions of justice and correct teaching in the community of faith surround us, today. This course will look at two short letters in the New Testament that are particularly pertinent. Paul urges Philemon to receive Onesimus no longer as a slave but, now, as a brother. The letter resounds throughout the centuries. Judah (Jude) exhorts believers to contend for the holy faith, as false teachers abound, ruining people’s faith. Judah boldly addresses sexual immorality, including homosexuality. (Note this will be one of the most advanced courses I’ve taught.)

ἀνάγνωτε περὶ τῆς ἀγωγῆς Ἑλληνιστὶ ὧδε.

Time: Fridays 11am-1pm EST. Also, Sat Oct 16, 11am-1pm EST. (+ online self-guided material throughout the week)

Course dates: Sept 1, 8, 16 (Sat), 22, Oct 13, 20, 27, Nov 3, 10, 17, Dec 1, 8, 15, 22. (No class on Sept 15, 29, Oct 6, Nov 24.)

Course duration: 14 weeks (28 hours live instruction)

Tuition: $546 (USD)

Register here.

The Bible Faculty Summit is issuing a final call for papers for the 2023 Summit, to be held at Appalachian Bible College from Tuesday, August 1 through Thursday, August 3, 2023. The paper proposal period will end Friday, May 12, 2023.

• Remember to keep papers to 30 minutes to allow for discussion time.
• Your paper need not be completed till 24 hours prior to your delivering it, but we do ask that you read a paper as opposed to giving a talk.
• This year we will again have a publications committee working to help the best papers get published.

If you have a paper proposal which might lend itself well to a response from another participant, please contact Mark Ward.

The committee has heard encouraging feedback about this year’s Summit. We continue to work to improve papers and even see some published. The Publishing Roundtable was also a success.

An important announcement: the 2023 Summit will be held at Appalachian Bible College in Mount Hope, WV, Tuesday–Thursday, August 1–3.

A few more notes:

First, the BFS committee has updated the Paper Proposal Guidelines to include the following guidance for academic papers:

In order for your paper to be properly academic while being thoroughly biblically orthodox, it should:

1. demonstrate awareness of the history (ancient and modern) of the dialogue/debate/conversation surrounding its topic.
2. engage the key participants in that dialogue respectfully; i.e., with the respect you would want someone to show your best efforts.
3. extend the conversation substantively via alternate construals, additional evidence, critique of logic and/or method, etc.
4. evidence commitment to biblical authority and theological triage.

Second, please notify Paul Himes, who keeps up our Publications page, about any publications that result from your Summit papers. Popular-level publications based on Summit papers count, too!

Third, the committee suggests that busy teachers this year consider aiming some of their lecture prep at producing an academic paper. And don’t forget some other publishing tips from the roundtable: a) be ready for two to three rejections when submitting a journal article, b) format your footnotes in advance to match the journal’s standards (thank you, Kyle Dunham), c) take a look at some of Paul Himes’ advice for journal submissions.

Fourth, enjoy this little article on the relationship between writing and expertise. I (Mark Ward) think it expresses well how a lot of us frequently feel—and provides wisdom for those of us who wish to promote scholarship in service of the church. May the Lord bless your teaching and other work this year!