The contest is open to all current and/or graduating seminary students who are members in good standing with one of the NAPARC member churches. Content & format:  Entries shall address a problem or topic in the field of American Presbyterian History… and must demonstrate a high level of scholarship in their composition.

The PCA Historical Center sponsors the G. Aiken Taylor Award, an annual award to recognize outstanding scholarship in the field of American Presbyterian Church History. First prize will be a cash award of $500.00.  A second prize of $100.00 may also be awarded, at the discretion of the judges.

Eligibility: The contest is open to all current and/or graduating seminary students who are members in good standing with one of the NAPARC member churches (see www.naparc.org/member-churches/).

Content & format:  Entries shall address a problem or topic in the field of American Presbyterian History, shall include an abstract with a stated thesis, and must demonstrate a high level of scholarship in their composition. Length shall be between 20 pages minimum and 40 pages maximum. Papers shall follow Kate Turabian’s Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (7th ed.) and shall include footnotes and bibliography.

In addition to a title page, each entry shall have a cover page providing the entrant’s name, address and school attended. The entrant’s name shall appear only on the cover page and shall not appear anywhere in the body of the paper itself. Entries ignoring this rule shall be disqualified.

Deadline: Papers, including the cover page, shall be submitted in the .PDF file format and sent not later than August 1, 2013 by email file attachment, using the address of the director of the PCA Historical Center, [email protected]. In addition, a statement must be received, either by letter or by email, from the entrant’s pastor, stating that the entrant is a member in good standing of a church in one of the NAPARC denominations. Entries lacking this certification will be disqualified.

Judging:  Copies of the duly submitted papers will then be forwarded from the PCA Historical Center to a three-member selection committee not later than August 15, 2013. Announcement of the 2013 Award winner should be made before the end of the calendar year.

Right of Publication:  The PCA Historical Center reserves the right to publish all prize-winning papers. Publication of these papers elsewhere without written permission will be prohibited.

A few of the previous winners include:

* 1995:  “Sons of God:  An Examination of the Doctrine of Adoption in the Thought of John Lafayette Girardeau”, by Stephen R. Berry, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS.
* 1998:  “Evangelize the West Before She Paganizes the East:  Issues in Presbyterian Church Planting, 1900 to 1925,” by Stephen P. Lewis, Westminster Seminary California, Escondido, CA.
* 2001:  “The Role and Influence of Francis A. Schaeffer in the Founding and Shaping of the Presbyterian Church in America,” by Jefferson L. Lawrence, Birmingham Theological Seminary.
* 2004: “The Primary Seat of the Soul: An Evaluation of Robert L. Dabney’s Review of Charles Hodge,” by John W. Tweeddale, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS.

All correspondence and contest entries should be directed to:

Wayne Sparkman, Director
PCA Historical Center
12330 Conway Road
St. Louis, MO 63141.
Phone:  (314) 469-9077
Email: [email protected]