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The American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature (AAR/SBL) Annual Meetings bring together scholars from around the world each year to present research and engage in conversation. This past November, faculty, staff and students from Perkins School of Theology attended the AAR/SBL Annual Meetings in Boston from Nov. 22–25.

Among those representing Perkins were three students—JinRi Kim, Kenna J. Curry and Michaela Calahan—who shared their research and reflected on their experiences at the four-day conference.

JinRi Kim

JinRi Kim, a second-year Master of Divinity student, presented “Contesting Bethel, Constructing Identity: Bethel Polemics in Zechariah 7–8.” His paper examines how post-exilic Judah negotiated authority between returned exiles and those who remained in the land.

Kim said preparation combined research and prayer.

“I prepared this paper with steady work and much prayer in the chapel every day,” Kim said.
Despite initial nerves, the presentation felt familiar due to his 10 years of pastoral experience.

“I felt only a healthy sense of focus,” he said. “When I finished, I was deeply relieved and genuinely happy. It felt good to bring months of preparation to a meaningful close.”

The response from scholars was affirming. Kim received an email from one of the co-chairs, offering to help turn the paper into a journal manuscript.

For Kim, the conference marked a significant milestone.

“The most meaningful part for me was realizing that I had taken my first step as a scholar,” he said.

Kim currently serves as president of the International Students of Perkins for the 2025-26 academic year and hopes his experience encourages more students to pursue research opportunities.

“Perkins is a remarkable school, with excellent faculty and an outstanding library,” Kim said. “I believe even more students can pursue research and contribute meaningfully.”

Kenna J. Curry

Kenna J. Curry, a Perkins alumna who earned a Master of Divinity in 2023, is currently a Ph.D. student in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies, specializing in Hebrew Bible. She presented as a co-author in the Poverty in the Biblical World and Minoritized Criticism and Biblical Interpretation sections and is expected to graduate in 2030.

Curry said preparing a conference paper requires a shift in writing style.

“The research is the same, but this time you are writing to attract the ear as opposed to the eye,” Curry said.

Working as a co-author added another layer to the preparation process.

“We had our respective research areas and we would meet once every two weeks to synthesize our ideas and write down a coherent thought,” Curry said.

Presenting the paper was a positive experience.

“Presenting was fun,” Curry said. “I have an acting background and miss being on stage, so that was a fun callback to those days.”

Curry said AAR/SBL is both a professional and social space.

“SBL/AAR is really a reunion for me and can even be a big social experiment given the number of personalities, beliefs and backgrounds that congregate there,” Curry said.
Curry encouraged Perkins students across vocational paths to attend.

“If you are looking to go into the academy, getting to know what the conference is like and beginning to meet people is essential,” Curry said. “If you are a pastor, it is so important for continued education.”

Michaela Calahan

Michaela Calahan, a chaplain and Perkins alum, presented in the Evangelical Studies Unit on “Biblical Inerrancy and Racism: The Racial Performance of Authority in American Evangelicalism.” Calahan earned her Master of Divinity in 2024 and is a Th.M. candidate expected to graduate in 2026.

Calahan said the most intense part of the process came after her proposal was accepted.

“The two most intense parts of this were the actual acceptance of the proposal and immediately realizing that, ‘Oh, I actually have to write this.’”

Writing for a conference audience required a different approach than traditional coursework.

“Putting together the paper was different than my other theological assignments because this one had to be spoken aloud completely,” she said. “The typical citations or sign postings needed to be very apparent without being jarring.”

Although she enjoys public speaking, Calahan said presenting in front of fellow scholars brought a different kind of vulnerability.

“The nerve-racking part is, will they think this is good and worthy scholarship?” she said. “I felt honored to be presenting and very grateful for the opportunity to do so for the second time as a master’s student.”

For Calahan, AAR/SBL provides a rare scholarly environment.

“AAR/SBL is a curated environment for the best and the most curious in respective fields,” she said. “There is such a support of questioning and rooting around an issue or concept.”

She encouraged other Perkins students to attend, especially early in their academic journeys.
“AAR/SBL creates a very supportive environment for all levels of students to feel like scholars in their field,” she said.

A Shared Scholarly Community

Across disciplines and degree programs, the experiences of these Perkins alumni and student reflect the role the AAR SBL Annual Meetings play in helping emerging scholars develop their voices, build relationships and engage the wider academic community.