What does SBL stand for?
| Full form | Society of Biblical Literature |
|---|---|
| Category | Religion & culture |
| Type | Initialism |
The initialism SBL stands for Society of Biblical Literature. It refers to a scholarly membership organization concerned with biblical literature.
This guide covers SBL as the Society of Biblical Literature. In a document, distinguish the organization from its publications, meetings and style guidance.
Meaning in context
- Society
- The scholarly organization, rather than the title of one publication.
- Biblical Literature
- The subject named in the organization's full name. SBL's official description emphasizes academic investigation.
- Related resources
- A style handbook, press publication or meeting needs its own title; SBL alone does not identify the exact resource or edition.
Practical examples
Introduce the organization
- Before
SBL provides the resource.
- After
The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) provides the resource.
The illustrative expansion identifies an organization; verify the particular resource before attributing it.
Request a style resource
- Before
Use SBL.
- After
Use the SBL Handbook of Style edition specified by your course or publisher.
The revision turns an ambiguous instruction into a request for an identifiable resource without inventing edition requirements.
Describe a publication
- Before
I cited SBL.
- After
I used a publication from SBL Press; my citation identifies the author, title and publication details.
The organization is separated from the actual work cited; this example is not a completed bibliographic citation.
Original illustrative examples, not quotations or reports of actual events.
Use the meaning clearly
Does SBL in my document mean the organization, a publication or a style resource?
See all guidance
Introduce the organization
Use the full name when a reader may not know the society.
The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) provides the resource.
Request a style resource
Name the handbook and edition required by the course or publisher.
Use the SBL Handbook of Style edition specified by your course or publisher.
Describe a publication
Give a publication title and the bibliographic details requested by your citation style.
I used a publication from SBL Press; my citation identifies the author, title and publication details.
Check the publication’s title, edition and publisher before using the resource reference.
Help improve this entry
Spot a mistake or have a clearer example? Suggest a change.
By AcronymIndex Editorial Team · Editorial policy