2022 - Santa Clara University Hybrid

Report of the Eighty-fourth International Meeting of
The Catholic Biblical Association of America

  PROGRAM       ABSTRACTS      Recordings

           The eighty-fourth international meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association of America was held as a hybrid meeting, July 30-August 2 at Santa Clara University in California and via Zoom. The meeting began on Saturday, July 30, with a welcome from the Chair of the CBA Executive Board, Harold W. Attridge, Jr. The opening general session was a panel discussion entitled “Panel Discussion: Jerome Biblical Commentary for the 21st Century: Why Again?” moderated by Sherri Brown and featuring the anthology editors Gina Hens-Piazza and Barbara Reid, O.P in-person and John J. Collins participated as a panelist via Zoom. The fourth editor, Donald Senior, C.P, participated via a submission of remarks read by Reid. The panel discussion was followed by a social.

Sessions on Sunday, July 31st

Three Task Forces and Seven Continuing seminars met simultaneously each day from 8:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The Task Forces included: “Feminist Biblical Hermeneutics” (established in 1989, and presented virtually this year with co-conveners Sheila McGinn, Laura M. Manzo, and Sarah Kohles, O.S.F., and presentations by Carol J. Dempsey, O.P., Susan (Elli) Elliott, Ally Kateusz,  Eloise M. Rosenblatt, R.S.M., and Susanne Scholz); “God in the Synoptic Gospels” (established in 2017; co-conveners: Séamus O’Connell and Brigid Curtin Frein; presentations by Paul Danove and Matthew Monnig, S.J.); and “Addressing Representations of Jews and Judaism in Catholic Exegesis, Homiletics, and Catechesis” (established in 2019; co-conveners: Christopher Seeman and Ximena DeBroeck; presentations by Philip Cunningham, Giovanna Czander, Richard Lux, Ricky Shinall, and Malka Simkovich).

The Continuing Seminars and their respective leaders / presenters studied: “Divinity in Ancient Israel: Deuteronomistic Deities in Judges and Samuel” (established 1998; co-conveners: Mahri Leonard-Fleckman, Andrew Davis, and Garrett Galvin, O.F.M.; presenters: Katherine E. Brown, Corrine L. Carvalho, Andrew R. Davis, James Nati, James Chukwuma Okoye, C.S.Sp., Anathea Portier-Young); “How Poetry Functions as the Medium for the Message in the Book of the Prophet Joel” (established 1999; co-conveners: Joseph E. Jensen and Pauline A. Viviano; presenters: Steven Bishop, John R. Jackson, Richard Schneck, S.J., A. Jacob Onyumbe Wenyi, Donald R. Vance); “The Deuterocanonical Books: Paideia and the Reception of Texts Ancient and Today” (established 2010; co-conveners: Vincent Skemp and Francis Macatangay; presentations by Jeremy Corley, Nuria Calduch-Benages, Michael Duggan, Jordan Schmidt, O.P.); “The Gospel and Letters of John” (established 2019; co-conveners Peter Judge and Mark A. Matson; presenters: Sherri Brown, Felix Just, S.J., Hugo E. Mendez, Francis J. Moloney, S.D.B., Eric John Wyckoff, S.D.B.); “Paul and Method” (established 2021; convener: Timothy Milinovich; presenters: Normand Bonneau and Margaret MacDonald) and “The Earliest Christian Writings: Texts and Traditions from the First and Second Century” (established 2022; convener: Timothy B. Sailors; presenters: Olivia Stewart Lester and James W. Barker) and “Isaiah and the Twelve: Theophanies” (established 2022; co-conveners: Joachim Eck and Richard J. Bautch; presenters: Richard J. Bautch, Joachim Eck, Gregory Glazov, Archibald L.H.M. van Wieringen, Burkard M. Zapff).

The morning concluded with papers presented in Simultaneous Sessions: Francis M. Macatangay, “The Book of Tobit, Genesis 1–2, and Some Remarks on Same-Sex Partnership” and Laurie A. Brink, O.P., “Αλλήλους εκδέχεσθε! Pondering Paul’s Theological Imperative to Wait in 1 Cor 11:17-34”

Four sessions of Research Reports during the afternoon heard the following papers delivered: Mahri Leonard-Fleckman, “Dividing Samson and Saul, Writing Judahite History”; Luke Emehiele Ijezie, “Preserving a Dead Man’s Name in Ruth 4:10 and African Parallels”; Jeff W. Childers, “The Peshitta for Our Time: Linguistic Aid, Text-Critical Resource, or Scripture?”; Rekha M. Chennattu, “A Synodal Leadership Paradigm: Johannine Perspectives”; Olegs Andrejevs, “Unsustained Minor Agreements in the Synoptic Double Tradition”; Mark Reasoner, “The Diatribes within Romans 9–11”; Karina Martin Hogan, “Maternal Instruction in Proverbs and Early Jewish Literature”; Gary P. Klump, “The Legend of the Fall: Ben Sira and Original Sin”; David M. Moffitt, “Ascension and Sacrifice”; Eric John Wyckoff, S.D.B., “Jesus and Foreign Women: A Synoptic-Johannine Link?”; Timothy B. Sailors, “Divergent Readings in Gospel Texts: Difficulties in Distinguishing between Redaction-Critical and Text-Critical Alterations”; Mark S. Smith, “Warrior and Prophetic Calls: Which Came First?”; Andrew Geist, “King David in the Garden of Eden”; Dale Launderville, O.S.B., “Idolatry and Identity in the House of Yahweh (Ezek 8–11)”; Michael Peppard, “What Kind of Bible Is the Lectionary?”; José Enrique Aguilar, “The Purpose and Plan of the Gospel of Mark”; Mark Enemali, C.S.Sp., “Tobit’s Almsgiving as a Model of Missionary Availability”; Joseph C. Atkinson, “Purity/Water Rituals: Key to Israel’s Identity”; Marco Benini, “The Ambrosian Lectionary (2008) as Response to Critics on the Roman Lectionary”; Antonio Portalatín, “A New Perception on the Parable of the Good Samaritan”; Chimbuoyim Uzodimma, H.F.S.N. [Emerging Scholar Fellow], “The Reign of Sin and Death: Reading Paul’s Personification of Sin and Death in Romans 5:12-21 as Metaphors of Roman Imperial Domination.”

The Association gathered in Mission Santa Clara de Asís for the Sunday celebration of Eucharist with Most Reverend Oscar Cantú, Bishop of San Jose. presiding. Members of the association who died since the last meeting were commemorated during the liturgy: Joseph Blenkinsopp, John C. Endres, S.J., William J. Fulco, S.J., Ralph W. Klein, Edgar Krentz, Paul G. Mosca, Charles Talbert, and Donald W. Trautman.

The evening concluded with the CBA President’s Address, “‘Apart from these things I am pressured daily from my anxiety for all the churches’ (2 Cor 11:28): The Intersection of Paul’s Theology and Pastoral Practice” delivered by Ronald D. Witherup, P.S.S. The address was followed by a social.

Sessions on Monday, August 1

Francis J. Moloney, S.D.B. was the presider and homilist for the 7:30 A.M. celebration of Eucharist.

The task forces and continuing seminars resumed their work in the morning, followed by simultaneous sessions: “Off-Script with Elihu: Misquotations and Memory Variants in the Book of Job” delivered by Andrew R. Davis and “The Jews, Israel, and Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation” presented by Francis J. Moloney, S.D.B.

Two sessions of research reports during the afternoon heard the following papers delivered: Peter Dubovský, S.J., “Concept of History in the Book of Isaiah”; Tyng-Guang (Brian) Chu [Emerging Scholars Fellow], “Eden in the Diaspora: Genesis 2-3 in the Book of Tobit”; Matthew S. Monnig, S.J., “The Canonical vs. Critical NT Text: Differing Criteria”; Barbara Crostini, “Performing Salvation at Dura-Europos”; Gregory Tatum, O.P., “A Parallelomaniac in Recovery (2 Cor 3:17; Phil 2:12-13)”; Melanie Peetz, “Beyond Boundaries: Ethnicity, Gender, and Class in Exodus 1-2” Joseph Riordan, S.J., “Trito-Isaiah in Deutero-Tobit: Text, Allusion, Redaction”; Francis C. Cousins, “Teaching with Authority: The use of συζητέω in Mark”; Marco Benini, “The Ambrosian Lectionary (2008) as Response to Critics on the Roman Lectionary”; Paul D. Wheatley, “’Baptized with My Baptism’: Baptismal Figuration in Mark”.

Business Meeting

The CBA President and Chair of the Business Meeting, Ronald D. Witherup, P.S.S, called the meeting to order at 3:52 p.m. having established a quorum (199 Full members registered for the meeting: 85 in-person and 114 virtual). He informed the members that the Business meeting documents were posted to the CBA website and that Full Members had been sent a SurveyMonkey ballot to be used to cast votes on candidates and the two proposed amendments to the CBA Constitution and By-Laws. He also reminded virtual participants that they could raise questions via the Zoom chat feature.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT

The Executive Director’s report was given by Archie T. Wright who recognized the CBA Tech Support staff, in particular Joshua R. Scott and Gillian Glass present at the meeting. Wright pointed out that without their assistance, the virtual component of the annual general meeting could not have happened. He also thanked the Executive Board, Executive Committee, and the CBA members for their support over the year-and-a-half that he has been Executive Director—first as interim and then hired. He noted that this was CBA’s first hybrid meeting with 102 members on campus and another 157 participating virtually. Wright stated that in his consultation with directors of other academic organizations it appears that hybrid meetings are here to stay for a while. He noted that CBA is ready to adapt to whatever the situation is next year.

Developments:

Wright reported that the Visiting Professorship at the Ècole biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem (EBAF) is being reinstated, the details of which are on the CBA website. He indicated that this professorship is modeled after the Visiting Professorship at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, including a stipend and reimbursed expenses. Wright also announced that on Sunday TL Putnum of Verbum Catholic Software decided to gift its professional academic electronic library to the two CBA Emerging Scholars. He added that Verbum has committed to award this electronic library annually as an added benefit of the Emerging Scholars Fellowship. Wright also said that the Executive Board is considering expanding the research grants and scholarships, one of the many benefits of being a CBA member.

The Executive Director said that he is working on some collaborative efforts such as

• Visiting professorships, similar to PBI or EBAF, but in other parts of the world.
• Virtual conferences with opportunities already being explored in Australia and South America.
• A CBA-SBL collaboration on regional meetings, noting that SBL has stopped regional meetings.

Wright also said that for 2023 two virtual seminars are being developed: one for graduate student/emerging scholars as well as a one-to-two-day virtual seminar exploring “Women in Biblical Studies,” highlighting the work of the female population of CBA. He noted that only approximately 25% of the CBA membership is female. He expressed that one of his goals is to expand the gender and ethnic of the CBA membership.

Administration and Membership:

Wright informed the members that CBA documents dating back the 1930s are being handed over to CUA archives to be digitized. Thus, the history of CBA will be persevered and able to be accessed with the permission of the CBA Office.

A PowerPoint slide presented CBA membership figures, comparing membership categories across the three-year period 2020-2022. The slide reported current total member count at 1,051, six fewer than in 2020 but thirteen more than in 2021. Wright pointed out that in 2021-22, CBA received 73 applications for new memberships (37 for Full member status; 8 for Associate member status, and 28 for Graduate Student member dues status). He encouraged members in a professor role to invite and sponsor their students and fellow faculty members to join the CBA.

Publications:

Wright announced that Frank Matera, who has served as General Editor of the Biblical Studies from CBA series published by Paulist Press since 2014, is stepping down and that there is a search committee looking for a suitable replacement. Applause honoring Matera followed. Wright also noted that Leslie J. Hoppe, O.F.M. recently completed his second term as General Editor of CBQ and thanked him for his work. Wright concluded his report, stating he is formulating a proposal for a “dissertation series,” publishing newly minted PhD dissertations from CBA emerging scholars. He noted that the concept is still in the early stages.

The Chair solicited a round applause for in appreciation of the Executive Director’s work. Witherup reported that the Executive Committee, of which Wright is a part, has determined that the Executive Director’s job is much more demanding than was originally conceived. Witherup said that the Executive Board appropriately decided to increase the Executive Director’s salary commensurate with the time commitment.

CBA FINANCIAL REPORT

As Chair of the Committee on Finance and Investments (CFI), Witherup presented the report on the association’s financial status. He began by requesting that the members guard the information on the financial reports that have been posted on the CBA website as it is highly confidential and for members only. He recognized the other members of the committee: Harold W. Attridge, Jr., Charles Kosanke, Sheila E. McGinn, Ferdinand Okorie, Michael Patella, O.S.B., and serving ex officio as a non-voting member is Archie T. Wright. Witherup noted that soon members will be rotating off of the committee because of term limitations and requested that members who have a background in finance and or investment administration be willing to nominate themselves to the committee or if they are aware of someone else who has such a background to nominate them.

Witherup stated that the committee has been meeting via Zoom. He reported that a timely budget process has been implemented whereby the committee proposes the budget at the Spring Executive Board meeting. Thereby the next year’s budget has been approved before the end of the fiscal year. He also reported that that the committee has successfully revised the investment policies which are available for members to review online. He stated that UBS is implementing the policies and that the committee is monitoring UBS to make sure that they are adhering to the principles. He reported that a study was conducted on alternative investments and CBA’s involvement in social justice issues has increased. While these investments do not generate a lot of revenue, Witherup noted that this is a way for CBA to financially support worthy projects in a way that was not simply a donation. He informed the members that CBA’s investments are largely in compliance with standard Catholic ethical principles, including divesting from fossil fuels. Witherup said that the committee did some work investigating this as well when it was developing the policy.

Witherup said that every month the Executive Director and the CFI Chair receives a report from CBA’s investment manager at UBS, Ron Chesney. These reports are shared, he stated, when the committee meets. He said that on Sunday he and the Executive Director received the July report. Witherup reported that CBA investment portfolio is down by 15% but he noted that this was the case for all investors. He added that the situation could have been worse had CBA not had a balanced portfolio and adhered to the policy as regards to the percentages of equity versus bonds versus cash. The July investment report, Witherup stated, indicates that the CBA has recovered considerably, about $900,000. He said that the investments are still down about 10%, but that is better than being down 15%. Witherup reiterated that the committee closely monitors the portfolio since this is largely what the association lives off of, along with some publication income. The largest share of the publication income is from the royalties received from ATLASerials (the database indexes CBQ and OTA).

The CFI Chair recalled that there once was a concern as to how CBA would manage its mission-oriented projects such as grants with the sunsetting of the NAB royalties. He said he was happy to report that the committee has recommended to the Executive Board that CBA is in good shape for the future despite the exigencies of the market. Witherup reported that CBA always has been operating in the black with a balanced budget—not too much pork, but enough for the office to do its work. He also said that for the first time in CBA’s history, the Executive Board agreed to have an outside independent study of CBA’s finances, not a full audit which would have been cost-prohibitive, but a reputable firm from the District of Columbia gave CBA a clean bill of health, noting CBA had in place sufficient checks and balances and was not being overcharged for its portfolio management.

Witherup opened the floor for questions and / or discussion. There being none, he called for a motion to accept the report. Mark S. Smith moved, and Gregory Sterling seconded, that the members assembled accept the CBA Financial Reports. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

MEMBERSHIP

The Chair recognized Wright to present the report of the Committee on Membership. Wright thanked the other members of the Committee: Chris Keith and Karina Martin Hogan. their work in vetting the applications received. Wright moved that the Full members vote via the Survey Monkey ballot to approve the following individuals for membership in their respective levels into the Catholic Biblical Association of America:

For Full Membership:

Noah B. Bickart, Darrell Bock, Aaron A. Burke, Gay L. Byron, Rodney A. Caruthers, II, Joseph Andrew Coray, David A. Creech, Stacy N. Davis, Paba N. De Andrado, Maria Edith Doerfler, John Anthony Dunne, Benjamin H. Dunning, Scott S. Elliott, Deirdre N. Fulton, Renata Cecilia Furst, Yonder M. Gillihan, Daniel B. Glover, Jennie Grillo, Ronald Herms, Tony Keddie, Aaron Koller, Joseph Lam, Tat-siong B. Liew, Timothy Henry Lim, Geoffrey E. Ludvik, Nathan R. Mastnjak, Shelly A. Matthews, Joël André Minsi Endomo, Maurice John-Patrick O’Connor , Jacob Onyumbe , Kate M. Oxsen, Elizabeth Brumfield Papazoglakis, Jeehei Park , Sara Parks, Rebecca W. Poe Hays, Timothy J. Sandoval, Kirsten M. Schäfers, Brian T. Shockey, Eric J. Sias , Katherine E. Southwood, Matthew J. Suriano, Matthew J. Thomas, Archibald L.H.M. van Wieringen, and Richard A. Wright.

The candidates were accepted: 124 approved; 2 did not approve; 1 abstained.

For Associate Membership:

Robert W. Ackerman, Andrew T. Burns, Cleophas Lungu, James R. Page, S.J., Kyle J. Poje, Susan M. Sambrook , and Joseph R. Sigur Anthony Stratis.

The candidates were accepted: 126 approved; 0 did not approve; 1 abstented.

For Graduate Student Membership:

Timothy Patrick Ogbonyomi Alemayo, C.S.Sp., Emily Barnum, Timothy F. Broderick, Jr., Nicholas J. Campbell, Matteo A Carboni, Jorge A. Contreras Garcia, Tyler G. Culp, Andrea K. Di Giovanni, Diogo Roger D'Souza, S.F.X., Andres S. Frischeisen, Jennifer J. Guo, Sandra Gibson Hassink, Clarissa J. Hutcheson, Bryan E. Lewis, Elizabeth Mehlman, Jaroslav Mrna, Wilson E. Ngema, Ho Thi Nguyen, Robert Nicastro, George Macharia Njeri, S.J., Joaquin Pericas, Joseph Petrone, Jr., Irene E. Quach Soquier, Camilla Raymond, O.P., Christopher Jacob Reiss, Susan M. Russell, Julian J. Sieber, and Zachary E. Watson.

The candidates were accepted: 127 approved; 0 did not approve; 0 abstained.

NOMINATIONS

The President and Chair of the Business Meeting recognized Andrew R. Davi to present the report of the Committee on Nominations. He thanked the Committee members, Carol Dempsey, O.P., Katherine Hayes, Séamus O’Connell, James Okoye, C.S.Sp., and Maria Pascuzzi, C.S.J., for their work. The following officers were approved by the CBA Full membership through ballot [Approved count/Not approved count/Abstentions]: Stephen Breck Reid for President, 2022-23 term [124/0/3 vote]; Sheila E McGinn for Vice-President, 2022-23 term [122/1/4]; for Consultors to the Executive Board, 2022-24 term: Ahida Calderón Pilarski and Vincent Skemp [121/1/5 vote].

Through the same voting procedure, the following were approved for committee membership: on Nominations — Richard J. Bautch (2022-25 term), Craig Morrison, O. Carm. (2022-25 term), and James Okoye, C.S.Sp. (2022-23 term) [125/0/2 vote]; on Program for the Annual General Meeting — Maria Barga (2022-2025 term), Sherri Brown (2022-25, second term), Mark Enemali, C.S.Sp. (2022-25 term), and Charles Huff (2022-23, completing Toan Do’s term) [125/0/2 vote]; on Research Support — C. Clifton Black (2022-23, completing term of Jean-François Racine's term), Bradley Gregory (2022-25 term), Susanne Scholz (2022-25 term), Mary Rose D’Angelo (2022-25 term), and Harry Nasuti (2022-25 term) [126/0/1 vote]; on Technology and Outreach — Michael G. Azar (2022-24, third term), John Kaltner (2022-24, third term), and Sophia Magallanes-Tsang (2022-24 term) [124/0/3 vote].

With no questions or comments forthcoming, Mary Kate Birge, S.S.J. moved and Timothy B. Sailors seconded, that the Full members assembled accept the report of the Committee on Nominations. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

GENERAL EDITOR OF CBQ

Corrine L. Carvalho, the General Editor of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, was recognized to present her report.

Corrine L. Carvalho, the General Editor of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, was recognized to present her report. She began by expressing appreciation for her predecessor, Leslie J. Hoppe, O.F.M., who has been generous with time and help. With a PowerPoint slide projecting a table with statistics, she noted that CBQ has a healthy queue of articles, averaging 90 submissions annually. Unfortunately, the queue amounts to a two year wait which is difficult for early career academics, Carvalho reported. She said that the Editorial Board has discussed several options, including pre-publication of articles online.

Carvalho thanked the two new Book Review Editors, Mahri Leonard-Fleckman and Bryan Dyer who have faced challenges and have been wonderful in rethinking how things are done. She noted that since the pandemic there have been delivery issues and difficulty receiving review copies, especially from international publishers. Carvalho said that they are considering asking reviewers to receive online books, adding that it would never be a requirement, but it would be an option for those who do read online books.

The CBQ General Editor also reported that CBQ is now a part of SBL Central which announces when new issues of CBQ have been published. Carvalho noted that this would drive academics to the CBA website which also has membership information. She also reported that CBQ is now available in Browsine, a service for academic libraries with online journal subscriptions.

Finally, Carvalho thanked the Associate Editors, in particular seven who have agreed to stay on for another term, and three that are rotating off of the Editorial Board: Christopher Skinner, Colleen Conway, and Mark S. Smith. She said that their service on the editorial board has been outstanding.

The following Associate Editors of CBQ (Term 2023-26) were approved by the CBA Full membership through an online ballot: Dieter Böhler, S. J., Nathan Eubank, Meghan Henning, Elaine James, Olivia Stewart Lester [124/0/3 vote].

The President and Chair of the Business Meeting opened the floor for discussion and questions. There being none, Witherup called for a motion to accept the report Laurie A. Brink moved, and vanThanh Nguyen, S.V.D. seconded, that the Full members present accept the report of the CBQ General Editor. The motion carried unanimously.

GENERAL EDITOR OF CBQMS

Richard J. Bautch presented his report as General Editor of CBQMS (and CBQMI), beginning with an update on CBQ Imprints, the book series begun in 2020 to complement the CBQ Monograph Series. He said two books have been published since the last AGM. God and Gods in the Deuteronomistic History, edited by Corrine Carvalho and John L. McLaughlin, was published in October, 2021. A Festschrift for Leslie Hoppe, was edited by Barbara E. Reid, O.P. and published in May, 2022, with the title Forget Not God’s Benefits (Psalm 103:2). Bautch said that the Association can be proud of these volumes and look forward to more publications of this caliber.

He reported that in the coming year, CBQI 4 will be appear under the title God in Paul’s Letters, edited by Timothy Milinovich, Normand Bonneau, and Robert F. O’Toole. He also stated that another edition in CBQMS is forthcoming by Erick Gichomo Mwangi entitled In Search of the Ideal Supplicant: The Portrait of David in Psalms 138-145  He noted that several potential authors have sent queries, and that there are more publications on the horizon. He extended an invitation to members to submit to the two series.

Bautch reminded members that since 2018 CBA has been working with the CUA Press in the distribution and marketing of CBQ books. He said that CBA’s role as publisher has not changed, but that CUA Press that promotes and sells the books. In return, the Press receives a share of the proceeds from all book sales. The agreement, he said, is in the form of an MOU and is coming up for renewal at the end of this year. He reported that the sales have been disappointing and that there have been other issues with the Press as well. Bautch said that while CUA Press may be satisfied with the status quo, CBA is not. He said that he, the CBA Executive Director, and some members of the Editorial Board have been researching other publishing options.

The General Editor of CBQMS (and CBQI) concluded with an expression of gratitude to the members of the Editorial Board which is distinguished in its expertise and diversity, and to HK Scriptorium, Maurya Horgan and Paul Kobelski, the unsung heroes in the publication of CBA’s book series.

The following Associate Editors of CBQMS (and CBQI) (Term 2023-26) were approved by the CBA Full membership through an online ballot: Beverly Roberts Gaventa (2nd term), Daniel Machiela, Michael Patella, O.S.B., Malka Z. Simkovich [126/0/1 vote]. Richard J. Bautch was approved for a second term as General Editor of CBQMS (and CBQI) [125/0/2 vote].

The President and Chair of the Business Meeting noted that Richard Lux presented an online question asking if Bautch could address the Paulist Press Biblical Studies series. Bautch responded that he could not, but that there would be a report shortly. With no further questions forthcoming, James B. Prothro moved, and Mahri Leonard-Fleckman seconded, that the Full members accept the report of the General Editor of CBQMS (and CBQI). The motion carried in a unanimous vote.

BIBLICAL STUDIES FROM THE CBA

In the absence of Frank Matera, José Enrique Aguilar Chiu, presented the report of the General Editor of the Biblical Studies from CBA series published by Paulist Press. He stated that at the present time, the series Biblical Studies from the CBA has published six volumes. Three other volumes are due to be published within the year or so: The Theology and Spirituality of the Psalms of Ascents by Bradley Gregory, Amos and Hosea: The Justice and Mercy of God by Katherine Hayes, and The Shape of Matthew’s Story by Frank Moloney.

Aguilar reported that each volume of the series is about 30,000 to 33,000 words in length, intended for a general audience that is biblically literate but not necessarily specialists in the field. These volumes are ideal as supplemental texts for college or seminary courses and can be very helpful for those engaged in pastoral ministry. The Editorial Board encourages members to look at them and make them known to your students.

The report concluded noting that Frank Matera, who has been the General Editor of series for six years, will be stepping down as Editor at the end of the year. The Editorial Board has been actively searching for a new General Editor and hopes to have the new editor in place by this fall.

With no questions forthcoming, Christopher J. Seeman moved, and Martin C. Albl seconded, that the Full members present accept the report. In a unanimous vote, the motion was approved.

GENERAL EDITOR OF OTA

In the absence of Christopher T. Begg, Joseph E. Jensen was recognized to present the report of the General Editor of Old Testament Abstracts. The February (45,1) and June (45,2) 2022 issues of OTA have both appeared. Combined, they contain a total of 1,545 article and 215 book abstracts. The material for the October issue (45,3) of 2022 is at the typesetters. The General Editor has now sufficient material for the February 2023 issue (46,1) and is accumulating abstracts for the June 2023 (46,2) issue. Christopher T. Begg was approved for an eighth term as General Editor of OTA [125/0/2 vote].

The floor was opened for questions. There being none, Garret Galvin, O.F.M. moved, and Michael Patella, O.S.B. seconded, that the Full member accept the OTA General Editor’s report. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions.

In the absence of anyone from the Committee on Research Support, the Executive Director was called upon to make the report. Wright apologized for being unprepared but stated that he has worked with the committee and is familiar with their work. The committee is responsible for vetting the applications and making recommendations for: Grants from the CBA, Travel Grants, and the PBI Visiting Professorship. Wright noted that the committee will also be responsible for vetting the EBAF Visiting Professorship, hence the upcoming proposed amendment expanding the committee membership in order to help alleviate some of the workload. Wright reported that this year $52,457 has been awarded to members through the Grants from the CBA program; $2,000 has been awarded through the Travel Grants program, permitting four members to travel to San Jose for the AGM; the PBI Visiting Professorship will come to $45,000 (a $25,000 stipend and up to $20,000 in reimbursable expenses).

The floor was opened for discussion. There being none, Gregory Tatum, O.P. moved, and Chris Skinner seconded, that the report of the Committee on Research Support be accepted. In a unanimous vote, the motion passed.

New Business

In April, CBA members received an announcement regarding two amendments proposed by the Executive Board. Wright presented background on the first amendment stating that in 2020, the CBA initiated a new publications series, CBQ Imprints which in has been managed by the General Editor and Associate Editors of CBQMS. The amendment is, he said, updating the Constitution and By-Laws to reflect the reality. The floor was open for discussion and questions, but none was forthcoming.

MOTION: The Executive Board of the CBA moved that in the Constitution and By-Laws when “Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series” or “CBQMS” appears the following text, “and CBQ Imprints” or “and CBQI” be added respectively. The motion passed with an online vote of 125 voting in favor, 0 voting against, and 1 abstaining.

Witherup presented the second amendment stating that in drafting the new Constitution and By-Laws, the committee did not have the foresight to did build in flexibility for expansion of the committees and their function. The floor was open for discussion and questions, but none was forthcoming.
MOTION: The Executive Board of the CBA moved that in ARTICLE VII, Section 5 of the CBA Constitution and By-Law 4.4.5., the number of members of the Committee on Research Support be expanded from six to eight. The motion passed with an online vote of 123 in favor of the motion; 1 not approving the motion; 2 abstaining. 
As Chair of the Committee on Resolutions, Harold W. Attridge, Jr. announced that the Committee had doubled its work this year. He introduced the following resolution accepted unanimously by the Full members: Whereas Santa Clara University, Archie Wright, our colleagues on the Program Committee, and the technical team that enabled and tended our Zoom time have done an admirable job of organizing, and shepherding this hybrid annual general meeting, be it resolved that the Catholic Biblica Association of America offers them its heartfelt thanks.

With no new business, the President called for a motion to adjourn. Mary Kate Birge, S.S.J. moved, and Laurie A. Brink seconded, that the 2022 Business Meeting of the CBA be adjourned. The motion carried in a unanimous vote with no abstentions. The meeting adjourned at 4:48 p.m.

Before dinner, a prayer service was led by Karina Martin Hogan with Mary Kate Birge, S.S.J. providing a reflection on James 3:13-18.

The general session in the evening was a panel discussion entitled “Children in the Biblical World” with Richard J. Bautch, Kristine Henriksen Garroway, John W. Martens, and Julie Faith Parker, as panelists. The evening concluded with a social.

Sessions on Tuesday, August 2^nd

Ronald D. Witherup, P.S.S. was the principal celebrant and homilist for the 7:30 a.m. Eucharistic liturgy.

The task forces and continuing seminars met in the first part of the morning. The meeting concluded with a general session address by Ferdinand Okorie, C.M.F., “Asia Minor, the Early Church, Agricultural Metaphor and Christian Eschatology”

The following CBA members and invited guests were in attendance at the meeting either in-person or virtually:

Respectfully submitted,

Archie T. Wright
CBA Executive Director

Lisa A. Tarker
Recording Secretary