Baptist Scholars International Roundtable (BSIR)
The Baptist Scholars International Roundtable
Formerly known as Young Scholars in the Baptist Academy, the BSIR promotes scholarship from Baptist perspectives across the ages and around the globe by facilitating a scholarly forum for exchange of ideas. This community is international, intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and invites a diversity of Baptist affiliations. At the heart of the Roundtable is formation for academic stewardship in which a newer generation is welcomed into an international Baptist Academy and formed to preserve and sustain both academic and faith communities. At annual roundtable meetings, hosted at Christ Church, Oxford, England, senior scholars (BSIR Fellows) and a Visiting Fellow engage with the developing ideas of doctoral students, early-career and mid-career faculty (BSIR Scholars) presenting papers selected through a competitive process.
Location and Leadership
Christ Church, Oxford, England, provides a stable community for the BSIR to return and engage with Baptist scholars in the United Kingdom and globally, while tours of Regent's Park College and Angus Library and Archive forge a unique connection to historical Baptist presence in England. Annual gatherings for worship, fellowship, and paper presentation take place during the summer and are centralized around a theme. The BSIR publishes its work periodically (see here) and remains connected through a virtual network. Emeritus Director and BSIR Fellow, Dr. Roger Ward of Georgetown College, KY established and led the program (formerly known as Young Scholars in the Baptist Academy) from July 2004 to July 2018. Dr. Kim Kellison, Dr. Laine Scales and Dr. João Chaves currently direct the BSIR from its administrative hub, Baylor University Department of Religion, Waco, Texas.
Currents in Religion
Hear BSIR Co-Directors Laine Scales and João Chaves speak about the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable and their new book Baptists and the Kingdom of God (Baylor University Press, 2023).
Call for Proposals of the 2026 Baptist Scholars International Roundtable. Theme: Baptists and Social Engagement
The Baptist Scholars International Roundtable (BSIR) will hold its 20th annual meeting at Christ Church, University of Oxford, from August 1 to 5, 2026 and is now accepting proposal submissions. We invite researchers and scholars to contribute original work aligned with this year’s theme: Baptists and Social Engagement. While papers should pertain to the Baptist expression of Christianity, BSIR encourages scholars from all faiths and backgrounds to submit their proposals. Accepted proposals receive financial support for BSIR-related travel, lodging, and meals. For full details on submission guidelines, important dates, and topics of interest, please click below to access the 2026 BSIR Call for Proposals and link for submissions. The submission deadline is January 1st, 2026.