Constitution
Mission and Vision
Mission Statement:
To advance sound biblical hermeneutics by encouraging and equipping Bible teachers in grammatical-historical hermeneutics and developing resources for Bible teachers and students.
Strategic Vision Statement:
The International Society for Biblical Hermeneutics offers its members opportunities for mutual support, doctrinal growth, and professional development through the following:
- Advancing academic study of the biblical text from the grammatical-historical perspective
- Developing resources to promote biblical integrity
- Facilitating discussion on current issues in biblical hermeneutics
- Organizing conferences for scholarly exchange
- Mobilizing teams for biblical research
- Publishing dispensational scholarship
Membership
All members must be in significant agreement with the Doctrinal Statement of ISBH. Any doctrinal reservation must be announced to the board during application for membership. All members must demonstrate a competency to understand the English language. All members must declare a Regional.
Member
Available to grammatical-historical hermeneuticists who lack qualifications to be a fellow. ISBH strives to help willing members to achieve the status of Fellow. Members must reconfirm their membership annually.
Members are invited to all public ISBH events and some member-only events and resources. Discounts are available to members for certain premium events and resources.
Fellow
Requires ISBH membership, a minimum of an M.A. or equivalent in a field related to hermeneutics (or completion of an approved theology program), a published work related to dispensational theology, and a nomination from a Fellow.
A Fellow may form and organize a project under the ISBH name. This may include webinars, conferences, symposiums, etc. (see “Research Teams” below).
Research Fellow
Fellows who are currently involved in a research project for ISBH. Must have been published within the past two years to maintain Research Fellow status.
Leadership
The International Society for Biblical Hermeneutics is led by a board of directors. Board members must be Members of ISBH and are elected periodically at an ISBH International meeting by a simple majority of submitted membership votes (all members should receive a ballot electronically). A board term is a 2-5-year commitment. The board accepts responsibility for installing new members and steering the Society in a productive direction.
Research Teams
A research team must include at least one Fellow of ISBH and must be led by either a Member or a Fellow (A Fellow leading a research team is typically eligible to become a Research Fellow). Nonmembers may be members of research teams.
To form a research team, a Member or Fellow must propose a topic, a specific project related to the topic (e.g. a book, conference, series of articles, etc.), and a deadline. The proposal must be submitted to the board for approval and receive the support of a majority vote to be sanctioned as an ISBH International project. Regional projects are to be executed in accordance with the Regional bylaws.
Regionals
Regionals represent geographic regions where ISBH is active. A new Regional may be formed by dividing an existing Regional, by establishing a Regional in new territory, by expanding a Regional’s borders, or by any combination therein. A new Regional must have at least five members, at least three of which reside in the region, and at least one of which is a Fellow.
Regionals are free to form their own boards, constitutions, and bylaws, but are subject to the ISBH international Constitution and Doctrinal Statement.
Language
ISBH is an international community of theologians who strive to help one another in doctrinal development. To encourage intercontinental communication, the language of ISBH is English. Written contributions in other languages are encouraged but should be accompanied by an English translation for proper review. Spoken presentations at international meetings should also be in English or accompanied by a translation into English if possible.
Amendments
Proposed amendments to the constitution and doctrinal statement are to be offered to the board, which must unanimously approve the amendment for it to be presented to all members. 75% must respond and 75% of the responses must agree with the amendment for it to be ratified.