Frequently Asked Questions
How do I subscribe to Bibliotheca Sacra?
Simply fill out the online form, including valid credit card information. Our site is secure and easy to use. Or if you prefer, you can call the office (1-800-992-0998, ext. 3729), or mail your payment to Bibliotheca Sacra, Dallas Seminary, 3909 Swiss Ave, Dallas, TX, 75204. A complete price schedule is available online.
What is the best way to reach the Bib Sac office?
Email is normally the best way (bibsac@dts.edu).
What back issues do you have in stock?
We have many back issues available for purchase, even some from the 1940s and 1950s. They are $7.00 each. But we do not have a continuous collection—it’s “hit and miss.” So you will need to contact the office if you are looking for a specific back issue.
If you are interested in older issues, you might also consider accessing Bibliotheca Sacra online. Here you’ll find issues going back to 1934, when the Seminary first acquired the journal. Online access is included as part of every subscription.
When does my subscription expire?
Feel free to ask us directly when your subscription expires. Your expiration date is also printed on the address label of the issues you receive. After the letters “exp” are several numbers, which indicate the year that the subscription expires, and the quarter. For example, “Exp 2009-3” indicates that the last issue of this subscription will be the third quarter of 2009 (i.e., the July–September issue of 2009).
When you receive your last issue, it will arrive in a special envelope that informs you that your subscription is ending. Inside you’ll also find a convenient return envelope in which to mail a check or credit card information. Returning this envelope, rather than waiting for subsequent mailings, ensures that you won’t miss a single issue.
I placed my order online, so why wasn’t my credit card charged?
Unlike many online businesses, our ordering system does not automatically and immediately charge your card. Instead, your order is stored on our secure site, and an email prompt is sent to our office. At a later time that information is retrieved and then processed.
How can I be sure that my online order went through?
The best indicator is the confirmation email, which is sent within a few seconds after placing your order. For your safety your credit card information will be blocked out, but the other details of your order will be sent. You can keep and/or print this for your own records.
How long does it take to receive my first issue?
As with all other print subscriptions, whether it’s Time or Newsweek or Christianity Today, we ask that you allow up to six weeks for delivery of your first issue. However, it usually takes about half this amount of time. However, feel free to begin accessing the online content immediately after you subscribed online or mailed your payment.
How do I access the online version?
The first step is to become a subscriber! The online version is included as part of every paid subscription.
Everything you need to know about accessing the online version of Bibliotheca Sacra is available at the website. This simple walkthrough should get you going:
1. Go to the seminary website (dts.edu), and click on “Bib Sac” under the heading “Watch and Learn.”
3. Check the box, then click on the button “Go to BibSac Online.”
4. Write down the username (a.k.a. “Account Name”) and password, and click the link. (You can bookmark this site to skip to this step in the future.)
5. Enter the account name and password.
How often is the online content updated? Can I read the current issue?
The online version of Bibliotheca Sacra is updated on an ongoing basis as print versions of the journal are published. The online content will normally be about two or three quarters behind the print version.
What should I do if I did not receive an issue?
Simply send an email or call the office (1-800-992-0998, ext. 3729), specifying which issue you did not receive. If you recently moved, please inform us of that change at this time. Be sure to include your full name as it appears on your subscription account, so we can find you in the system.
What should I do if an issue arrives damaged?
We’ll replace it. Just let us know who you are and what issue to replace.
I’d like to quote a Bibliotheca Sacra article in something I’m writing—what do I need to do?
Probably nothing. Fair Use laws allow writers to quote sections from other authors’ work, as long as you cite the source. For more information, you may consult The Chicago Manual of Style, section 4.75.
May I post a Bibliotheca Sacra article online?
Reproducing an entire article online without permission is a copyright violation. Requests for permission (of any sort) should be submitted to our office via email or regular mail. We will evaluate your request, and respond as quickly as possible.
Do I need to obtain permission to photocopy and distribute Bibliotheca Sacra articles for a classroom?
Not if you follow the guidelines set out in our general permission statement, which is printed on the inside front cover of every issue. It says:
Bibliotheca Sacra hereby grants permission for articles to be photocopied for use in a local congregation or classroom, if (a) no more than one hundred copies are made, (b) the material is distributed free, and (c) the copies include the notice, “Copyright (year). Reprinted from Bibliotheca Sacra.” For any other use, including posting articles on the Internet, advance permission must be obtained in writing from Bibliotheca Sacra.
Are indexes available for Bibliotheca Sacra?
At the back of the October issue published each year an index of articles and book reviews for that volume is included. Also we have published indexes for the last two decades—the 1980s and 1990s. We have limited quantities of these, and you can purchase them online for $6.00 each. (Indexes that covered earlier decades are out of print and unavailable.) Also subscribers may use the built-in search features when they access the journal online.
Do you accept unsolicited manuscripts?
Yes. You may send your manuscript as a Word document attached to your cover letter, or you can use regular mail. We advise that you consult a recent copy of the journal itself, as well as our submission guidelines here: https://secure.dts.edu/media/publications/bibliothecasacra/submissionguidelines/
How long does it take for you to evaluate a manuscript submitted for publication?
It may take up to six weeks for someone to get back to you, but normally it only takes about half that time.