Editor’s Report for 2020

Volume 106 of the journal consisted of 666 pages of articles, addresses, essays, book reviews, brief notices, and the quarterly sections Notes and Comments, Periodical Literature, and Other Books Received, with an additional eight pages of preliminary material and thirty-seven pages of the general index. In all volume 106 contained 721 pages. Subsidies from authors and contributions from others made directly to the journal allowed for the addition of pages above those budgeted. Professor Paul F. Grendler of Chapel Hill, NC (emeritus of the University of Toronto) has once again made a generous contribution.

Of the nineteen regular articles published, excluding the ACHA Presidental Address and the “Journey in Church History” essay, three treated a medieval topic, five an early modern European, three a late modern European, four an American, two a Latin American, and one an African theme. Eleven of their authors came from American institutions, the others from Argentinian (2), Belgian (2), Chinese, French, Polish, and Tanzanian universities. In addition there was a Miscellany Essay, dealing with the late modern period, that had contributions by three scholars from Russian institutions.

In 2020 the journal published twenty-one book reviews. The book reviews can be subdivided into the following categories: general and miscellaneous (2), ancient (3), medieval (3), early modern (5), late modern (4), American (2), and Latin American (2). Their authors came mostly from institutions in the United States (15 or 71%), but those in other countries were also represented (29%): in Germany (2), England (1), Japan (1), Switzerland (1), and Vatican City (1). Please see Table 1.

Table 1.

Book Reviews Published in 2020

Table 2.

Manuscripts Submitted in 2020

The paucity of book reviews published in 2020 is primarily attributed to the Covid-19 epidemic. The university that houses the journal closed down on-campus work activities and sent home students who assist in positions around the university.

The editors received thirty-two new submissions of articles in 2020. They came primarily from the United States, but also from Argentina, Canada, China, France, Germany, Grenada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, and Poland. Table 2 shows the current disposition of these submissions. During the year 2020, seventeen articles submitted prior to 2020 were accepted and published.

During 2020 the journal experienced serious staffing problems due to safety measures taken as a result of Covid-19 and to other health problems. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this trying period.