Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Region
Religion and Bible Society and American Academy of Religion
Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Regional Organization
Welcome to the Rocky Mountains/Great Plains Region!
Please note that this website replaces our older site (www.rmgp.org). Bookmark this URL to keep up with all updates on the RMGP region of the American Academy of Religion and Religion and Bible Society.
A Letter from Claudia Schippert, Executive Director of the AAR
"We are funded by and accountable to only our members, i.e. you. While all of us are reeling from the current challenges and experiences of violence and injustice, the AAR will continue to uphold our central values. You can see these commitments reflected in the programming we offer all year, in our WebinAARs, mentoring cohorts, or our publications as well as our Annual Meetings. Everyone who is committed to our values and seeks to further our mission has a place in the AAR. And the AAR seeks to be a resource and community that supports all our members." ----Claudia Schippert
Overview of the Region
The Religion & Bible Society (RBS) of the Rocky Mountain Great Plains Region (RMGP) was formerly the Rocky Mountain-Great Plains Region of both the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). In 2022, the SBL abolished their regional structure and withdrew financial support from regional organizations. However, those of us in RMGP remain committed to our region, the scholarship we do, and the important professional development opportunity that the RMGP Regional Meeting provides. The Religion & Bible Society was incorporated November 3, 2022, in the state of Colorado and was granted federal 501(c)3 status December 16, 2022. At this time, RBS and AAR work together to support the region, administer the regional meeting, and provide programming for members. Additionally, RBS offers an enduring institutional structure to support the region's priorities, support for regional programming, and professional development for regional scholars and students. We see this as the best way to expand opportunities for scholars in the RMGP Region, especially its junior and student scholars.
Regional Non-discrimination policy
The RMGP region believes strongly inclusivity and accessibility for all of its members and this policy applies to all regional programming events.
AAR Regional Officers
Chief Regional Officer and President: Dheepa Sundaram, University of Denver
Vice President and President-Elect: Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
AAR Student Representative: Angela Molloy, DU-Iliff Joint Doctoral Program, University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology
AAR Regional Board
Zachary Simpson (Univ. of Science and Arts of Oklahoma) (Business and Financial Affairs advisor)
Andrea Stanton (Univ. of Denver)
Michelle Stinson (Denver Seminary)
Jeremy Fricke (Tri-Faith Initiative)
RBS Officers
President: Dheepa Sundaram, University of Denver
Vice President: Jeff Scholes, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Treasurer: Zachary Simpson, University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
RBS Board Members
Andrea Stanton (Univ. of Denver)
Michelle Stinson (Denver Seminary)
Jeremy Fricke (Tri-Faith Initiative)
Angela Molloy (AAR Student Representative)
Regional Meeting Coordinators (2025): Dheepa Sundaram and Andrea Stanton, University of Denver
Regional Contact Information: rmgpregion@gmail.com
Join our listserv! Please fill out this form or click below to join the RMGP Regional listserv and keep up with regional news, programming, and meeting information.
Participating Institutions in the Region
Our region primarily, though not exclusively, serves individuals and institutions in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Kansas. Historically, independent scholars and members of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR), and Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) professional organizations have served as the heart of regional involvement, include in meeting attendance and presentation and in organizational leadership.
Hosting institutions for our regional conference have included Brigham Young University (UT), Colorado College (CO), Creighton University (NE), Denver Seminary (CO), Iliff School of Theology (CO), Regis University (CO), University of Colorado Boulder (CO), University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO), University of Denver (CO), and University of Utah (UT); leadership has also come from the Tri-Faith Initiative (NE) and University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (OK).
Past AAR/SBL Regional Presidents
Amy L. Balogh, Regis University (2023-2024)
Dheepa Sundaram and Lynn Schofield Clark, University of Denver (2022-2023)
Jeffrey Scholes, University of Colorado Colorado Springs (2021-2022)
Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (2019-2020, 2020-2021)
Lincoln Blumell, Brigham Young University (2018-2019)
Elias Sacks, University of Colorado Boulder (2017-2018)
Pamela Eisenbaum, Iliff School of Theology (2016-2017)
Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (2015-2016)
Andrea Stanton and Gregory Robbins, University of Denver (2014-2015)
Richard S. Hess and Sung Wook Chung, Denver Seminary (2013-2014)
Dan Belnap, Brigham Young University (2012-2013)
Jacob Kinnard, Iliff School of Theology (2011-2012)
Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (2010-2011)
Randolph F. Lumpp, Regis University (2009-2010)
Richard Hess and Hélène Dallaire, Denver Seminary (2008-2009)
Nicolae Roddy, Creighton University (2007-2008)
David L. Weddle, The Colorado College (2006-2007)
Carl A. Raschke, Denver University (2005-2006)
Thomas A. Wayment, Brigham Young University (2004-2005)
Lynn Ross Bryant, University of Colorado Boulder (2003-2004)
John O'Keefe, Creighton University (2002-2003)
Mark George, Iliff School of Theology (2001-2002)
Randolph F. Lumpp, Regis University (2000-2001)
Tazim Kassam, Colorado College (1999-2000)
Ronald A. Simkins, Creighton University (1998-1999)
Harris Lenowitz, University of Utah (1997-1998)
AAR Student Representatives
AAR Graduate Student Representative
The AAR has a regional student position that addresses the needs and concerns of graduate students and promotes their professional development and participation in our regional organization
Student Representatives serve the regional and national organization of AAR. As such, the region would like to offer financial support (when finances permit):
Student Representatives have a waived registration fee for the regional meeting. They should contact the meeting organizer as soon as possible when registration opens to arrange this.
Student Representatives are required to pursue funding from the university with which they are affiliated before they submit requests to the region. If no such funding is available, student representatives should indicate this when requesting financial support.
Student Representatives may submit costs for hotel rooms, airfare, and food.*
*Regional finances are limited. Therefore, reimbursements are subject to budgetary constraints.
The region requires that reimbursements for hotel rooms will be made at the AAR rate that is published by the national organization for the annual meetings, that airfare must be coach/economy, and food will not be reimbursed higher than the annual federal per diem rates. The same requirements will apply to the regional meeting. Financial support is capped at $500 for each student representative for an academic year (one national and one regional meeting). To receive financial support, student representatives must submit (1) itemized receipts for all costs for which they are requesting reimbursement and (2) a list of funding resources for which they have applied at their home universities (or a statement that no such funding is available) within 60 days of each meeting. Student Representatives are expected to make every reasonable effort to be present to report on their activities at the Regional Business Meeting (scheduled each Spring at the regional meeting). Please contact the current regional president and AAR chief regional officer for more information.