Monday, January 13, 2014

Theology essay contest, $500 and 50% tuition at SJU prize.

Saint John’s School of Theology sponsors an essay contest for college juniors and seniors each academic year. 

The winner of this essay contest will receive a $500 cash prize and a 50% tuition scholarship to the School of Theology, should she or he enroll in a graduate degree program. 

The winning essay will also be published in Obsculta, our graduate student journal for writing and art.

Obsculta is the opening word of the Rule of Benedict, which has shaped the life of Benedictines around the world for over 1,500 years. The full opening phrase is “Listen with the ear of your heart.” This simple admonition shapes not only the life of our Benedictine monastic community but also the way we do our theology and preparation for ministry in the School of Theology. In a world where people too often speak first and ask questions later, we seek to listen—to listen for the voice of the Spirit in scripture, tradition, each other and the world in which we live today. We seek essays in that spirit for the Obsculta prize. 

Essays submitted for consideration can be on any topic of Christian theology.
This includes comparative studies of other religions, pastoral or practical theology, and disciplines such as scripture, history, etc.

Criteria:
· the significance and compelling character of the topic
· the quality of the research, analysis, and synthesis; the clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness of the argument
· overall writing style and creativity
· no more than 15 pages or 4,000 words
· 12 point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
· adherence to the Chicago Manual of Style
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2014
Eligibility Requirements: College Junior or Senior
For additional information e-mail obscultaprize@csbsju.edu
Last year’s publication is available for online viewing at:
http://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/obsculta/