Thursday, June 4, 2015
One way that Conrad Grebel University College fosters community is through its academic publication, The Conrad Grebel Review (CGR). Reaching out to a global community of scholars, CGR is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal of Christian inquiry devoted to thoughtful, sustained discussion of spirituality, theology, and culture from a broadly-based Mennonite perspective.
Peer-reviewing―the process of subjecting submissions to rigorous critical review prior to publication―assures CGR’s integrity and effectiveness. Reviewers assess whether a submission advances discussion and makes a significant contribution to knowledge. The “double-blind” process means they and the authors do not know each other’s identity.
From its founding in 1983, CGR has presented work by contributors from many disciplines as well as work by College faculty. A 1992 article by Stephen F. Dintaman on “The Spiritual Poverty of the Anabaptist Vision” found a ready audience and is still cited extensively. Since then, CGR has opened up new conversations on Mennonite literature, and has regularly presented groundbreaking inter-disciplinary research, such as Ernst Hamm’s exploration of “Science and Mennonites in the Dutch Enlightenment.”
CGR’s recent issues on effective college and university-level teaching―blending analysis, experience, and practical recommendations―have focused so far on teaching in three distinct areas: Bible, history, and peace studies. An issue on teaching ethics is in the planning stages. The journal’s Winter 2015 issue features the latest Bechtel Lectures in Anabaptist-Mennonite Studies, while the Spring 2015 issue will focus on the recent Sound in the Land conference/festival.
Like all academic journals birthed in the print era and seeking to thrive in the electronic age, CGR continues to adapt and adjust. The journal is indexed in the full text ATLA Serials Religion Database, a premier electronic resource that registered more than 9,000 PDF downloads of CGR articles in the first year. As well, the re-launch of CGR’s own website means articles from 1998 onwards can be viewed on the past issues page and the current issue will always be available in full text.
Going forward, CGR editors and staff are seeking to expand the journal’s role in building up the community of scholars―and extending conversations among academics and other readers around the world.
By Stephen Jones