Obsculta Theological Essay Contest
Submission Due Date: March 1, 2012
Eligibility Requirements: College Junior or Senior
Saint John’s School of Theology·Seminary is proud to announce the inaugural Obsculta theological essay contest for college juniors and seniors. The winning essay will receive a $500 cash prize and a $6,000 scholarship to the School of Theology (contingent upon admission). It will also be published in Obsculta, our student run journal for writing and art.
Obsculta is the opening word of the Rule of Benedict, which has shaped the life and spirituality of Benedictines around the world for over 1,500 years. The full opening phrase of the Rule is “Listen with the ear of your heart.” This simple admonition shapes not only the life of the monastic community at Saint John’s but also the way we do our theology and preparation for ministry. In a world where people too often speak first and ask questions later, we seek to listen—listen for the voice of the Spirit in Scripture, tradition, each other and the world. Out of this listening we speak that Word of God in a way we hope can be heard in and even inspire the world in which we live today.
We seek essays in that spirit for the Obsculta prize. The essays can be on any topic of Christian theology. This includes comparative studies of other religions and pastoral or practical theology as well as disciplines such as scripture, history, systematics.
Criteria for selection include the significance and compelling character of the topic; the quality of the research, analysis, and synthesis; the clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness of the argument; and overall style and creativity. Papers must be no more than 15 pages or 4,000 words (12 point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins), follow the Chicago Manual of Style.
For additional information call 1-800-361-8318 or e-mail obscultaprize@csbsju.edu.
