The 2025 RMGP Regional Meeting will be hosted by the University of Denver, March 28-29, 2025

Call for Proposals: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H_QcnPthGi8lpN1LUD36FZvEBHBR6DzH/view?usp=sharing

The Religion & Bible Society of the Rocky Mountain Great Plains Region (RBS) was formerly the Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Region of both the American Academy of Religion and the Society of Biblical Literature. In 2022, the SBL abolished their regional structure and withdrew financial support from regional organizations. However, those of us in RMGP remain committed to our region, the scholarship we do, and the important professional development opportunity that the RMGP Regional Meeting has become. The Religion & Bible Society was incorporated November 3, 2022, in the state of Colorado and was granted federal 501(c)3 status December 16, 2022. At this time, it serves the same functions as the former AAR/SBL regions (AAR maintains its regional structure), with a slightly modified leadership structure that will allow the Religion & Bible Society to expand opportunities for scholars in the RMGP Region, especially its junior and student scholars.

President: Dheepa Sundaram, University of Denver

Vice President: Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

Interim Secretary & Treasurer: Zachary Simpson, University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma

Conference Coordinator (2025): Dheepa Sundaram and Andrea Stanton, University of Denver

RBS Board Members: Zachary Simpson (Univ. of Science and Arts of Oklahoma), Andrea Stanton (Univ. of Denver), Michelle Stinson (Denver Seminary)

AAR Coordinator: Dheepa Sundaram, University of Denver

AAR Student Director: Michael Laminack, University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology

Future Meetings:

2026 - University of Colorado - Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs CO

Participating Area

Our region primarily, though not exclusively, serves individuals and institutions in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Kansas. Historically, independent scholars and members of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR), and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) professional organizations have served as the heart of regional involvement, include in meeting attendance and presentation and in organizational leadership. Hosting institutions have included Brigham Young University (UT), Colorado College (CO), Creighton University (NE), Denver Seminary (CO), Iliff School of Theology (CO), Regis University (CO), University of Colorado Boulder (CO), University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO), University of Denver (CO), and University of Utah (UT); leadership has also come from the Tri-Faith Initiative (NE) and University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (OK).

Past AAR/SBL Regional Presidents

Amy L. Balogh, Regis University (2023-2024)

Dheepa Sundaram, University of Denver (2022-2023)

Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado Colorado Springs (2021-2022)

Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (2019-2020, 2020-2021)

Lincoln Blumell, Brigham Young University (2018-2019)

Elias Sacks, University of Colorado Boulder (2017-2018)

Pamela Eisenbaum, Iliff School of Theology (2016-2017)

Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (2015-2016)

Andrea Stanton and Gregory Robbins, University of Denver (2014-2015)

Richard S. Hess and Sung Wook Chung, Denver Seminary (2013-2014)

Dan Belnap, Brigham Young University (2012-2013)

Jacob Kinnard, Iliff School of Theology (2011-2012)

Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (2010-2011)

Randolph F. Lumpp, Regis University (2009-2010)

Richard Hess and Hélène Dallaire, Denver Seminary (2008-2009)

Nicolae Roddy, Creighton University (2007-2008)

David L. Weddle, The Colorado College (2006-2007)

Carl A. Raschke, Denver University (2005-2006)

Thomas A. Wayment, Brigham Young University (2004-2005)

Lynn Ross Bryant, University of Colorado Boulder (2003-2004)

John O’Keefe, Creighton University (2002-2003)

Mark George, Iliff School of Theology (2001-2002)

Randolph F. Lumpp, Regis University (2000-2001)

Tazim Kassam, Colorado College (1999-2000)

Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (1998-1999)

Harris Lenowitz, University of Utah (1997-1998)

AAR Student Representatives

The AAR has a regional student position that addresses the needs and concerns of graduate students and promotes their professional development and participation in our regional organization:

AAR Graduate Student Committee

Student Representatives serve the regional and national organization of AAR. As such, the region would like to offer their financial support:

Student Representatives have a waived registration fee for the regional meeting. They should contact the meeting organizer as soon as possible when registration opens to arrange this. Student Representatives are required to pursue funding from the university with which they are affiliated before they submit requests to the region. If no such funding is available, student representatives should indicate this when requesting financial support which will be made available up to $500, subject to budgetary constraints.

Please contact the current president for more information.