Off to the Annual Scholarly Society Meetings!

I leave tomorrow for the east coast - specifically, Providence, RI, for the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and the Near East Archaeological Society (NEAS). Those conferences are followed by that of IBR (Institute for Biblical Research), ASOR (American Schools of Oriental Research), and the big one, the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). If you want an idea of what goes on at these sorts of meetings, you can check out the ETS program and search the SBL online program.

I hope to get some pics for the blog, and to blog about some of the papers I hear (and the one I read).

Editor's note: broken links removed/replaced.

Editor's further note:

Every year, biblical scholars from across the world gather at two major academic conferences: the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). These meetings typically occur back-to-back in November and often in the same city, making it a packed but fruitful week for those involved in biblical studies and related disciplines. (Do be aware that while ETS requires its participants be in line with their statement of confession, which you can find on their website, SBL has much different standards; do not expect to find the same kind of content or scholars in each of these.)

Dr. Michael Heiser regularly attended these events and others that occur around the same time each year. For him, these conferences weren’t just academic formalities—they were opportunities to connect with other scholars, stay current with research, and contribute to the broader theological conversation.

Whether you’re a student, pastor, researcher, or curious reader, it's helpful to know that much of the rigorous dialogue behind trusted biblical scholarship happens in settings like these, and you may wish to investigate possibly attending such conferences yourself where you might meet scholars, make connections, and possibly even shop at their bookstores. They’re the crucibles where ideas are challenged, sharpened, and refined—before they reach books, lectures, and podcasts.