Martin Kavka
@kavkaesque.bsky.social
Religion prof, fan (and sometimes hatereader) of fashion and wedding journalism. Nothing I write here represents my employer.
It may just reflect the time I entered the field, but Wilken’s address in my mind publicly marked the field as riven by conflict in a way that had not been the case earlier. But I don’t recall the finer details of Wiebe’s histories of AAR presidential addresses at this moment.
November 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
It may just reflect the time I entered the field, but Wilken’s address in my mind publicly marked the field as riven by conflict in a way that had not been the case earlier. But I don’t recall the finer details of Wiebe’s histories of AAR presidential addresses at this moment.
The president does some visionary planning (e.g. picking a theme, splitting the AAR and SBL meetings, bringing them back together), but not day-to-day admin, iirc.
The presidential address ends up in JAAR; the other plenaries do not, and so I’d always thought the prez address was more prestigious.
The presidential address ends up in JAAR; the other plenaries do not, and so I’d always thought the prez address was more prestigious.
November 30, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The president does some visionary planning (e.g. picking a theme, splitting the AAR and SBL meetings, bringing them back together), but not day-to-day admin, iirc.
The presidential address ends up in JAAR; the other plenaries do not, and so I’d always thought the prez address was more prestigious.
The presidential address ends up in JAAR; the other plenaries do not, and so I’d always thought the prez address was more prestigious.
Also, I’m curious about (a) the presidential address being at the bottom of this list, when one might expect it to be at the top, (b) whether there were internal politics that led to the creation of this new welcoming address by someone whom the President targeted in his address.
November 30, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Also, I’m curious about (a) the presidential address being at the bottom of this list, when one might expect it to be at the top, (b) whether there were internal politics that led to the creation of this new welcoming address by someone whom the President targeted in his address.
Wilken’s presidential address is an important moment in the political history of the field. It was eventually published in JAAR 57:4.
November 30, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Wilken’s presidential address is an important moment in the political history of the field. It was eventually published in JAAR 57:4.
For those seeking a bit of glamor, there is the possibility of spelling one's name with L-with-stroke (borrowed from Polish), and a corresponding change in pronunciation?
November 19, 2025 at 6:45 PM
For those seeking a bit of glamor, there is the possibility of spelling one's name with L-with-stroke (borrowed from Polish), and a corresponding change in pronunciation?
You will leave it be, yes?
November 18, 2025 at 2:32 PM
You will leave it be, yes?
Man Is Denied A Loan
September 8, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Man Is Denied A Loan
God’s Presence in History Departments
September 8, 2025 at 10:43 AM
God’s Presence in History Departments
Time to republish this book in a second edition that contains the line “My slutty pajamas not temptin' him in the least”????
September 4, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Time to republish this book in a second edition that contains the line “My slutty pajamas not temptin' him in the least”????
Very little deciphering skills on my part! On the hunch that the owner might have cited the volume in a publication, I googled “‘patrum apostolicorum’ ‘a. a.’”
August 31, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Very little deciphering skills on my part! On the hunch that the owner might have cited the volume in a publication, I googled “‘patrum apostolicorum’ ‘a. a.’”
I think it’s A. A. Hobson, who seems to have written a dissertation at Chicago in 1904 on the synoptic problem.
August 31, 2025 at 1:46 AM
I think it’s A. A. Hobson, who seems to have written a dissertation at Chicago in 1904 on the synoptic problem.
Tom Clancy’s Religion of Reason out of the Sources of Judaism.
(OTOH, I heartily look forward to Tom Clancy’s Star of Redemption.)
(OTOH, I heartily look forward to Tom Clancy’s Star of Redemption.)
August 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Tom Clancy’s Religion of Reason out of the Sources of Judaism.
(OTOH, I heartily look forward to Tom Clancy’s Star of Redemption.)
(OTOH, I heartily look forward to Tom Clancy’s Star of Redemption.)
There is nothing outside the score to keep it — Derrida
August 27, 2025 at 1:22 AM
There is nothing outside the score to keep it — Derrida
Somewhere in my brain is a short short story about Schl, maker of eggs.
August 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Somewhere in my brain is a short short story about Schl, maker of eggs.
Perhaps. But he *is* only an assistant.
August 21, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Perhaps. But he *is* only an assistant.
"managing editor for trust"??!!??!!
August 21, 2025 at 5:07 PM
"managing editor for trust"??!!??!!
I'd associate Mendelssohn with The Ramones and Cohen with Hüsker Dü, but I respect this list immensely.
August 19, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I'd associate Mendelssohn with The Ramones and Cohen with Hüsker Dü, but I respect this list immensely.
My colleagues and I received an email reminder today about our institution's "resilience tools." There were no emoji in that email, though.
August 19, 2025 at 7:50 PM
My colleagues and I received an email reminder today about our institution's "resilience tools." There were no emoji in that email, though.
Frankie Goes To Rancho Cucamonga
August 13, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Frankie Goes To Rancho Cucamonga
Were you wearing dungarees in a dungeon when this happened?
August 10, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Were you wearing dungarees in a dungeon when this happened?
Please continue these jokes; otherwise, I will sing to myself "Adam, I'm empty since you left me / Trying to find a way to carry on."
August 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Please continue these jokes; otherwise, I will sing to myself "Adam, I'm empty since you left me / Trying to find a way to carry on."
Can I now start referring to helicopters as pterohelices?
July 30, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Can I now start referring to helicopters as pterohelices?
<Beulah Bondi waves frantically>
July 30, 2025 at 1:46 AM
<Beulah Bondi waves frantically>
Sometimes, when a boy and a synthesizer love each other very much…
July 25, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Sometimes, when a boy and a synthesizer love each other very much…