Submissions
Article types
Research Articles
Research Articles present original scholarly research and make a substantive contribution to the study of religion, theology, religious history, the Ancient Near East, First and Second Temple Judaism, Christianity, or related fields. Articles should engage relevant primary and secondary sources and employ appropriate scholarly methodologies.
- Length: 3,000–10,000 words
Scholarly Essays
Scholarly Essays examine a significant historical, theological, textual, or methodological issue. Essays may be exploratory, synthetic, or interpretive in nature but should maintain academic rigor and engage relevant scholarship.
- Length: 2,000–8,000 words
Book Reviews
Book Reviews critically evaluate recent publications relevant to the journal’s scope. Reviews should summarize the work, assess its strengths and weaknesses, and discuss its contribution to the field.
- Length: 800–2,500 words
Review Essays
Review Essays provide an extended analysis of one or more significant scholarly works. Unlike standard book reviews, review essays should engage broader scholarly questions, methodological issues, or historiographical debates raised by the work under consideration.
- Length: 2,000–5,000 words
Submission Guidelines
Research Topics and Standards
- The Independent Journal of Religious Research publishes original scholarly research relating to the Ancient Near East, the Hebrew Bible, First and Second Temple Judaism, early Christianity, Christian origins, theology, religious history, and related fields. Submissions may employ a variety of methodologies, including historical, literary, theological, archaeological, sociological, anthropological, scientific, and interdisciplinary approaches.
- Articles should ordinarily be between 3,000 and 10,000 words in length, inclusive of footnotes. Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the editor for submissions of exceptional scholarly value.
- Manuscripts should present original research, engage relevant primary and secondary sources, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing scholarly discussion.
- Submissions must follow a recognized academic citation style. The journal strongly prefers Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) footnotes (17th edition), and bibliography format.
- Authors should remove identifying information from manuscripts prior to submission to facilitate impartial peer review.
Evaluation Process
- Manuscripts submitted to the Independent Journal of Religious Research must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
- Because the journal welcomes work in specialized and interdisciplinary fields, the review process may take up to 18 weeks while appropriate reviewers are identified and evaluations are completed.
Additional required files
Authors must submit the following materials along with their manuscript:
Cover Letter
A brief cover letter introducing the submission and explaining its significance, originality, and contribution to the field. Authors should also indicate whether any portion of the manuscript has been previously presented at a conference, circulated as a preprint, or submitted elsewhere.
Author Biography
A short biographical statement (50–150 words) describing the author’s academic background, research interests, publications, institutional affiliation (if any), or relevant independent scholarship. Author biographies are used for published articles and should be submitted separately from the manuscript to preserve the integrity of the review process.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure
Authors must disclose any financial, professional, personal, religious, organizational, ideological, or advocacy-related relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, analysis, interpretation, or conclusions presented in the manuscript.
Given the nature of religious studies, authors should disclose relevant affiliations with religious organizations, advocacy groups, apologetic organizations, ministries, churches, educational institutions, or activist movements when such affiliations relate directly to the subject of the submission.
Disclosure does not imply bias or disqualify a manuscript from consideration. The purpose of disclosure is to promote transparency and maintain scholarly integrity.
If no conflicts of interest exist, authors should state: “The author declares no conflicts of interest.”
Contact Information
Authors should provide a current email address and any additional contact information necessary for editorial correspondence during the review and publication process.
Editorial and Peer Review Process
Manuscripts selected for peer review are typically evaluated within 18 weeks.
All research articles undergo a double-review process by at least two qualified scholars with expertise relevant to the subject matter of the submission.
Authors will be updated on the status of their submission if the review process extends beyond this timeframe.
Following peer review, the Editor and Editorial Board will consider the reviewers’ recommendations and make a final decision regarding acceptance, revision, or rejection.
Authors will be notified of the editorial decision by email and, where applicable, will receive reviewer feedback and recommendations for revision.
Publication details
The Independent Journal of Religious Research does not charge submission fees, article processing charges (APCs), publication fees, or other author fees. As an online, open-access journal, all published content is made available without cost to authors or readers.
The journal is currently published on a biannual basis. Publication schedules may be adjusted as the journal grows and submission volume increases.
Submissions may receive one of the following editorial decisions:
Accept
Accept with Minor Revisions
Revise and Resubmit (R&R)
Reject
Desk rejections are generally communicated within 7–21 days of submission.
Authors receiving a Revise and Resubmit decision will be provided with reviewer comments and editorial guidance. Minor revisions are generally expected within 30 days, while major revisions are typically expected within 60–90 days. Alternative deadlines may be established by agreement with the editor when circumstances warrant.
Following acceptance, authors may be asked to address copy-editing queries, formatting corrections, citation verification, and other minor editorial revisions before publication.
Initial acceptance should not be understood as a guarantee of publication in a particular issue. The Independent Journal of Religious Research reserves the right to adjust publication schedules based on editorial priorities, production requirements, available space, and other considerations.
The Independent Journal of Religious Research was founded to provide a rigorous scholarly venue for independent researchers, graduate students, and early-career scholars whose work may otherwise receive limited visibility within traditional academic publishing structures.
While submissions are welcomed from all qualified researchers, editorial decisions are based solely on the quality of the scholarship, the strength of the evidence, and the contribution made to the field, not on institutional affiliation, academic rank, or professional status.
The journal seeks to foster an environment in which emerging voices and independent scholarship can be evaluated on equal footing with established academic work through a fair and rigorous peer-review process.
If you would like a PDF copy of the Submission Guidelines, please click on the link below.
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