OBSA 2013

The 2013 gathering of the Oceania Biblical Studies Association will be at the Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji Islands, 1-3 August. The conference begins with a welcome feast on Thursday evening (1 August), followed by two full days of programme on Friday and Saturday. The conference concludes with dinner on Saturday evening (3 August).

This is a very special opportunity and OBSA is grateful for the invitation from Principal and staff of PTC. OBSA has had three gatherings so far. The first at the College of St John the Evangelist in Auckland, July 2010. The 2011 meeting was held in Samoa, hosted by the staff and students of Malua Theological College. In 2012, participants gathered at the University of the South Pacific, Tonga Campus. OBSA is looking forward to this year's meeting at PTC, and it hopes to make that one its official inaugural gathering. It is fitting that this will be marked at PTC given that PTC has faithfully served the region by training most of Oceania's biblical scholars. In addition, the idea of an association like OBSA was conceived in the 1990s at PTC. This idea was further discussed amongst island scholars in 2008 during the international meeting of the Society of Biblical Studies in Auckland. That became a reality in 2010 with the financial support of the School of Theology at the University of Auckland, Trinity Methodist Theological College, and the College of the Diocese of Polynesia. OBSA continues to meet due to the support and generosity of its hosts.

The staff and students of PTC are looking forward to your participation in OBSA 2013.