{"id":84,"date":"2015-07-22T18:01:30","date_gmt":"2015-07-22T18:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/?page_id=84"},"modified":"2020-03-23T11:33:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-23T15:33:00","slug":"submissions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/submissions\/","title":{"rendered":"Submissions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"title-plain\"><em><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle creativ-shortcode-toggle-active\"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><\/em><strong>Issue 14 <\/strong><strong>Call for Submissions: <b>Exclusion, Belonging, and Becoming in Religious Communities<\/b><br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Deadline: October 1, 2020<\/strong><em><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Many religious traditions uphold values of justice, community, and belonging, yet many also occupy ambivalent positions vis-\u00e0-vis systems and acts of exclusionary violence. Sometimes religion is the target and other times the perpetrator. The study of religious practices has much to offer to conversations on the complex entanglement of religion and exclusion. Similarly, studying religious practices can help us understand how religious communities nurture belonging and work toward personal and collective becoming in more capacious ways. In this issue, we engage critical analysis of the role of exclusionary violence both within and against various religious communities. We also seek dialogue about how communities respond to and resist exclusion with creative processes of becoming and transformation.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><br \/>\nPractical Matters<\/em> is now accepting submissions on religious practices and practical theology for Issue 14. The journal will feature articles on the theme of \u201cExclusion, Belonging, and Becoming in Religious Communities.\u201d Potential topics may include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The role of religion in forms of cultural, structural, direct, and epistemic violence<\/li>\n<li>The response of religious institutions to global crises (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic, the refugee crisis, the ongoing impact of colonialism, climate change, the prison-industrial complex and mass incarceration, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Cultivating a community of belonging in the context of COVID-19 and social distancing<\/li>\n<li>Religious practices created or practiced by marginalized individuals and communities<\/li>\n<li>Religion as a resource for resistance and social justice struggles<\/li>\n<li>How religious identity generates political stance and action<\/li>\n<li>Spirituality as a source of identity formation and development<\/li>\n<li>Understanding exclusion, belonging, and becoming in religious texts and practices<\/li>\n<li>The politics and practices of interfaith coalition-building and action<\/li>\n<li>Multiple-religious belonging and becoming across religious divides and boundaries<\/li>\n<li>Theological responses to specific forms of exclusions and belongings<\/li>\n<li>LGBTQ issues, identity politics, and religious institutions<\/li>\n<li>Religion\u2019s undergirding of, and\/or resistance to, white supremacy and coloniality<\/li>\n<li>The function of power and authority in religious communities<\/li>\n<li>The experience of symbolic and physical exclusion, as well as belonging<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We invite contributions on and from any religious or spiritual tradition as well as from any theoretical position or discipline. The journal includes both peer-reviewed articles (Features and Analyzing Matters) as well as non-peer reviewed content that presents the thoughtful reflections of teachers and practitioners (Practicing Matters and Teaching Matters). <em>Practical Matters<\/em> accepts submissions that incorporate a variety of media and genres.<\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/>\nSubmissions are accepted and published on a rolling basis throughout the year. For considerations in Issue 14, submissions must be received by October 1, 2020. For more information, please see the submissions guidelines below <\/strong><strong>or email <\/strong><a href=\"mailto:pm.issue.editor@emory.edu\"><strong>pm.issue.editor@emory.edu<\/strong><\/a><strong>. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/>\nDownload PDF:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Issue-14-Call-for-Submissions.pdf\">Issue 14 Call for Submissions<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><em><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/em><\/p>\n<h1>Information for Authors<\/h1>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong>Aim and Scope of <em>Practical Matters<\/em><\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0is a multimedia, online journal interested in submissions that investigate the broad topics of religious practices and practical theology, past or present, in any context or tradition. While each issue features work around a specific theme, we welcome all submissions that promote the dialogue between religious studies and practical theology through scholarship on\u00a0religious traditions\u00a0as embodied in religious practices,\u00a0methods\u00a0for engaging research questions that emerge in and about religious communities,\u00a0theories\u00a0of practice and praxis, and\u00a0structures\u00a0of scholarship that allow for more robust interactions between academic institutions and religious practitioners. Submissions from various disciplinary perspectives are encouraged. This includes (but is not limited to) work originating in religious studies, theology, anthropology, literary criticism, cultural studies, sociology, psychology, history, political science, philosophy, media studies, the arts, journalism, or the sciences.\u00a0 We encourage submissions from those both inside and outside the academy as well as work about and from diverse religious traditions.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong>Audience<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><em>Practical Matters\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0has a broad interreligious and interdisciplinary readership. Our\u00a0audience includes scholars, religious leaders and practitioners, teachers, and students. While typical readers have completed at least some professional or academic education at the undergraduate or graduate levels, our audience is diverse. Do not expect readers to have a common religious or theological vocabulary or background. Submissions should be accessible and comprehensible across disciplinary and confessional boundaries. We <em>do not<\/em> ask our authors to write to the lowest common denominator of interests of the <em>Practical Matters<\/em> audience. While articles can and should draw on the author\u2019s expertise in a particular subfield, they also need to offer content and conclusions that will be accessible and of interest to readers outside of the author\u2019s particular discipline. If your article was originally prepared with an audience of insiders in mind, please take the time to reframe your article for <em>Practical Matters<\/em> readers. This may include providing necessary background information, translating jargon, discipline-specific, or confession-specific formulas for a broad and learned audience, and highlighting the relevance of your work for scholars of religious practice.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong><em>Practical Matters<\/em> Sections<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><em>Practical Matters<\/em> publishes content in five general areas:<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Feature Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This section features both\u00a0peer review scholarship and scholarship solicited from major scholars in related fields that is relevant to a pre-announced annual theme. Manuscript submissions are usually between 5000 and 10,000 words (excluding endnotes), although on occasion consideration will be given to a truly exceptional piece of greater length.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Analyzing Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Analyzing Matters features scholarship, usually\u00a0peer reviewed, on a wide range of topics related to religious practices and practical theology, with the goal of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue between scholars in a variety of fields. Submissions need not conform to the annual issue theme. Manuscript submissions are usually between 5000 and 10,000 words (excluding endnotes), although on occasion consideration will be given to a truly exceptional piece of greater length.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Practicing Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In each issue, we are committed to publishing reflections by practitioners. Practicing Matters introduces our readers to lived religious experiences where practitioners offer first-hand accounts of practice and even speak back to scholars who seek to interpret their practices for an academic audience. Practitioners, religious leaders, teachers, and activists are encouraged to submit work on their engagement with religious practices or practical theology. Submissions that engage the annual theme are especially welcome, although engagement with the theme is not required. Excellent practitioner reflections might offer a \u201cview from the ground\u201d that describes and\/or offers an interpretation of new, emerging, or changing religious practice; illuminate practical applications of theoretical or theological scholarship, or \u201cspeak back\u201d to scholarly assessments of their practices. Reflexive pieces by academic writers about their research experience are also appropriate for this section.<\/p>\n<p>While Practicing Matters pieces are not expected to engage the same critical analysis as peer-reviewed articles, good writing is essential. Pieces should also conform to the tone of the journal, with pieces both accessible to and respectful of a wide range of religious commitments. Manuscript submissions are usually between 3500 and 5000 words (excluding endnotes). In addition to written articles, the journal encourages engaging and creative submissions. These might include practitioner reflections, extended topical review of essays, art, documentation of religious practices images and\/or audio, or presentation of field notes. Submissions might also be in the form of video, audio, or new media pieces not produced with specific scholarly aims in mind. If you have other ideas, our\u00a0<a href=\"mailto: pm.issue.editor@emory.edu\">Issue Editor<\/a> can help you gauge their appropriateness for <em>Practical Matters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Teaching Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In each issue, we are committed to publishing reflections by teachers of religious practices and\/or practical theology. Teaching Matters explores practices of teaching lived religion and theology in classrooms and communities. Teachers in a variety of contexts offer experiences, examples, and recommendations for teaching religious practices in the classroom and beyond. Excellent pedagogical reflections might offer recommendations for engaging students in the study of religious practices or practical theology, teaching students about religious practices that are unfamiliar or extraneous to their own religious commitments, or training religious leaders in the practices of a particular tradition. Essays might also attend to the various contexts and classrooms in which religious practices or practical theology are taught.<\/p>\n<p>While Teaching Matters pieces are not expected to engage the same critical analysis as peer-reviewed articles, good writing is essential. Pieces should also conform to the tone of the journal, with pieces both accessible to and respectful of a wide range of religious commitments. Manuscript submissions are usually between 3500 and 5000 words (excluding endnotes). In addition to written articles, the journal encourages engaging and creative submissions. These might include extended topical review of essays, syllabi, curricula, teaching materials, or teaching demos. Submissions might also be in the form of video, audio, or new media pieces not produced with specific scholarly aims in mind. If you have other ideas, our\u00a0<a href=\"mailto: pm.issue.editor@emory.edu\">Issue Editor<\/a> can help you gauge their appropriateness for <em>Practical Matters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Matters Under Review<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0reviews material that pertains to the study of religious practices and the discipline of practical theology. The journal values scholarly inquiry across a broad range of media including (but not limited to) traditional print essays, articles, books, film, video, audio, soundscape, new media, photography, art, and performance. We are committed therefore to reviewing the same.<\/p>\n<p>Reviewers are chosen among scholars, practitioners, and others who have expertise in the above fields.\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0does not accept unsolicited reviews.\u00a0 However, the journal welcomes suggestions for materials to be reviewed. Those who are interested in reviewing material or who have suggestions for review material are invited to contact the\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:pm.reviews.editor@emory.edu\">Reviews Editor<\/a>. For those interested in reviewing material, please indicate areas of expertise and include a curriculum vitae or resume.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong><em>Practical Matters <\/em>Content Types<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><\/p>\n<p><em>Practical Matters <\/em>publishes work by scholars and practitioners in four genres: articles, photo and media essays, short videos or audio recordings, and presentations. The best way to determine if your work would be a good fit for our journal is to browse the kind of work we have published.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Articles<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Articles are typically long-form, interpretive or critical pieces that are the result of sustained scholarly engagement with a topic.\u00a0 Articles often\u00a0incorporate other forms of multimedia\u2014graphics, photos, film, or audio\u2014but many resemble articles composed for print-based scholarly journals.\u00a0 Articles with a more descriptive or reflective nature will also find a place within our <em>Practicing Matters<\/em> and <em>Teaching Matters<\/em> sections.\u00a0 Written review of books or films are published in <em>Matters Under Review <\/em>(please note that we do not accept reviews as submissions).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2015\/03\/01\/i-have-a-brick\/\">I have a Brick from that Building<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2012\/03\/01\/religious-peacebuilding\/\">Religious Peacebuilding<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>Photo and Media Essays<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Photo and media essays curate collections of original photography or other media to perform the same kinds of tasks as articles.\u00a0 Interpretive or critical work will find a home in Feature Matters or Analyzing Matters while reflective and descriptive work fits into the Practicing Matters and Teaching Matters sections.\u00a0 While primarily visually-based, these essays include a writing component.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2012\/03\/01\/sects-and-violence\/\">Sects and Violence<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2016\/06\/28\/swords-to-shoes\/\">From Swords to Shoes<\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Short Videos<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Short videos are five to twenty-five minute videos that use visual and audio techniques to advance an understanding of religious practice or practical theology.\u00a0 Videos may make a critical argument, provide a thick description of religious practice, or to demonstrate teaching techniques.\u00a0 [link to examples]\u00a0 We typically do not publish narrative or fictional film.\u00a0 Short video submissions may also include a writing component.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2010\/03\/01\/trip-to-the-spring\/\">A Trip to the Spring<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2012\/03\/01\/good-coffee\/\">Good Coffee<\/a><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Presentations<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Presentations display the public presentation of scholarly work, religious practices, or teaching methods.\u00a0 Such presentations may include interviews, public lectures, conference papers or panels, demonstrations of religious practices, syllabi, classroom presentation materials, or teaching demos.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2009\/04\/01\/making-a-mandala\/\">Making a Mandala<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2014\/10\/01\/finding-our-way\/\">Finding our Way<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/2009\/04\/01\/william-vendley\/\">Imagination and Multireligious Cooperation<\/a>\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong>Submission Guidelines<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><\/p>\n<h3>Submitting your Manuscript<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>The online submission form serves as a cover page and no further identifying information page is required. The author\u2019s name should appear nowhere in the manuscript. All references to the author\u2019s work in the text or notes should be in the third person.<\/li>\n<li>Every submission, including multimedia submissions, should include an abstract of no more than 300 words. Authors may also recommend up to ten Key Words that will help readers locate their article on our website.<\/li>\n<li>For media and accompanying media, files must be no bigger than 256 MB to submit online. You may also submit audio, video, and presentation files by posting them to a\u00a0personal website or media account without identifying information and providing a\u00a0working URL.<\/li>\n<li>If it is not possible to conform to these guidelines for the kind of submission you intend, or if you have questions about the format of your submission, please email the\u00a0Issue Editor\u00a0at least two weeks in advance of the submissions deadline.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>File Formats<\/h3>\n<p>All text and image files should be submitted by uploading the files via our online submission tool. Digital media projects may be submitted via upload or by providing a URL link to the content. Upon acceptance for publication, our editors will work with you to transfer content from its current location to the Practical Matters server.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\" width=\"383\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">Genre<\/td>\n<td width=\"257\">File Formats (preferred format in bold)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">text<\/td>\n<td width=\"257\">.<strong>doc<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">image<\/td>\n<td width=\"257\">.<strong>jpg,\u00a0<\/strong>.png<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">sound<\/td>\n<td width=\"257\"><strong>.wav<\/strong>, .aiff, .mp3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">video<\/td>\n<td width=\"257\"><strong>.mov<\/strong>, .avi, .mp4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"125\">presentation<\/td>\n<td width=\"257\">.ppt, .pez<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><strong>Manuscripts that include images, video, audio, or other forms of media<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If your manuscript incorporates visual or audio media, these items must be submitted separately to the journal through the Accompanying Media Form. You may also embed smaller files within the manuscript itself or indicate clearly in the manuscript where the media is to be included. If you are submitting media in conjunction with a written manuscript, you should first complete the manuscript submission form and then complete the Accompanying Media form through the link provided.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Permissions<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If the Work reproduces any textual, graphic or multimedia material that is the property of another for which\u00a0permission is required, the Author shall obtain written consent to such reproduction or assist the Publisher\u00a0in obtaining such consent. \u00a0 Submissions should not be currently under review by another journal or have been published in another venue.<\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong>House Style Guidelines<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><\/p>\n<p><em>Practical Matters <\/em>generally follows the conventions in the Chicago Manual of Style, but we have a few preferences of our own as well!\u00a0 If you have questions about stylistic conventions for your submission, please contact our Issue Editor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Language Preferences:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid the following: excessive jargon, outdated content, nostalgia, clich\u00e9s, essentialist readings of populations, places, or identities, and discipline-specific formulas for articles.<\/li>\n<li><em>African American, black<\/em>:\u00a0<em>Practical Matters <\/em>prefers African American and\/or black (lowercase b) for both the noun and the adjective.<\/li>\n<li>US, American: <em>Practical Matters <\/em>prefers US rather than American for political and historical contexts that refer specifically to the United States.<\/li>\n<li>Use gender-neutral language when referring collectively to both men and women<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Religious Names and Terms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Names of deities are capitalized: Allah, Freyja, God, Mithra, Serapis. Some writers follow a pious convention of not fully spelling out the name of a deity (e.g. G-d).\u00a0 This convention is respected as long as the meaning is clear.<\/li>\n<li>Alternative or Descriptive names for God as supreme being are capitalized: the Almighty, the Paraclete, the Lord, Providence, Adonai.<\/li>\n<li>Designations or titles of prophets, apostles, saints, and other revered persons are capitalized: the Buddha, the Good Shepherd, John the Baptist, the Prophet, <em>but<\/em> the apostles, the patriarchs, the psalmists.<\/li>\n<li>Platonic or transcendent ideas are often capitalized: Good, Beauty, Truth, the One.<\/li>\n<li>Pronouns referring to religious figures are not capitalized: Jesus and his disciples.<\/li>\n<li>Do not\u00a0capitalize pronouns for God.<\/li>\n<li>In citations, omit religious call letters in authors\u2019 names unless necessary. In all areas of the journal, avoid periods after religious call letters. Do include the comma between a person\u2019s name and their religious call letters. Thus Paul Crowley, OFM; Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ.<\/li>\n<li>Names of major religions, denominations, orders, sects and religious movements, as well as their adherents and adjectives derived from them are capitalized: Buddhism, Buddhist; Christianity, Christian, Christendom; Judaism, Jew, Jewish; Islam, Islamic, Muslim; Catholicism, Essenes, Gnosticism, Orthodox Judaism, Sufism, <em>but<\/em> atheism, agnosticism.<\/li>\n<li>\u201cChurch\u201d as an institution is usually lowercased: church and state, the early church, the church fathers. Church is capitalized when part of the formal name of a denomination or congregation: the United Methodist Church, the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle.<\/li>\n<li>In general, when used generically, terms are lowercased. When used as the name of a specific religion or a sect, terms are capitalized: a popular turn in Spiritualist circles, spiritual not religious.<\/li>\n<li>Councils, synods, etc: The accepted names of historic councils and their modern counterparts are capitalized: the Council of Nicea, the General Convention, the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II.<\/li>\n<li>The names of scriptures and other revered works are capitalized but not italicized: The Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Qur&#8217;an.<\/li>\n<li>Terms for divine dwelling places are usually lowercased: heaven, hell, nirvana, paradise. Proper names are capitalized: Eden, Elysium, Olympus.<\/li>\n<li>Services and rites: names of services and rites are usually lowercased: baptism, bar mitzvah, the seder, the sun dance, vespers, the eucharist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Transliteration:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Please convert words or phrases to the Latin alphabet.\u00a0 In the first usage, you may include the original characters in parentheses following the word.\u00a0 In subsequent usage, use only the transliterated term.\u00a0 Transliterated terms that have not become part of the English language are italicized.<\/p>\n<p>Do not attempt to transliterate from a language unfamiliar to you.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Transliterate Greek and Hebrew words according to the Society of Biblical Literature system in The SBL Handbook of Style chap. 5. A convenient way to do this is by using http:\/\/transliterate.com\/.<\/li>\n<li>Transliterate Arabic, Persian, and Turkish words according to the International Journal of Middle East Studies Style: https:\/\/www.cambridge.org\/core\/journals\/international-journal-of-middle-east-studies\/information\/submissions-guidelines<\/li>\n<li>The Library of Congress publication ALA-LC Romanization Tables is also available online for all other languages. http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/catdir\/cpso\/roman.html<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>General Grammar<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use serial comma (oxford comma)<\/li>\n<li>Do not generally use contractions<\/li>\n<li>Give the first name of an author the first time you cite them<\/li>\n<li>Silently capitalize or lowercase initial letter of quotation<\/li>\n<li>Spell out acronyms once, then use exclusively<\/li>\n<li>Generally, use lowercase, as in official titles standing alone (i.e., the president, but President Obama), book parts (chapter 11), history of religions<\/li>\n<li>Use American spelling and punctuation over British<\/li>\n<li>In running text, the first word following a colon is always lowercase, unless it introduces a proper name, a quotation, or two or more sentences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Formatting<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Set quotes of five lines or more as extracts<\/li>\n<li>Omissions and alterations made by the authors in citations should be indicated by the use of square brackets &#8220;[\u2026].<\/li>\n<li>Italicize foreign words, but not foreign expressions familiar in theological English (e.g., ibid., de iure, prima facie). When in doubt, consult Webster: in general, if you find the expression in Webster, do not italicize it.<\/li>\n<li>Leave only one space after a period<\/li>\n<li>Italicize rather than underline. Do not use all capital letters to emphasize text. Do not use quotation marks for emphasizing text. Do not italicize punctuation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Numbers, Dates, and Times<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spell out numbers one to ninety-nine, except with percent<\/li>\n<li>Spell out large, round whole numbers<\/li>\n<li>a.m.\/p.m. lowercase and written with periods<\/li>\n<li>Particular centuries are lowercase and spelled out (e.g. twenty-first century)<\/li>\n<li>Seasons are lowercase, except when used as a publication date (e.g. Her article is forthcoming in the Spring 2018 edition of <em>JAAR<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Citations and References<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>References to quoted materials and scholarly literature should not be included in the body of the text. Use endnotes for citations and points outside the body of the article. Scriptural references should be given within the body of the text.<\/li>\n<li>Count endnotes using Greek numerals (1, 2, 3) not Roman numerals (i, ii, iii). Endnotes are to be numbered continuously.<\/li>\n<li>Full bibliographic documentation must be given in the first reference. In subsequent references, use the shortened version of the citation. (See CMS for more information)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Citations and References for Scriptural Texts and Religious Works<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Citations to scriptural sacred texts should be included in the body of the text.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Biblical Citations<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use standard abbreviations for books of the Bible. See lists provided in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) or the New American Bible (NAB).<\/li>\n<li>If you use biblical citations, indicate which biblical translation is quoted. The format should be: John 3:16, NRSV).<\/li>\n<li>(Hebrews 2:11, NRSV), (Genesis 4:15-19, HSB)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Qur\u2019anic Citations<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Qur\u2019an is cited using the same format as biblical texts: (Qu\u2019ran 19:15-21)<\/li>\n<li>Jewish Citations<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"crocodoc-page crocodoc-page-visible crocodoc-text-selected\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"1325.1764705882354\">\n<div class=\"crocodoc-page-inner\">\n<div class=\"crocodoc-page-content\">\n<div class=\"crocodoc-page-autoscale\">\n<div class=\"crocodoc-c9fTTx crocodoc-page-text\">\n<div class=\"tb f492\"><span class=\"tx\">Use standard abbreviations for books of the Tanakh. Indicate which translation\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">is quoted (e.g. New Jewish Publication Society: NJPS). The format should be: Gen\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">12:27, NJPS.<\/span><span class=\"tx f492\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"tx\">Use standard abbreviations for the Talmud: y. for Jerusalem, b. for Babylonian,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">m. for Mishnah, and t. for Tosefta. Use the folio and side a or b numbering, rather\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">than page numbers. Use standard abbreviation for tractate names. Example: b. B.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">B. 73b-74a abbreviates Baba Bathra, page 292 of the Babylonian Talmud.\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">Similarly, a Shulhan Arukh citation should be formatted: Sh.Ar. YD 103:1.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><em>Classical or other Religious Texts<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Other sacred texts may be cited using the form for biblical or classical texts according to disciplinary conventions.<\/li>\n<li>Classical or religious texts should be cited as endnotes, not in the body of the text.<\/li>\n<li>Identifying numbers\u2014books, sections, paragraphs, lines, should be used to refer to the text. Use Arabic numerals.\u00a0 Where letters are also used, capitalization should be consistent with the source.<\/li>\n<li>Page numbers are omitted except in references to introductions, notes, and the like supplied by the modern editor.<\/li>\n<li>Aristotle, <em>Metaphysics\u00a0<\/em>2.996b5-8<\/li>\n<li>Augustine, <em>De Civitate Dei, <\/em>2 OR Augustine, <em>The City of God,<\/em> trans. Henry Bettenson (New York: Penguin), 20.2.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"tx\">Maimonides, GP II:29 OR Maimonides,\u00a0<\/span><em><span class=\"tx f489\">The Guide of the Perplexed<\/span><\/em><span class=\"tx\">, trans. Shlomo\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"tx\">Pines (Chicago: University of Chicago), 341-42.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Second Vatican Council, <em>Dei Verbum,<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong>Author Rights and Open Access<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><\/p>\n<h3>Author\u2019s Rights and Ownership<\/h3>\n<p>Authors, understood to be the creators of content in pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org media and genres, retain copyright for content published in\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>, with publication rights granted to the journal. Any reproduction of original content from\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0must a) seek copyright from authors and b) acknowledge\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0as the site of original publication. \u00a0Authors are responsible for obtaining the appropriate permissions for any copyrighted material reproduced in their work.<\/p>\n<h3>Open Access<\/h3>\n<p>As an Open Access Journal, <em>Practical Matters<\/em> is available freely on the internet and does not require the transfer of copyright to the journal by authors. <em>Practical Matters<\/em> content is also distributed via EBSCO and ISSUU.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Open access (OA) literature is a method of sharing scholarship that is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. What makes OA possible is the internet and the consent of the author or copyright-holder.\u00a0\u00a0OA is entirely compatible with peer review, and all the major OA initiatives for scientific and scholarly literature insist on its importance. Just as authors of journal articles donate their labor, so do most journal editors and referees participating in peer review.\u00a0\u00a0OA literature is not free to produce, even if it is less expensive to produce than conventionally published literature.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8211;From\u00a0A Very Brief Introduction to Open Access\u00a0by Peter Suber. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle \"><h3 class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-heading\"><i class=\"fa-icon-check\"><\/i><strong> Review Process<\/strong><i class=\"toggle-down fa-icon-caret-down\"><\/i><i class=\"toggle-up fa-icon-caret-up\"><\/i><\/h3><div class=\"creativ-shortcode creativ-shortcode-toggle-content\"><p><\/p>\n<p>Practical Matters is committed to publishing excellent scholarship that addresses important issues in the study of religious practices and practical theology, as well as essays\u00a0from practitioners, reflections on teaching and pedagogy, and reviews of significant scholarship in the field. \u00a0Practical Matters uses both a formal Peer Review process and an Editorial Review process to assess submissions.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Peer Review<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>With few exceptions,\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0utilizes a peer review process to assess merit of scholarly submissions for publication. \u00a0Our process for peer review is rigorous. Peer-review submissions should be of current interest, demonstrate familiarity with relevant literature on the subject, and be clearly and persuasively written. Submissions to\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0intended for peer review, in both text and multimedia genres, are subjected to a thorough process designed to assure a high standard of excellence, as judged by researchers who have expert knowledge in pertinent fields.<\/p>\n<p>Practical Matters uses a double-blind peer review process where reviewers do not know the identity of the author(s) of the work and the author(s) do not know the identity of the reviewers. \u00a0Reviewers are chosen for their expertise in relevant subject areas and for their sound judgment in assessing the importance of scholarship for the fields of religious practices and practical theology.<\/p>\n<p>Reviewers are asked to evaluate the submission with respect to the journal\u2019s guidelines. Factors to be considered include the work\u2019s currency, engagement with the latest literature and debates in the respective field(s), conclusions, clarity of argument, writing and structure, accessibility to our journal audience, and overall presentation (including the use of audio-visual and web-based materials when available and pertinent).\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0editors may forward questions from reviewers to authors for clarification. \u00a0Based on the recommendation of our peer reviewers, the editorial staff will accept, reject, or request revisions to a submission. \u00a0Authors will be provided with reviewer comments and feedback.<\/p>\n<p>Articles published on the recommendation of peer reviewers are indicated with the &#8220;peer review&#8221; tag at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Editorial Review<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0recognizes that peer review may not be appropriate for all contributors and content submitted to the journal, including content authored by practitioners, reflexive content directed towards the experience of research or the process of teaching, and invited contributions by major scholars in the field. \u00a0Staff editors review these pieces for relevance, clarity, and appropriateness.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Not Accepted for Publication<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The following are some of the most common concerns\u00a0our reviewers and editors raise. \u00a0Please note that these do not constitute an exhaustive list of reasons submissions are not accepted for publication at\u00a0<em>Practical Matters.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0Rather, they are meant to assist our prospective authors as they prepare and edit their manuscript prior to submission.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Poor fit with the journal:\u00a0<\/strong><em>Practical Matters<\/em>&#8216;\u00a0transdisciplinary focus creates a space for scholarship from a wide range of academic disciplines. \u00a0However, not all topics\u00a0in religion or theology are appropriate for this journal. \u00a0Submissions should clearly contribute to discourses of practical theology or religious practice.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poor attention to audience:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0serves a broad audience of scholars of religious practice, theologians, and religious practitioners and seeks to consciously cultivate conversations among these groups. \u00a0While submissions may be composed with one of these particular audiences in mind, they should be both relevant and accessible to each of these audiences. \u00a0Authors may\u00a0write from their own disciplinary conventions, but should not assume that specialized vocabularies or religious commitments are shared by all readers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ambiguous voice or positionality:\u00a0<\/strong>Authors should be attentive not only to their audience, but to their own position in relation to their compositions and to their audiences. \u00a0While\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>\u00a0publishes work by both scholars and practitioners, we recognize that these roles often overlap. \u00a0Authors should be clear from which perspective they are writing or producing their work. \u00a0Conventions of excellence\u00a0for scholarly articles, practitioner essays, and teaching reflections differ. \u00a0A lack of clarity in the author&#8217;s own position and purpose in the submission often results in a &#8220;scholarship-light&#8221; piece which does not demonstrate excellence in any category. \u00a0Authors should ask themselves: am I writing primarily from the position of scholar, practitioner, or educator? \u00a0While the boundaries between these genres are not absolute, they can and should guide the overall structure and methodology of your submission.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lack of relevance or contribution to the field:<\/strong>\u00a0Scholarly submissions\u00a0should take up questions or topics of relevant concern to the study of religious practice or practical theology, reflect a\u00a0sufficient knowledge of current conversations around the topic of study, and offer a substantive contribution to the field.\u00a0\u00a0 Articles that ignore or overlook significant scholarship related to their research or fail to offer conclusions that advance\u00a0knowledge in the field are not appropriate to\u00a0<em>Practical Matters<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3063\" src=\"https:\/\/practicalmattersjournal.ecdsdev.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/How-a-manuscript-becomes-an-article-PUBLIC-e1476801884592.jpg\" alt=\"how-a-manuscript-becomes-an-article-public\" width=\"903\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/How-a-manuscript-becomes-an-article-PUBLIC-e1476801884592.jpg 903w, https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/How-a-manuscript-becomes-an-article-PUBLIC-e1476801884592-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/How-a-manuscript-becomes-an-article-PUBLIC-e1476801884592-768x1135.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/How-a-manuscript-becomes-an-article-PUBLIC-e1476801884592-693x1024.jpg 693w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 903px) 100vw, 903px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<p class=\"title-plain\" style=\"text-align: center; padding-left: 30px;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Information for Authors<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/84"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84"}],"version-history":[{"count":63,"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/84\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4170,"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/84\/revisions\/4170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pmcleanup.ecdsdev.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}