ISSN 2413-9459 printed version
ISSN 2413-9467 online version

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

• Scope
• Editorial Policy
• Preparation and Style of Manuscripts
• Submissions

Stellenbosch Theological Journal (STJ) – previously known as the Dutch Reformed Theological Journal (NGTT) – is a multilingual, South–African theological journal that aims to serve academy, church and society with high–quality scholarly contributions. The journal has roots in the Reformed tradition that stretch back to the 19^th century. STJ supports theological scholarship that engages with living traditions through responsible Biblical interpretation, a critical engagement with the past, ecumenicity, a practical–theological focus and a unique emphasis on the public character of theological reflection. Hosted at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Stellenbosch, STJ is serious about being situated in Southern Africa and the African continent while simultaneously being aware of the global challenges for theology today.

In light of these remarks we welcome submissions to STJ from scholars in all the theological sub–disciplines, as well as from related disciplines. We hold the view that interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research can bring further depth and renewal to our theological reflection. As an academic theological journal we are committed to sound academic practices, such as a thorough peer review system and internationalisation. As a multilingual journal, we consider articles in English, Afrikaans, Dutch and isiXhosa.

The journal includes the following sections: From the Editor, Articles, Review Articles, Book Reviews and a section called “Discourse” for debates, interviews and discussion pieces.

While the journal has historical ties with the Reformed tradition, this is coupled with a strong ecumenical commitment that seeks serious engagement with all theological traditions. The journal aims to publish original theological research of the highest quality, stretching across all the theological sub–disciplines and even interdisciplinary engagement with other academic fields.

Peer Review Process:
After the initial acceptance of a manuscript, it will be sent to at least two appropriate referees for a double–blind peer review. This means that author(s) do not know the names of the reviewers and that the reviewers do not know the names of the author(s).

Once the manuscript has been peer reviewed, the article and referee reports will be returned to the author. Reviewers may also provide comments and suggestions in the text itself via MS Word's “track changes” and/or “comments” functions. The author then has the opportunity to revise the manuscript accordingly and resubmit the revised article.

The editorial staff retain the right to make a final decision regarding publication.

We cordially request that authors submit articles according to the following guidelines:
All submissions must be linguistically sound, making use of clearly formulated academic language without grammatical and spelling errors. Submissions should also comply with the formatting guidelines provided below. Should the article not comply it will be returned to the author for revision before being sent for review.

• File format
  
  Manuscripts should be submitted in Word format (i.e. as .doc files).


• Language
  
  Manuscripts may be submitted in English, Afrikaans, Dutch or isiXhosa. English manuscripts should follow British conventions.


• Length
  
  Manuscripts should be between 4500 and 6500 words (excluding footnotes).


• Anonymity & Cover Page
  
  To ensure anonymity with regards to the double–blind peer review process, remove any reference to the author’s identity from the main manuscript. Also be sure to remove identification of authorship that is automatically ascribed to documents by MS Word.
  Author details should however be provided on a cover page, which is to be submitted as a separate "supplementary file" during the submission process. This cover page should include the following elements:
  
  
  • The article title;
  • The author’s name as he/she wishes it to appear on published article (STJ prefers using the author’s first name and surname);
  • The current institutional affiliation(s) that should appear on the article. If authors (including non South African authors) are affiliated with a South–African institution and wish to apply for subsidy, please also indicate the institution that should be credited;
  • The author’s contact details (phone number and email address).


• Abstract and Keywords
  
  Include a brief abstract (100–150 words) and 4–5 keywords in your submission. Abstracts should be in English and in the case of an Afrikaans or Dutch article, the title should also be translated and included as the abstract’s heading.


• Font
  
  12pt, Times New Roman, 1.5 Line Spacing, Justified Paragraphs. All Hebrew (Consonants only), Greek, Aramaic, Syriac and Coptic should also be given in Times New Roman font.


• Headings
  
  As far as possible, try to keep to a maximum of two levels of headings. The following formatting applies to headings:
  First headings: normal case, bold, 14pt
  Second headings: normal case, italics, 14pt


• Paragraphs
  
  Paragraph breaks are to be marked by line spaces.
  Longer quotations (more than 50 words) should be provided in a separate paragraph and indented from the left.


• Referencing and Footnotes
  
  Only Harvard and Chicago reference systems are accepted, but must be applied consistently within a single article.
  Discursive footnotes should only be used where appropriate and be kept to a minimum.
  A bibliography must be provided at the end of all articles and contain only the sources referred to in the article.


• Guidelines for book reviews
  
  We cordially request that authors submit book reviews according to the following guidelines.
  All submissions must be linguistically sound, making use of clearly formulated academic language without grammatical and spelling errors. Submissions should also comply with the formatting guidelines provided below.


• File format
  
  Book reviews should be submitted in Word format (i.e. as .doc files).


• Language
  
  Book reviews may be written in English, Afrikaans or Dutch. English reviews should follow British conventions.


• Book details
  
  Reviews should begin with the details of the review copy set out in the following format:
  

  Conradie, Ernst M & Klaasen, John (Book author(s)) The Quest for Identity in so–called Mainline Churches in South Africa (Book title) 2013, Stellenbosch: Sun Press (Year, City, Publisher) ISBN: 9781920689223 (ISBN Number) Reviewed by (Name and Surname)

• Length
  
  Book reviews should be between 500 and 800 words (unless requested otherwise).


• Font
  
  12pt, Times New Roman, 1.5 Line Spacing, Justified Paragraphs.
  All Hebrew (Consonants only), Greek, Aramaic, Syriac and Coptic should also be given in Times New Roman font.


• Headings
  
  Please do not to use headings in book reviews.


• Paragraphs
  
  Paragraph breaks are to be marked by line spaces.
  Longer quotations (more than 50 words) should be provided in a separate paragraph and indented from the left.

Registration and login are required to submit items online and to check the status of current submissions. For enquiries about the submission process and other technical difficulties, please contact Pieter Traut: pieter@epub.co.za

Submission Preparation Checklist:

As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission’s compliance with all of the following items. Submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.

1. The author acknowledges that he/she has read and is in agreement with the legal and ethical considerations as stipulated in the Copyright Notice and that they have fulfilled all the legal and ethical requirements provided there.
2. The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
3. The submission file is in Microsoft Word document file format.
4. If submitting to a peer–reviewed section of the journal, the instructions in “Ensuring a Blind Review” have been followed.