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{{Short description|American honor society for religious studies}}
{{Infobox fraternity
| name = Theta Chi Beta
| letters = {{lang|grc|ΘΧΒ}}
| coat of arms = The_crest_of_Theta_Chi_Beta.png
| image_size = 190px
| alt =
| caption =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1915}}
| birthplace = [[Syracuse University]]
| affiliation = Independent
| affiliation2 =
| status = Defunct
| defunct_date = After 2008
| type = Honor
| emphasis = Religion, Theological studies
| scope = National
| mission =
| vision =
| object =
| motto = ''Progressive Revelations''<ref name="liberal methodism">{{cite book |last1=Galpin |first1=William Freeman |last2=Barck Jr |first2=Oscar Theodore |editor1-last=Wilson |editor1-first=Richard R. |title=Syracuse University: Volume III: The Critical Years |date=August 1984 |page=268 |publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]] |location=Syracuse, N.Y. |isbn=978-0-8156-8108-3 |oclc=1023038841 |url=https://press.syr.edu/supressbooks/1836/syracuse-university-5/ |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/syracuseuniversi0000galp |archive-date=9 October 2020 |access-date=29 January 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
| virtues =
| pillars =
| slogan =
| maxim =
| tagline =
| member badge = 
| colors = 
| symbol = 6-pointed star, Shield of David, Outline of a fish, ICHTHUS
| flag = 
| flower = 
| tree =
| jewel =
| mascot =
| publication =
| chapters = 3+
| members =
| lifetime =
| nickname = 
| free =
| free_label =
| address =
| city =
| state = 
| ZIP code = 
| country = United States
| website = 
}}
'''Theta Chi Beta''' ('''{{lang|grc|ΘΧΒ}}''') was a national [[honor society]] recognizing excellence in the study of [[religion]]. It was founded at [[Syracuse University]].

==History==
Theta Chi Beta was formed in 1915 at [[Syracuse University]] as an honor society for students in the fields of Religious Studies and Theology.<ref name="liberal methodism"/> It was the first and only society of its kind in the United States.<ref name="liberal methodism"/> Several chapters were formed.<ref name="1938 AAR Journal" />

The ''Aleph chapter'' remains active as the ''Theta Chi Beta chapter'' of [[Theta Alpha Kappa]], a larger, national honor society for students in Religious studies. It was allowed to keep this name in recognition of its long history and formative role in establishing its own national society.<ref>Noted on [https://thecollege.syr.edu/religion/theta-chi-beta/ the chapter's Syracuse portal], accessed 20 Nov 2021.</ref>

The last remaining independent chapter of Theta Chi Beta was the ''Gimel chapter'', formed in 1937 at [[Florida Southern College]], which went dormant sometime after 2008.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/Interlachen2008/page/n95/mode/2up?q=%22theta+chi+beta%22 Interlachen 2008]</ref>

==Traditions==
Symbols of the Fraternity include the six-pointed Star called ''Magen David'', the Shield of David, the outline of a fish symbolic of early Christians, and the Greek word and acronym, ICHTHUS, representative of ''"Jesous Christos Theou Uios Soter"'', or "Jesus Christ God's Son Savior".

Chapter officers used Hebrew designations:
*Melek (king) for president
*Sar (prince) for vice-president
*Sopher (scribe) for secretary/treasurer
*Maskir (rememberer) for recording secretary<ref name="1938 AAR Journal">{{cite journal |last1=Peritz |first1=Ismar J. |title=Theta Chi Beta - Bible Honor Fraternity |journal=Journal of the American Academy of Religion |date=Summer 1938 |volume=VI |issue=III |page=146 |doi=10.1093/jaarel/VI.III.146 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jaar/article-abstract/VI/III/146/695469?redirectedFrom=fulltext |access-date=20 November 2021 |publisher=American Academy of Religion |location=Oxford Academic |language=English|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The emblem of the society was similar to other honor society keys, with the Hebrew letter Beth ({{lang|he|ב}}) as a frame, in which was held an open book, the Bible, all rendered in gold.<ref name="1938 AAR Journal" />

==Chapters==
Following is an incomplete list of the chapters of Theta Chi Beta. 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chapter
!Installation Date
!College or University
!Location
!Status
!Reference
|-
|''Aleph''
|1915-1991
|[[Syracuse University]]
|[[Syracuse, New York]]
|Merged, became ''Theta Chi Beta'' chapter of {{lang|grc|ΘΑΚ}} in 1991
|
|-
|''Beth''
|≥1934–{{dts|2008}}+
|[[St. Lawrence Theological School]]
|[[Canton (village), New York]]
|
|<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=KxgRAQAAIAAJ&q=%22lawrence%20theological%22 Bulletin Volumes 10-11 By Council on the Study of Religion · 1979]</ref>
|-
|''Gimel''
|1937-20xx
|[[Florida Southern College]]
|[[Lakeland, Florida]]
|
|
|-
|''Daleth ?''
|≥1937
|
|
|
|
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Theta Alpha Kappa]]

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Honor societies]]
[[Category:Student organizations established in 1915]]
[[Category:1915 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Syracuse University]]

Theta Chi Beta - Revision history

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