A reminder to America’s readers that we are conducting (as part of our upcoming centennial celebration) an essay contest on the topic of "The Case for God." Secular and religious media alike have been abuzz over the past year about the sudden flurry of books by aggressive (and polemically-minded) atheists such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins; but has the Christian response matched their erudition and argumentation? I’m not sure--in the case of Hitchens in particular, the Christian response has varied from defensive apologiae to regrettably ad hominem attacks. Surely a culture which is based on more than a millenium of logical debate can do better. This contest is a chance for our readers to contribute their thoughts and arguments on behalf of belief, explaining how and why they have come (or continue) to believe. The author of the winning essay will receive $3,000, and their submission will be published in a future issue of America. The winning manuscript will approach that topic or the various issues surrounding it with creativity, precise argumentation and literary flair. Essays should be written with a general audience in mind, but can be from any perspective, including personal, professional, academic, apologetic or devotional. Through a generous bequest from an America donor, the author of the winning essay will receive $3,000, and their submission will be published in a future issue of the magazine. Submissions must be original, unpublished work of no more than 2,500 words, and must be received by June 16, 2008. The winner will be announced in October, 2008. Submissions should be sent to writingcontest@americamagazine.org, subject line: America Writing Contest. Or mail to America Writing Contest, 106 W. 56th Street, New York, NY 10019. Happy Writing! Jim Keane, SJAmerica Essay Contest
A reminder to America’s readers that we are conducting (as part of our upcoming centennial celebration) an essay contest on the topic of "The Case for God." Secular and religious media alike have been abuzz over the past year about the sudden flurry of books by aggressive (and polemically-minded) atheists such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins; but has the Christian response matched their erudition and argumentation? I’m not sure--in the case of Hitchens in particular, the Christian response has varied from defensive apologiae to regrettably ad hominem attacks. Surely a culture which is based on more than a millenium of logical debate can do better. This contest is a chance for our readers to contribute their thoughts and arguments on behalf of belief, explaining how and why they have come (or continue) to believe. The author of the winning essay will receive $3,000, and their submission will be published in a future issue of America. The winning manuscript will approach that topic or the various issues surrounding it with creativity, precise argumentation and literary flair. Essays should be written with a general audience in mind, but can be from any perspective, including personal, professional, academic, apologetic or devotional. Through a generous bequest from an America donor, the author of the winning essay will receive $3,000, and their submission will be published in a future issue of the magazine. Submissions must be original, unpublished work of no more than 2,500 words, and must be received by June 16, 2008. The winner will be announced in October, 2008. Submissions should be sent to writingcontest@americamagazine.org, subject line: America Writing Contest. Or mail to America Writing Contest, 106 W. 56th Street, New York, NY 10019. Happy Writing! Jim Keane, SJ
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17 years 3 months ago
If God is true and real and that people like Dawkins and Hitchens are mistaken, then why the need to defend?
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