The Institute for Biblical Research, Inc. (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.

Annual Meeting 2019: San Diego, November 22–25

Friday Afternoon, November 22

IBR Board Meeting

11:30–3:30
Room TBD

Tyndale House Scripture Collective: Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar 

1:00–3:15
Room TBD

This year the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar is devoted to building out from its 2002 volume: A Royal Priesthood? The Use of the Bible Ethically and Politically. A Dialogue with Oliver O’Donovan (Scripture and Hermeneutics Series, Volume 3). That volume engaged O’Donovan’s Desire of the Nations. This year, a stellar group of scholars from multiple disciplines will revisit and engage O’Donovan’s ongoing work in a review panel, especially his recent “Ethics as Theology” Trilogy (Self, World and Time; Finding and Seeking; Entering into Rest), with the aim of exploring some new trajectories in contemporary Christian Ethics. View speakers and papers

Research Groups

3:30–5:30 PM
Rooms TBD

IBR is delighted to facilitate the research of our membership by providing space and promotion of research groups created by members of IBR. We are very pleased that twenty-one such research groups have been created. View all 2019 research groups.

Anyone is welcome at these sessions and if you would like to join one of these groups feel free to contact the scholars listed with each group. For more details, read our Research Groups FAQ.

Friday Evening, November 22

Member Registration

6:30–7:00 pm
Room TBD

IBR will be placing an IBR membership sticker on the SBL name badge of active IBR members. IBR members are encouraged to arrive early and get their SBL name badges in advance.

Annual Lecture

7:00–9:00 pm
Room TBD

• Lynn H. Cohick, Denver Seminary, Welcome (10 min)
• Carmen Imes, Prairie College, Scripture Reading and Prayer (10 min)
• Lissa Wray Beal, Providence Theological Seminary, Introduction (5 min)
• Craig A. Evans, Houston Baptist University
  “When Abiathar was High Priest”: Is the Reading in Mark 2:26 an Error? Observations on Pre-Text Textual Criticism (40 min)
• Elizabeth Shively, University of St. Andrews, Respondent (10 min)
• Karl Kutz, Multnomah University, Respondent (10 min)
• Discussion (20 min)
• Presentation by InterVarsity Press

The IBR Reception follows the Annual Lecture and is sponsored by InterVarsity Press.

Annual Reception

9:00–11:00 pm
Room TBD

The Annual Reception, following the IBR Annual Lecture, is generously sponsored by InterVarsity Press

Saturday Morning, November 23

Breakfast for Women Scholars

7:30–8:45
Room TBD

For further information contact Beth Stovell (bstovell@ambrose.edu). RSVP required to attend.

IBR Unscripted

9:00–11:30
Room TBD

This session of the IBR Annual Meeting offers biblical scholars from throughout the academy the opportunity to present their new and innovative ideas in an engaging forum inspired by the famous TED talks. Scholars will speak without notes and are encouraged to use a variety of media to help the audience interact with their ideas. A generous discussion time will follow each presentation.

• Holly Beers, Westmont College, Presiding
• Matthew Patton, Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church
  Jazz Chords and Photo Negatives: Intertextual Analogies as the Key to Biblical Narrative (17 min)
• Discussion (17 min)
• Break (17 min)
• Nijay Gupta, Portland Seminary
  ‘Believers: Why the First Christians’ Religion was Strange, Dangerous—and Attractive (17 min)
• Discussion (17 min)
• Break (17 min)
• Marion Taylor, Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto”
  Who is in, Who is out, and Why: Rethinking the Canon of Biblical Scholarship (17 min)
• Discussion (17 min)
• General Discussion
• Discussion (14 min)

Saturday Afternoon, November 23

IBR Board Meeting

12:00–3:00
Room TBD

Tyndale House Scripture Collective: Scripture and Doctrine Seminar

1:00–3:30
Room TBD

The 2019 Scripture and Doctrine Seminar continues a two-year theme addressing the relationship between Scripture and Doctrine via reflections on the doctrine of theological anthropology. In an effort to avoid discussing the Scripture-Doctrine relationship in the abstract, this two-year focus on theological anthropology will serve both to illustrate the relationship between Scripture and Doctrine, and offer constructive and contemporary proposals for theological anthropology. View speakers and papers 

Tyndale House Scripture Collective: Scripture and the University Seminar

4:00–6:30
Room TBD

The Scripture and the University Seminar initiates a multi-year project to explore the issue of the relationship between Scripture and the university. While theology used to be considered the “queen of the sciences,” and theology was inextricably tied to the explication of Scripture, the role of the study of Scripture and theology in the university is in a very different place today. View speakers and papers 

Sunday Morning, November 24

Worship Service

7:30–8:45
Room TBD

This worship service is sponsored by the Institute for Biblical Research.

• Lynn Cohick, Denver Seminary, Presiding
• Worship
• Lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures
• Lesson from the New Testament
• Sermon: Dennis Edwards, Northern Seminary, “Endings and New Beginnings”

Sunday Afternoon, November 24

Tyndale House Scripture Collective: Scripture and Church Seminar

1:00–3:30
Room TBD

This year’s theme is “Communicating the Kingdom.” Our papers will address: Hearing the Gospel of the Kingdom; Proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom; and Dramatizing the Gospel of the Kingdom.  View speakers and papers 

Monday Morning, November 25

Ethnic Minority Breakfast

7:30–8:45
Room TBD

IBR invites members and potential members of ethnic minority background (Latino, Asian, African, and/or Native American) to a breakfast for networking and brainstorming. For further information contact Esau McCaulley (esaumccaulley@gmail.com). RSVP requested but not required.