The Journal of the SCE

The Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics (JSCE) is published by Georgetown University Press twice a year with a distribution of 1400. The JSCE is comprised of scholarly papers, book reviews, and advertisements. Currently, the co-editors are Mary Jo Iozzio and Patricia Beattie Jung; the book review editor is Lois Malcolm. The JSCE grew out of what was The Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics. On the basis of the SCEs 21st Century Report, several changes were implemented by Christine E. Gudorf and Paul Lauritzen, who served as co-editors from 2000-2005. These changes included:  the expansion from an annual to a journal with two issues per year, the addition of book reviews, the solicitation of advertisements, and the electronic availability of essays in full text form through ATLAS.

Patricia Beattie Jung and Mary Jo Iozzio are committed to the initiatives of the Committee for the 21st Century; the following, from the Preface of their first issue, JSCE 26.2 (2006), reinforces that direction. 

… [T]he excellence and continued relevance of the Journal ultimately rests on the willingness of senior scholars to continue to invest in the Society of Christian Ethics and to mentor their junior colleagues and doctoral students into the work of the Society. As part of this mentoring, these same senior scholars encourage junior colleagues and student scholars to submit proposals to the Program Committee of the Society of Christian Ethics and, if their proposals are accepted, to submit their papers to peer review for publication in the Journal. This mentoring will also facilitate the inclusion of ever more diverse voices in the Journal. It is our hope that by the end of our tenure as coeditors of the Journal there will be many works in and multiple references to the full range of voices that should characterize our moral deliberations in the twenty-first century. We hold fast to the belief that upon such diverse exchanges the future of both the Journal and the Society depends.

The members of the Committee for the Twenty-First Century of the Society of Christian Ethics recognized “the importance of listening to unfamiliar voices and being attentive to the power relations embedded in moral discourse itself.”  As coeditors, we can contribute to the ongoing diversification of the voices present in the Society of Christian Ethics and deliberately encourage this discourse. We are hopeful that the Journal will be one of the venues “in which we [the Society] might expand our conversations to include ethicists in [diverse] traditions, cultures, and institutional settings.” Scholarly excellence will remain the primary criterion for publication, and like our predecessors, we will also aim to represent the full scope of scholarly interest in the Society, and to provide a forum for the work of new scholars and for the articulation of emerging issues and perspectives. We see in this editorial tradition an opportunity to advance the recommendations of the “Twenty-First Century Report” and to endorse the diverse conversations encouraged therein. In addition to fostering this vision of diversity, we intend to make all workings of the Journal –from the submission of proposals for the Annual Meeting to the Program Committee of the Society, to procedures whereby presentations may be submitted to the Journal for review, to the publication of book reviews, and service on the editorial board—more transparent, explicit, and readily negotiable by all members of the Society, and especially to respond to frequently asked questions newer members of the Society have raised. 

Thus, for the sake of enhanced access to information regarding the JSCE, we offer the following information and answers to frequently asked questions.

Officers of the JSCE

Co-Editors and Board Members
Mary Jo Iozzio's picture
Mary Jo Iozzio
(Mary Jo Iozzio)
Patricia Jung's picture
Patricia Beattie Jung
(Patricia Jung)

Book Review Editor

  

SJE Representative

SSME Representative
 
LoisMalcolm's picture
Lois E. Malcolm
(LoisMalcolm)

Jonathan Crane
SohailHashmi's picture
Sohail Hashmi
(SohailHashmi)

Board of Directors

Class of 2011
David P. Gushee's picture
David Gushee
(David P. Gushee)
JudithKay's picture
Judith Webb Kay
(JudithKay)
DouglasSchuurman's picture
Douglas Schuurman
(DouglasSchuurman)
WilliamWerpehowski's picture
William Werpehowski
(WilliamWerpehowski)

Class of 2012
StaceyFloyd-Thomas's picture
Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas
(StaceyFloyd-Thomas)
AmyHall's picture
Amy Hall
(AmyHall)
JohnShelley's picture
John Shelley
(JohnShelley)
LloydSteffen's picture
Lloyd H. Steffen
(LloydSteffen)

Class of 2013
Ma. ChristinaAstorga's picture
Ma. Christina Astorga
(Ma. ChristinaAstorga)
JohnCarlson's picture
John Carlson
(JohnCarlson)
MaríaDávila's picture
María Teresa Dávila
(MaríaDávila)
LauraHartman's picture
Laura Hartman
(LauraHartman)

Class of 2014
embucar's picture
Elizabeth M. Bucar
(embucar)
 
NathanColborne's picture
Nathan Colborne
(NathanColborne)
BryanMassingale's picture
Bryan Massingale
(BryanMassingale)
AanaVigen's picture
Aana Vigen
(AanaVigen)

Preparing a Manuscript

Since papers submitted to the JSCE for review are presented first at the Annual Meeting of the SCE Ethics, authors are expected to prepare their work following the standards of academic scholarship and, with the notice above, IRB approval when research involves human subjects. The co-editors recognize that these papers may be developed in a style appropriate for presentation, and may include a colloquial tone. However, papers for JSCE review must be submitted in prose; presentations in power point or other outline form are not acceptable.

All papers that are submitted to the JSCE for review should include a 100-150 word abstract at the start; although it may reflect in part, the abstract does not replace the introduction to the paper.

Panel presentations in plenary, concurrent, or interest group sessions may be submitted to the JSCE for review. Recognizing the likely colloquial nature of some presentations, however, the JSCE requires that panel submissions adhere to the academic standards of scholarship. The co-editors recommend the following options:

  1. That one of the panelists assumes the work of collating and merging the panelists’ respective works to create a single document (this option requires the development of an introduction, presents a break between each of the panelist’s work by identifying the author and title of their presentation, and includes if available any prepared response by yet another member of the panel); for example, see Sohail Hashmi and respondents John Kelsay, Dov Nelkin, Jonathan E. Brockopp, and Irene Oh, “Cultivating a Liberal Islamic Ethics, Building an Islamic Civil Society,” JSCE 27.1 (2007): 3-32.
  2. That one of the panelists assumes the work of weaving the panel presentations into a single document (this option requires the development of an introduction, transitions from one panelist’s work to the next, and a conclusion); for example, see Julie Hanlon Rubio, Barbara Hilkert Andolsen, Rebecca Todd Peters, and Cheryl Kirk-Duggan, “Women Scholars in Christian Ethics: the impact and value of family care,” JSCE 27.2 (2007): 11-53.

Papers should be developed using The Chicago Manual of Style. The JSCE employs the traditional rather than the author-date system of documentation and uses endnotes. Nevertheless, papers may be submitted at the time of the Annual Meeting of the SCE with footnotes or endnotes; these references may be single-spaced. The body of the text should be double-spaced type using a 12 point “Times New Roman” or other simple font.

Manuscripts must be submitted in both hard copy and electronic form. The JSCE needs four hard copies (one for each of the two referees, and one for each of the co-editors) and an electronic copy for both the archive and to facilitate editing for publication. We prefer “Word” or “Wordperfect”; for the time being, “Word 97-2003” or “Word 2007” are the JSCE Office word processing programs of choice.

Essays that are accepted for publication will be sent to authors with format editing, comments and requests for additional information, and suggestions for cutting, splicing, and other author-generated revision. Since authors will have time for revision, it is not essential that the manuscript you first submit meets precisely the style specifications of the JSCE-Georgetown University Press Guidelines although we recommend that you follow the formatting guidelines of Georgetown University Press below. Your cooperation in following these guidelines will facilitate the development of the manuscript for the volume and issue of the JSCE in which the essay will appear.

Georgetown University Press

GENERAL FORMATTING

  1. The entire manuscript is double spaced, including endnotes, extracts, and references, and you have used the 12-point Times font throughout the manuscript.
  2. All em-dashes —which when typeset will resemble these— in the text are indicated by two consecutive hyphens without space before, between, or after them, so that they appear--like this. If your word processing program automatically formats a dash to appear as an em-dash— like this— be sure there are no extra spaces before or after it.
  3. The first paragraph of each new section is set flush left and all subsequent paragraphs are indented using tabs.
  4. The first use of an abbreviation is spelled out in the text followed by the abbreviated form in parentheses, e.g., Federal Bureau of Investigations (F.B.I.). All subsequent mentions of the abbreviation may use the abbreviated form only. Please use periods between the letters.
  5. All unusual symbols (i.e., symbols that are not included in basic word processing software) are labeled with their correct name in the margin in each place they appear.
  6. The first use of a diacritical mark (acute accent, cedilla, etc.) is noted in the margin of the text.
  7. The entire manuscript has been prepared in the same word processing program, either Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. If you have converted the manuscript from another program, check each file to be certain that no data was lost. Clean up any extra spaces or incorrect characters that may have been added.
  8. Automatic hyphenation and widow-orphan protection have been turned off in your word processing program.
  9. All quotations have been compared with original sources for accuracy and completeness.
  10. All references have been checked for accuracy, completeness, and consistency of style. Each reference must have a corresponding text mention.
  11. All endnotes are double spaced and are in 12-point Times font. They are formatted in Chicago Manual of Style Documentation Two style (author-date), numbered consecutively in the text as superscript numerals throughout each chapter, are listed (using base-aligned numerals) at the end of each chapter or grouped by chapter at the end of the book, and placed before the references.
  12. Every page is numbered consecutively in the top, right-hand corner of the manuscript straight through from beginning to end in Arabic numerals. To number a manuscript consecutively across different electronic files: In Word - After choosing "Page numbers" from the "Insert" menu, click on "Format" on the box; choose "start at" and type in the page number with which you wish the file to begin. In WordPerfect - From the "Format" menu, choose "Page" and then "Numbering." On the box, choose "Set Value" and insert the page number with which you wish the file to begin.
  13. All headers and footers have been removed.
  14. All figures and tables are numbered using chapter number plus figure number, e.g., Figure 3.2 and Table 2.1. Figures and tables should not be embedded in the text. The manuscript and disks will be returned to you if they contain embedded figures or tables.

ENDNOTES AND REFERENCES

  1. Please indicate in-text note references by typing a superscript number and then create a separate file for the notes or place them as a group at the end of the paper. Please do not use the footnote or endnote feature of your word processing program to create "embedded" notes. They can easily be severed from the text and lost when converting from one software program or platform to another. Place all endnotes at the end of the paper.
  2. All in-text note numbers are superscript, and all note numbers preceding the note itself are base aligned.
  3. Endnotes are formatted consistently and correctly using Documentation Two style (author-date) of the Chicago Manual of Style.
  4. Endnotes are numbered consecutively in each chapter and are either grouped by chapter at the end of the manuscript before the reference list or placed at the end of their respective chapters.
  5. All endnote numbers in the text have corresponding endnotes that are correct and accurate.
  6. All references are formatted consistently. Please use Documentation One style (humanities), as explained on pp. 487-635 of the Chicago Manual of Style for bibliographic/reference sources, and Documentation Two style (author-date), as explained in the Chicago Manual of Style for endnotes.
  7. All references have been checked for completeness and accuracy.
  8. All citations made in the text are listed in the references and all references listed in the reference can be found in the text. Please double-check this.
  9. In the reference list, all successive works by the same author(s) after the first appearance are preceded by six unspaced dashes (three em-dashes) and a period in lieu of the author's(s') name(s).

Publication Criteria and IRB Regulations

Evaluation Guidelines

The JSCE offers speedy publication of high quality work as a service to authors who have crafted papers for delivery at the annual meeting of the SCE, and as a service to the members of the Society and of the larger academic community who benefit from the published presentation of these contributions to ethical inquiry. The editors' first objective, then, is to discern which of the papers, among those submitted for consideration, represent the most penetrating and fruitful contributions to our common enterprise of inquiry. The system of expert and editorial review developed by the editorial board has been put in place to ensure fairness and equity in the assessment of the quality of the papers available for publication.

In selecting papers for publication, the editors and editorial board will consider whether the paper:

Referees and co-editors will use the following criteria when evaluating papers:

  1. Does the paper make sense? Is it clearly written and comparatively free of jargon? Are the distinctions crisp? Is the argument coherent and accessible? Does the paper offer a strong line of argument with appropriate support and adequate development? Is the argument complex, sophisticated, or unusually elegant?
  2. Is the paper competent? The issue here is scholarly substance. Is the author familiar with the principal dimensions of the topic and with the established body of relevant literature? Does the author handle sources honestly, resourcefully, and without distortion? Has the author offered an even-handed treatment of the topic or do the author's own commitments bias the presentation in worrisome ways? If the author's position is controversial, does she or he position her or his work in the context of the current debate?
  3. Does the paper make a significant contribution? Does it offer an analytic, creative, or constructive contribution to the field? Is the work original, provocative, or unusually incisive? Is the argument adventurous? Does it open new possibilities or raising a plausible challenge to the reigning consensus? Does the paper add to, rather than merely repeat, what is already available in the work of others?

The following criteria are strongly encouraged.

  1. Does the paper follow contemporary standards of language use? The JSCE is committed to inclusive, non-discriminatory, and non-inflammatory language. Does the paper reflect in any way writing that is sexist, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, or otherwise derogatory of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion?
  2. Does the paper reflect contemporary standards of diversity? Does the paper follow the recommendations of the “Twenty-First Century Report” and the commitment of the JSCE Editorial Board to foster the dialogue among the diverse perspectives present in the SCE and to encourage deliberately this discourse through the critical and sustained engagement of the work of scholars who are currently underrepresented in the academy? Does the paper engage the work of emerging scholarship from, for example, Black and Womanist, Hispanic/Latina(o) and Mujerista, Asian and Asian American, and other context-based theologies? Does the paper include critical scrutiny and social/self-reflection of the racial, cultural, and/or religious implications for the subject, scholarship, or method of the investigation? Does the paper review scholarship beyond North American contexts and/or examine work in languages other than English? Does the paper explore the work of scholars throughout the world, that is, does the paper demonstrate consideration of the subject beyond a North American-centric worldview?
  3. Does the paper advance interdisciplinary approaches and/or methodologies? Has the author used another discipline’s hermeneutic to explore and value the questions of ethical inquiry? Does the paper deliver insight from another discipline’s tools of investigation? Is the methodology sufficiently presented?
  4. Is the paper of general interest? Does it address important ethical questions? Does it draw upon religious and theological resources in addressing these questions? Will the paper interest large numbers of the Society's members, however specialized its particular subject matter may be?

IRB Regulations on Research Involving Human Subjects

At present federal laws and regulations regarding the protection of human subjects during research activities apply to researchers who are funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Many academic and health care institutions have extended the “Common Rule” to all research involving human subjects, whether so funded or not. Most now require that all research on human subjects be approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). Likewise, the JSCE strongly encourages authors to follow the US Code of Federal Regulations, "Title 45, Public Welfare (Department of Health and Human Services) Part 46, Protection of Human Subjects" (June 23, 2005). The Federal Code, also known as the “Common Rule,” applies to any research that involves human subjects. The Code requires that research involving human subjects undergo scrutiny by and receive approval from an IRB prior to the start of study to ensure that subjects are protected from harm.

The JSCE requires IRB approval of any research that involves human subjects with the review of work presented at the 2010 annual meeting (and thereafter); this notice advises those who will be submitting proposals in response to the “Call” for the 2010 Annual Meeting (and subsequent “calls”) that their research may be subject to this requirement. Increasingly, journals are looking at the ethics of research conducted by the authors of papers submitted for publication review. The requirement of IRB approval will remind researchers of their responsibility to ensure appropriate protections are in place before they initiate studies that involve human subjects; this kind of research includes but is not limited to interviews, focus groups, the completion of questionnaires and the like (when in doubt, consult your local IRB). The JSCE stands with those journals that require identification of a research protocol review and approval by a local IRB.

While many of our authors are members of institutions that support their own IRB and are familiar with the Federal Code, others are not. The Code permits a researcher whose institution does not have its own IRB or who are independent of institutional affiliation to submit a protocol to an IRB of another institution. Following the “Common Rule,” IRB approval must be received before any research with human subjects begins, including research that appears innocuous, like interviewing people where they work, play, pray, eat, or sleep.

Once IRB approval is met, a protocol number is assigned to the research and the study may begin. When authors submit their papers to the JSCE for publication review, they need only note the protocol number and date of IRB approval. No paper including research with human subjects that lacks IRB approval will be accepted by the JSCE following the publication of volume 30.1 (2010). For a sample citation of IRB approval see Laura A. Stivers, “Making a Home for All in God’s Compassionate Community,” JSCE 28.2 (2008): 71, n.34.

For more information regarding the Federal Code visit the website of the US Department of Health and Human Services and follow the links to Regulations and Policy Guidance http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/, http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm, and http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/decisioncharts.htm.

FAQ

Becoming an Officer of the JSCE

Q. How are the co-editors of the JSCE chosen?
A. A task force is appointed by the Board of the SCE to solicit nominations and interview candidates. Their recommendation is voted upon by the Board of Directors and sent to the membership for approval during the annual business meeting. The usual term of office for editors of the JSCE is five years.

Q. Who serves on the JSCE Editorial Board and what do they do?
A. The Editorial Board is made up of members of the SCE. Customarily, those who are invited to serve on the Editorial Board are not holding other offices in the SCE. Thus, Editorial Board members are appointed by the co-editors of the journal in consultation with the Executive Director of the SCE. Members of the Editorial Board are usually asked to referee three papers and report on audience response to them at the annual meeting. When needed, they also write at least one book review a year for the journal and advise the editors on policy matters at the Board meeting immediately following the conclusion of the annual meeting. The normal term of service on the JSCE Editorial Board is three years. At present four new members are appointed to the Editorial Board each year. An effort is made to have at least one member of the SJE and one member of the SSME on the Board at all times.

Q. If I am interested in serving on the JSCE Editorial Board, whom should I contact?
A. Nominees are solicited from current members of the Editorial Board each year, so you may contact any member of the Editorial Board in this regard. Or you may nominate yourself (or others) directly by sending your suggestion(s) to the co-editors of the JSCE. All such nominations are welcome; however, not all requests can be honored.

Q. What do the editors consider when selecting members of the Editorial Board for the JSCE?
  A. The editors base their selections on several factors. First, members of the Editorial Board must be full members of the SCE or SJE. Second, they must have provided particularly incisive and constructive assessments of the submissions to the JSCE they have evaluated as volunteer referees. Third, they must bring to the Board an area of expertise and a perspective needed therein.

Q. How is the Book Review Editor chosen? What are his/her responsibilities?
A. Since the creation of the position of Book Review Editor coincided with the appointment of Patti and Mary Jo as co-editors, no formal mechanism is in place to guide the choice of Book Review Editor. With the next round of a search for co-editors of the JSCE, the Task Force charged with that search will look for nominations and interview for the position of the Book Review Editor.It is the Book Review Editor’s responsibility to receive books written by members of the SCE or recommended by an Interest and/or Working Group, to find members to review the books received, to receive and edit those reviews, and to forward them to the co-editor responsible for production of the manuscript.

Volunteering as a Referee for the JSCE

Q. If I am interested in serving as a volunteer referee for the JSCE during an annual meeting, whom should I contact?
A. On the registration form for the annual SCE meeting there is a sign-up sheet for those full members of the Society interested in serving as referees. Names of volunteer referees and their areas of expertise are collated by the Associate Executive Director of the SCE by December 1st and then sent to the co-editors of the JSCE. The co-editors aim to match well the expertise of volunteer referees with essays submitted for review.

Q. What are the responsibilities of JSCE referees?
A. Referees are expected to give each manuscript they are assigned a close reading. Referees are asked to pick up the paper(s) from the SCE registration desk immediately before the opening session of the annual meeting.

Referees are expected to attend the session at which the author presents the paper, staying for the discussion as well as the presentation itself. Referees should include in their evaluation remarks about the reception of the paper. If the referee’s assessment of the manuscript differs from the assessment of the presentation and discussion, referees are to include an explanation in their remarks.

In preparing evaluations, referees should consider the criteria for paper selection. Referees are expected to make a summary judgment of the paper,to justify that judgment, and provide typed comments. These comments are desirable even if the paper is not recommended for publication. One purpose of the refereeing process, and the one for which authors most often express their deep gratitude, is the collegial function of helping one another improve our scholarly work.

Referees are to return their summary judgment and comments as soon as practical following the annual meeting and before the end of January.

Author Eligibility

Q. Who is eligible to submit articles for the JSCE?
A. All those who make presentations at the annual meeting of the SCE and at the concurrent annual meeting of the Society of Jewish Ethics are eligible. Everyone in these groups who notifies the editors before December 1 that they wish to have their work reviewed and considered for publication are welcome to submit essays to the JSCE.

Q. Is work presented at section meetings of the SCE eligible for publication in the JSCE?
A. Yes, however, regardless of the rules a section adopts about who may present at their meetings, only SCE members in good standing, including student members who have passed their qualifying exams for the doctorate and student members without this qualification who will co-present with a full member, are eligible to submit their work for review by the JSCE. Papers submitted to the JSCE for review must be presented electronically to the Sectional Program Director and forwarded to the Editors at the start of the Section meeting. Failure to meet this date disqualifies the paper for review. The paper being proposed must not be currently under review with another publisher.

Q. Are SCE panel presentations eligible for JSCE submission?
A. Yes, however, panel papers that are submitted to JSCE review must follow academic standards of scholarship, style, and format guidelines used for all papers submitted for review (see the section “Preparing your Manuscript for Publication Review” for more information).

Q. Is it acceptable for me to submit my paper simultaneously to the JSCE and to another journal?
A. No! The SCE holds the copyright to all work submitted to the JSCE until a decision not to publish is made. It is not our purpose to reprint work that is readily available in other journals. Moreover, the JSCE makes publication decisions within four months of their submission, so papers that are not accepted can quickly be submitted elsewhere.

Q. Suppose my SCE paper constitutes a chapter of a book manuscript that I intend to publish elsewhere or, suppose my SCE paper draws heavily on material I have already published in a book or in another journal, may I submit the paper to the JSCE for review?
A. Cases of this sort have to be considered individually; the editors will need details. In general, we would not publish essays that will appear nearly verbatim in a book manuscript within the year after publication of the JSCE in which the article appears. If the essay will be substantially revised, if material from it will be used for an essay or a chapter with a different thesis or purpose, or if the book manuscript is not likely to be published within the restricted period, we would be interested in considering the essay for publication inthe JSCE. When in doubt about our criteria regarding overlap with other publications, do not hesitate to consult the editors.

Q. Are authors consulted before their papers are considered for publication?
A. Yes, all presenters are asked whether they would like their papers considered for publication. Some presenters choose not to submit their work for review; those who wish to submit their work to JSCE review notify the co-editors by December 1st so that appropriate referees can be found to review the work.

Review Procedures and Copyright

Q. What procedures are authors to follow when submitting their papers to JSCE review?
A. First, authors must notify the co-editors that they will submit their papers to review by December 1st. Second, authors must submit four hard copies and one electronic copy of their papers to the JSCE before the start of the Annual Meeting of the Society of Christian Ethics.

Q. Why does the JSCE need four hard copies and an electronic copy?
A. Two hard copies are for referees, two copies for the co-editors and the electronic copy is for the archives. The SCE has neither facility at the meeting site nor funds to duplicate copies. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Q. What is the absolute due date for submitting hard copies?
A. The hard and electronic copies must be delivered to the SCE Registration desk at the Annual Meeting by 8:00 AM Friday morning, before the opening session of the meeting. (The SCE registration desk will be open Thursday afternoon, from about noon until 9:00 PM and Friday morning around 7:30 AM).

If you would prefer to turn your paper in before the annual meeting, Linda Schreiber is willing to bring hard copies of it to the meeting. However, the required copies (4 hard copies, 1 electronic copy) must be sent to:  Linda Schreiber, Associate Executive Director, Society of Christian Ethics, PO Box 5126, St. Cloud MN  56302-5126. They must be postmarked no later than December 15.

Q. How are papers reviewed for JSCE publication?
A. Papers are peer reviewed by no fewer than four referees, who use the criteria for publication in the JSCE cited above in their evaluation of the paper. Two of these referees attend the session in which the paper is presented as well as read the paper.

Q. What are the criteria for paper selection?
A. Scholarly excellence and the contribution the paper makes to the field (additionally, papers including research involving human subjects must meet the requirement of IRB guidelines noted above). The JSCE also hopes to represent the full scope of the SCEs interests and to provide a forum for the work of new scholars and the articulation of emerging issues and perspectives. See the “Publication Criteria” section above for more information.

Q. What is the ideal length of a paper?
A. The ideal length of a paper, including all references, is between 5,000 and 6,250 words (approximately 20-25 double-spaced typed pages). Papers of greater length may be subject to extensive editing. The JSCE can support a total number of 110,000 words per issue; this total includes the publication of 10-11 essays, book reviews, and information about contributors.

Q. Are all papers and panels of the SCE annual meeting included in the JSCE?
A. No, fewer than half of the papers presented at the annual meeting are published in the JSCE.

Q. Which papers must be reviewed for publication?
A. All papers, whether presented in concurrent sessions, as part of a panel or plenary session, or in an Interest Group session, must follow the same peer review procedures.

Q. Are the President’s Address, plenary presentations, and papers from pre-meeting sessions automatically included in the JSCE?
A. No, only peer reviewed material is published. Even the presidential address is refereed and may need to be revised in response to editorial suggestions.

Q. Who makes the decisions regarding publication?
A. Final editorial decisions are made by the co-editors in consultation with the JSCE Editorial Board and in light of evaluations provided by referees. 

Q. How quickly are authors notified on publication decisions?
A. Usually, authors receive the editorial decision about publication around the end of March.

Q. If an essay is not accepted for publication, will authors have the benefit of the referees’ comments?
A. Yes! A summary or copy of the referees’ comments and any additional suggestions the editors can muster are provided to all of the authors who submit their manuscripts, barring mail losses or other unforeseen circumstances. Usually, there are benefits in submitting your paper even if it is not accepted for publication in the JSCE.

Q. Do authors whose essays are selected for publication have an opportunity to revise their work?
A. Yes! The JSCE’s selection process requires refereeing reports on each essay from at least one board member and two other referees. The editors will provide you with a copy or summary of these anonymous reports, plus whatever advice the editors are able to offer. If your essay is selected for publication, the final revised manuscript will be due May 1 unless otherwise directed. Most authors utilize this opportunity to rework at least portions of their essays in light of the discussion at the JSCE meeting and the comments of the referees.

Q. If an essay is accepted for publication is the author obliged to publish with the JSCE?
A. No author is obliged to publish with the JSCE. Once notice of acceptance has been sent, the author must confirm acceptance and begin the work of revision, if appropriate and as needed. The essay must be returned to the JSCE Editor by May 1, unless otherwise directed, for manuscript production.

Q. If an essay is accepted for publication, does the JSCE supply off-prints, tear sheets, or extra copies of the essay to the authors?
A. No, however, authors receive their member copy of the JSCE and are welcome to order additional copies of the JSCE from Georgetown University Press at a 40% discount.

Q. Who holds the copyright to essays published in the JSCE and may essays be reprinted elsewhere?
A. The SCE holds the copyright to the essay. Reprints are permitted to the author after one year of the essay’s publication in the JSCE at no cost if the essay will be reprinted in a text by the same author; this reprint must include the original publication information. Reprint of an essay in a collection is permitted for a $100 fee and must include the original publication information. Half of this fee is forwarded to the author. Other policies may apply to reprint permission for other modes of publication. Contact the SCE for more information or requests to reprint an essay.

Book Reviews

Q. How are books selected for the book review section?
A. Timeliness of publication, availability of reviewers, and space in the JSCE determines the publication of a book review. Books reviewed in JSCE must either be authored by members of the SCE, SJE, or SSME or have been formally recommended for review by a unit of the SCE (an Interest or Working Group). SCE, SJE, or SSME members who wish to have their books reviewed should have their publisher send a copy to the Book Review Editor, Lois Malcolm, Luther Seminary, 2481 Como Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108.

SCE members may expedite nomination of their own new books for the “Breakfast with an Author” session at the Annual Meeting by having their publisher send one copy of the text to the convener of the session and another copy to the Book Review Editor of the JSCE, who will forward the copy to a reviewer with relevant interests and expertise. Alternately, members may send their new books directly to the Book Review Editor, who will forward a copy for review to a member of the Editorial Board or another member of the SCE who has volunteered to review for the JSCE.

Unsolicited book reviews are not accepted.

Q. If I am interested in reviewing books, whom should I contact?
A. Contact Lois Malcolm, the JSCE Book Review Editor. Please indicate your area/s of expertise.

Q. What is the ideal length of a book review?
A. A review of one book should not exceed 600 words. On occasion the Book Review Editor will request a review of more than one book as a result of two or three books on a closely related subject; such reviews should not exceed 1200 words, with exceptions up to 1500 words.

Q. When are reviews due to the Book Review Editor?
A. The Book Review Editor will provide a due date along with the style guide and book to the reviewer. Ordinarily, reviews should be sent to the Book Review Editor by March 1 for inclusion in the Fall/Winter issue of the JSCE and September 1 for the Spring/Summer issue. However, reviews may be sent to the Book Review Editor throughout the year.

Q. What style does the JSCE recommend for book reviews?
A. The note that begins the review should take the following form:
God, Evil, and Innocent Suffering: A Theological Reflection. By John E. Thiel. New York: Crossroad, 2002. 179 pp. $19.95.

As for the review itself:
The typical review of a single work has 500-600 words. This length provides sufficient opportunity for a clear and decidedly brief summary of the thesis of the book, the evidence and arguments supporting that thesis, and an evaluation of the argumentation. The evaluation should be fair and balanced, pointing out both the strengths and the weaknesses of the argument. Especially important is an evaluation of the contribution, if any, to scholarship in this area of the field of ethics, and of the audience, if any, that would benefit from this book. How does this book fit into current work in the field? To what extent does it engage recent work in the field? How narrow or broad are the disciplinary limits from which the author approaches the topic?

Reviews of two books have 1000-1250 words and three books have 1500 words. They should not simply review the books serially, but should include some degree of contrast or comparison. Presumably there was some reason for assigning them together, and this should be addressed, whether it proved felicitous or not.

Completed reviews should be sent via electronic media to the Book Review Editor.

Subscriptions to and Advertising in the JSCE

Q. How can I get a subscription to the JSCE or order a particular issue?
A. Every member in good standing of the Society of Christian Ethics and of the Society of Jewish Ethics receives a subscription to the JSCE. As each new issue is published, copies are sent to all members of record, that is, to all those members whose dues are current and who are on the active member mailing list. A member who misses an issue because his or her name is not on the active member mailing list can purchase back issues through the Hopkins Fulfillment Center. Similarly, non-members may place standing orders for the JSCE through the Hopkins Fulfillment Center. The Hopkins Fulfillment Center can be contacted by telephone 1-800-537-5487 or fax 1-410-516-6998.

Q. What does it mean to have the JSCE included in the ATLAS database?
A. It means that any library that subscribes to ATLAS has online access to full text articles from the JSCE. An issue must have been in print for one year before articles are available online. All volumes from 1981 to 2004 are available through ATLAS. (This includes issues of The Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics.)At present every time you or your students access a JSCE text through ATLAS, the SCE receives a small fee. (So, post those links on your syllabi and Blackboard etc!)

Q. When are issues of the JSCE available?
A. When all goes well, the Fall/Winter issue of the JSCE is mailed from the printer to the membership and to the subscribing libraries in late November or early December of the same year in which the papers are presented at the SCE meeting; the Spring/Summer issue is mailed in late June or early July of the following year.

Q. What audience does the JSCE reach?
A. The JSCE is mailed directly to the approximately 850 members of the Society of Christian Ethics. Approximately 200 institutions, a number that we are energetically endeavoring to increase, have standing orders for the JSCE. Additional orders for the JSCE are placed with Georgetown University Press. Articles in the JSCE are indexed by Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Current Contents/Arts & Humanities, and Research Alert (all published by the Institute for Scientific Information); Ethics Index (from the American Theological Library Association); The Philosopher’s Index; Religion Index Two; and Religious and Theological Abstracts. The JSCE is included in the ATLAS database; soon, all back issues of JSCE/Annual will be available online.

Q. What kind of advertisements may be placed in the JSCE?
A. Advertisements for books, graduate programs, and conferences of interest to the membership are accepted.

Q. How do I place an advertisement in the JSCE?
A. You may reserve advertisement space by contacting Linda Schreiber, Associate Executive Director, Society of Christian Ethics, PO Box 5126, St. Cloud MN  56302-5126; tel: 320-253-5407, fax: 320-252-6984. You may also contact her via the website.  March 1st is the due date for the spring issue, usually distributed in July. September 1 is the due date for the fall issue, usually distributed in December.

Q. What does an advertisement cost?
A. All advertisements are located after the book review section of the journal. Costs may vary with the size of the ad, for example, a full page costs $350 per issue.

Q. Once I have reserved space, where do I send the copy for the advertisement? What are the design specifications?
A. Send your copy for the advertisement to Linda Schreiber at the SCE office. Mechanical specifications: 5" x 7" (full page). Requirements: film negative, right-reading, emulsion-side down, 133-line screen. Mechanicals cannot be returned. Black and white only. Ads may be sent by email in a pdf file with the resolution at 300 dpi.

Most Current Issues

Articles and book reviews included in the past issue (more searchable information and all other issues are located in the Resources area) and the next issue to be released.

JSCE Articles

2009 v. 29.2

›› more

JSCE Articles

2010 v. 30.1

›› more