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Buddhist-Christian Studies 35 (2015) 207–209. © by University of Hawai‘i Press. All rights reserved.

The Annual Meeting of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies

San Diego, California, USA November 21–23, 2014

Sandra Costen Kunz, SBCS Secretary and Jonathan A. Seitz, Newsletter Editor

The annual meeting is an opportunity to meet, to reconnect, and to share our work. As a “Related Scholarly Organization” of the American Academy of Religion, the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies holds its meetings concurrently with the AAR’s national conference. The SBCS normally organizes two panels and holds board and members meetings. This year’s panels were “Liberation Theology and Engaged Buddhism: Challenging Each Other, Learning from Each Other,” and “Old Buddhist Texts: New Womanist Thought.” The papers from panels are often published in this journal.

board meetings (officer and committee reports)

The society’s annual board meeting was held on Friday, November 21, and its mem- bers meeting Sunday, Nov. 23. The board approved officer reports submitted by the treasurer, Denise Yarbrough, the interim journal editors, Terry Muck and Rita Gross, and the newsletter editor, Jonathan Seitz and the minutes submitted by secretary San- dra Kunz. An extended discussion treated the history of the relationship between the society, the journal, and the University of Hawai‘i Press. The board voted to continue publishing with UHP while working out a new memorandum of understanding.

We reviewed reports from the Nominating Committee, Streng Book Award Com- mittee, Graduate Student Award Committee, Membership Committee, Social Media and Website Committee, and Program Committee.

Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee reported that the governing board terms of Yifa and John Makransky end with this board meeting. John remains on the board as vice president. We discussed nominees for these two board positions.

Streng Book Award Committee. The Streng Book Award Committee noted that it would be helpful to receive nominations. Thomas Hastings joined the committee and J. Abraham Vélez de Cea was elected to another term.

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Graduate Student Award Committee. Karen Enriquez reported for the Graduate Student Award Committee, noting that although a good paper was selected this year, the problem of paper quality remains. Rita Gross suggested that members with students working in Buddhist-Christian studies should encourage them to present papers at regional AAR meetings and submit these to the award committee. Judith Simmer-Brown suggested we start a subsidiary online journal that would publish, among other things, commentaries on BCS articles, including grad student commen- taries. John Makransky suggested that we also post important articles from past issues we see as classics in the field. In light of the board’s enthusiasm about this idea for publishing grad student papers online, and in light of the difficulties of scheduling graduate student award papers within our sessions, John moved that we discontinue the oral presentation of graduate student award papers. Judith seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. John later moved, and Judith seconded the motion, that the board charge Karen, Glenn Willis, and Sarah Swenson to develop a proposal by March for a website that would host a subsidiary peer-reviewed online journal, being sure to articulate how this could promote the society among younger scholars. It passed unanimously.

Membership Committee. Reminding us of Jonathan Seitz’s list of past members, John Makransky suggested we send out a membership mailing to them. Sarah Swenson and Alice Keefe were charged with creating a comprehensive distribution list and sending out a mailing asking everyone to join, rejoin, or renew their membership.

Social Media and Website Committee. In light of our proposal to start a subsidiary online journal, Judith Simmer-Brown was gratefully charged with chairing a new committee with David Gardiner and Glenn Willis, who has been handling Facebook publicity. They will get bids for hiring a professional website designer who can con- figure it in such a way that we could maintain it ourselves.

Program Committee. John Makransky reported briefly on the potential session top- ics suggested at the lunch meeting. We discussed pros and cons of forming panels of known experts and using AAR’s blind submission process. The discussion ended with general exhortation to scout out scholars with pertinent work to enlarge our pool of presenters.

We briefly discussed the pros and cons of organizing an international conference and reviving and regularizing the international advisor positions. Several names were suggested. Alice Keefe volunteered to come up with an amendment to the bylaws that would clarify the role of international advisors.

members meeting

President Alice Keefe called us to order after the Sunday morning panel. She first announced that this year’s Streng Book Award goes to John Ross Carter for In the Company of Friends: Exploring Faith and Understanding with Buddhists and Christians, published by SUNY Press in 2013.

She presented the slate to fill the board seats left vacant since the terms of John

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Makransky and Yifa had expired. Sandra Kunz moved that Glenn Willis and Ruben Habito be approved, and Karen Enriquez seconded. They were elected unanimously.

Alice also announced that Carol Anderson and Thomas Cattoi had been nominated as co-editors of the journal. Rita Gross moved that they be approved, John Makransky seconded, and they were unanimously appointed.

In a brief review of highlights of the board meeting, Alice noted that a commit- tee would be working on a proposal for a peer-reviewed, online journal that would serve as subsidiary to BCS and offer a forum for commentary on its articles. She also reported that the board would be clarifying and strengthening the roles of interna- tional advisors from sister societies in Europe and Asia. Members were reminded to contact vice president John Makransky with panel suggestions.

Rita Gross moved that we adjourn and Carol Anderson seconded. We did so at 11:29, perhaps setting a society record for clear and simple speech.

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