February 2003

Please visit our new website

http://www/as.ua.edu/naasr/

The meek shall inherit the earth - Jesus of Nazareth, famous Jewish teacher

Nice guys finish last - Leo Durocher, famous baseball manager

The North American Association for the Study of Religion was initially formed in 1985 to encourage the historical, comparative, structural, theoretical and cognitive study of religion among North American scholars; to represent North American scholars of religion at the international level; and to sustain communication between North American scholars and their international colleagues engaged in the study of religion.

In order to achieve these goals, NAASR has established annual meetings together with the American Academy of Religion on the one hand, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion on the other; affiliated with the International Association for the History of Religions, and is the only organization from the United States that enjoys such affiliation; hosted regional and international meetings; arranged for a variety of publications including books, its "official" quarterly journal, METHOD & THEORY IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION, and an electronic newsletter three times each year. NAASR's current officers are Jonathan Z. Smith, President (1999), Gustavo Benavides ,Vice-President (2000); and Gary Lease, Executive Secretary/Treasurer (2000).

NAASR logo taken from Gratian's Decretals, printed in Venice in 1595