Grand Rapids, Michigan May 30, 2001 — The Acton Institute is pleased to announce the winners of the 2001 Homiletics Award, marking the end of a six-month selection process. This year's competition included entrants from 31 different colleges, seminaries and universities. Participants prepared the sermons as if they were going to address an audience of Fortune 500 CEOs. This year's entries were based upon the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21).
Br. Andrew Hofer, O.P., a Master's of Divinity student at Dominican House of Studies, Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, was awarded first place and $2,000 for his sermon on the Parable. Tal Prince of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University (AL) won second place and $1,000 for his sermon, "Greedy Farmer or Good Steward?" Third place and $500 went to Brian Lee, a Ph.D. student in historical theology at Calvin Theological Seminary (MI) for his entry, "The Parable of Too Much Fruit." Honorable mention was awarded to Michael Ezeatu of St. John's University (NY).
This year's panel of distinguished judges included Rev. Robert A. Sirico, co-founder and president of the Acton Institute; Dr. Harold O.J. Brown, professor of philosophy and theology at Reformed Theological Seminary; Dr. A. Duane Litfin, president of Wheaton College; Fr. John Michael Beers of the Annecy Institute; Dr. Haddon W. Robinson, professor of homiletics at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; and Dr. William H. Willimon, dean of the chapel and professor of Christian ministry at Duke University Divinity School.
The annual Homiletics Award recognizes and promotes outstanding achievement in effective Christian preaching. It is one of the Acton Institute's many programs designed to assist future religious leaders in developing an understanding of the relationship between morality and the marketplace.