To engage high school students in church-state issues and to generate interest from a wide range of Baptists, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington has launched its second annual religious liberty essay contest.
Open to all Baptist high school students in the classes of 2007 and 2008, the contest offers a grand prize of $1,000 and airfare and lodging for two to Washington, D.C.
Second prize is $500, and third prize is $100.
Winners will be announced in the summer of 2007 and will be featured in the BJC's flagship publication, Report from the Capital. The grand prize winner will also be recognized at the BJC board meeting in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 2.
Students entering the contest are asked to use their understanding of the importance of the separation of church and state and the prophetic role of the church to respond to the following quote by Martin Luther King Jr: “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and critic of the state, and never its tool.”
Essays are required to have a minimum of 700 words and no more than 1,000 words. They will be judged on the depth of their content and the skill with which they are written. Students should demonstrate a sound knowledge of the subject matter and support their assertions and provide bibliographical references. Essays that do not meet the minimum qualifications will not be judged.
Visit www.BJConline.org/contest for more information or to download a promotional flier and/or registration form. Send any questions to essays@BJConline.org.