As part of the submission process, authors are required to check off their submission's compliance with all of the following items, and submissions may be returned to authors that do not adhere to these guidelines.
The submission has not been previously published, nor is it before another journal for consideration (or an explanation has been provided in Comments to the Editor).
The submission file is in OpenOffice, Microsoft Word, or RTF document file format.
Where available, URLs for the references have been provided.
The text is single-spaced; uses a 12-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points and included separately as discreet attachments to the submission.
The text adheres to the stylistic and bibliographic requirements outlined in the Author Guidelines.
The submission should be considered fully complete by the author upon submission. Any additions, corrections, and editing by the author after submission will not be permitted except by Verba Vitae editorial direction.
Article word count should be between 5,000 and 10,000 words. Larger articles may be considered for publication as multi-part articles spread over multiple issues.
Author Guidelines
In general, Verba Vitae Journal employs The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), 17th Edition, Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2017 as the house style. Note especially the following:
Title
Verba Vitae prefers succinct titles. Avoid the use of double titles containing a colon.
Supplemental information about the intent of the article will catch the reader’s eye if it is incorporated into the first paragraph.
Divide the article into subdivisions; entitle each division.
The main title should appear at the top of the first page of text in the following format:
Title of the Essay
by John T. Author
Avoid using the asterisk in the title. Notices pertaining to prior publication and presentation should appear at the head of the endnotes as an unnumbered entry.
Text
Avoid the suggestion of oral presentation. For example, avoid the use of first person and the use of contractions.
Capitalization.
Do not use capitalization for the sake of emphasis.
Use capitals in reference the Bible and books of the Bible. For example, Scripture, Gospel according to St. Mark (however, use lower case, gospel, in reference to the message of Christ.
Use capitals in reference to institutional bodies, such as Institute of Lutheran Theology and Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
Italics.
The textual citation of published works should be in italics: e.g., The Book of Concord. However, citation of confessional symbols should appear in Roman type: e.g., the Small Catechism.
Single words and short phrases in languages other than English will be italicized. Do not set them off in quotation marks.
Books of the Bible should NOT be italicized.
Quotations.
Under five typewritten lines may be set off in quotation marks; over five lines should appear as a block quotation, indented without quotation marks.
Use quotation marks to identify titles of essays cited in the text.
Scholarly abbreviations.
While the use of scholarly abbreviations is acceptable in parentheses and end notes, they should not be used in the text. For example, in place of “i.e.” use “that is”; in place of “e.g.” use “for example”; in place of “etc.” use “and so forth.”
Diacritics.
In spelling German ä, ö, and ü diacritics should be used, not ae, oe, ue.
Diacritics should always be employed where appropriate, particularly in the citation of languages other than English.
Care should be taken in the citation of Greek and Hebrew. Authors should use the Greek and Hebrew fonts available from the Society of Biblical Literature.
Spelling.
Use “-ize” endings when given as an alternative to “–ise.”
Use American form, not British; for example, savior, not saviour.
Dates and Numbers.
1990s; not 1990’s.
Sixteenth century; not 16th century.
July 1994; not July, 1994.
Sixty–seven; not 67; but use numerals for numbers over one hundred.
Acronyms.
Avoid the use of acronyms. Cite the referent fully in the first usage. After that you may use the acronym.
End Notes
In the text, references to the end note numbers should appear in superscript.
The first citation of a work in the endnotes should include the complete bibliographical data—Author, Title, (City of Publication: Publisher, date of publication), vol:pg.ln. For example:
Luthers Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe, 57 vols. Eds.J.F.K. Knaake et al. (Weimar: Böhlau, 1883ff.) 2:45.6-10. (Hereafter cited as WA.)
Luther's Works, American Edition, 55 vols. Eds. Pelikan and Lehmann (St Louis and Philadelphia: Concordia and fortress, 1955ff.) 2:45. (Hereafter cited as LW.)
Corpus Reformatorum, 28 vols. Eds. C.G. Bretschneider et al. (Brunsvigae and Halis Saxorum: C.A. Schwetschke et Filium, 1834-60) 3:75-76. (Hereafter cited as CR.)
Submissions
Manuscripts may be submitted directly through the online submission procedure.
All manuscripts for publication are reviewed by two scholarly peers in the area of the subject matter.
Books for Review
Submit books for review to the Book Review Editor:
In submitting this work to Verba Vitae Journal, the author hereby assigns worldwide copyright of the Work in all forms and media (whether now known, or hereafter developed), in all languages for the full term of copyright and all extensions and renewals thereof.