The ELS residential conference in Liverpool in January 2007 will be remembered for
the thoughtful and scholarly papers presented by expert speakers, by the traditional
bonhomie of members and guests in relaxed surroundings and, in addition, for the relaunch
of the Ecclesiastical Law Journal.
Established in 1987 with the creation of the Society, the Journal was intended as a
vehicle for disseminating the proceedings of its inaugural meeting and resultant
working parties. Since then, under the enthusiastic and dogged editorship of Michael
Goodman, the Journal increased its coverage to include scholarly articles on the law
of the Church of England, Case Notes of judgments in the civil and ecclesiastical
courts, and book reviews of mainstream and specialist publications. In the two
decades which have followed, the Journal has become more expansive featuring
international, ecumenical, and comparative studies of law and religion, reports of
national synods, summaries of relevant activities of the Westminster parliament and
of the European Institutions, and incisive Comment pieces on matters of topical
concern.
The Journal has been recognised as an authoritative and occasionally controversial
source of material in a subject area of increasing jurisprudential and ecclesiological
interest. The Society is therefore delighted that the twentieth birthday of the Journal
has been marked by a partnership with Cambridge University Press who will
henceforward publish the Journal on the Society’s behalf. This places the Journal
with a stable of other academic journals and permits its further promotion
internationally through the Press in a manner which could never be done whilst it
continued to be printed and distributed on an in–house basis.
For members of the Society, they will continue to receive the Journal as part of their
annual subscription. However they will get it three times a year (in January, May and
September) rather than two at present. Editorial discretion remains with the Society
exercised by the editor and the editorial board. Although the Board was saddened to
accept the resignation of Bishop Eric Kemp during 2006, it has been pleased to
welcome Professor Javier Martínez-Torrón and Professor John Witte Jr to strengthen
its international expertise.
Members will also benefit from being able to access the Journal on line at
http://www.journals.cambridge.org/ELJ using their individual subscriber number. In
case of difficulty, please telephone the Journals Customer Service Department on
01223 326070.
I look forward to working with Cambridge University Press in promoting the Journal
and in building upon its enviable reputation forged under the editorship of my
distinguished predecessor, Michael Goodman, and sustained through a dedicated and
committed Editorial Board.
Professor Mark Hill
Editor, Ecclesiastical Law Journal
