The Challenge
There are many cultural and political currents that flow contrary to the Gospel, and they seem to be changing every day. Peter exhorts Christians to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in them (1 Peter 3:15), and Paul tells the Ephesians that all Christians are called to defend their faith, not just leaders and teachers (Ephesians 4:1-16).

• • How do we equip our parishioners to share the reasons for their hope in Christ in the midst of the many counter currents?
  • Put another way, what does Christian apologetics look like in the 2020s and how can we equip the ACNA congregations to defend their faith with truth and love (Ephesians 4:15)

Submission June 1 – August 31, 2024
Judging Sept 1- November 15, 2024
Announce Winners November 30, 2024

Prizes
For Priests/Deacons Entrants
1st Prize $1,500 | 2nd Prize $1,000 | 3rd Prize $750

For Lay Entrants
1st Prize $1,500 | 2nd Prize $1,000 | 3rd Prize $750

• All Winners will receive a trophy/plaque.
• First Place essays will be published on the ACNA website and as free digital downloads at anglicanhousepublishers.org.
• The top 3 essays within each category will be published on the Anglican House website.

Who May Enter
The Clergy Category is open to priests and deacons in good standing within ACNA.
The Lay Category is open to lay persons who are active members in good standing within in an ACNA church.

Sponsorship
The Annual Contest is presented by Anglican House Publishers, a Ministry Partner of the Anglican Church in North America.

Judging the Contest
The contest will be judged in the blind by a panel of outside members of the Anglican House Board of Directors, i.e., board members who are neither officers of the ministry nor active in management.

Methodology
Submissions will be assigned a numeric code to facilitate the blind judging process.

Criteria
Essays will be judged on these points:

• Understanding of the topic – To what extent did the writer demonstrate a clear understanding of the question and respond with details about his/her experience?
• Original thinking relative to the topic – To what extent was the original thinking relative to the subject?
• Effectiveness in presenting a point-of-view – To what extent did the writer present his/her point of view Literary style, grammar and spelling

Submission
All entrants must pledge the following:

• That they are a priest/deacon or member in good standing within the ACNA
• That they will not use artificial intelligence (AI) in developing their essay
• All candidates must pledge that they are a member in good standing within the ACNA.
• Essays must be submitted as a Word document not exceeding 2,500 words

During open Submission: Click on ESSAY CONTEST at anglicanhousepublishers.org for the Contest Rules. You will receive a confirmation acknowledgement of your submittal. This will be the only confirmation of your entry. Submissions arriving after the August 31, 2024 submission date will not be counted.

2022 Essay Contest Winners – Read Here