Haverim Writing Award

Haverim is the Hebrew word for friends. This organization is made up of EMU alumni who are Bible, Religion and Theology graduates as well as seminary graduates. As part of its mission in support of the EMU Bible, Religion & Theology Program, Haverim seeks to promote fine scholarly writing by students. The Haverim Writing Award, available annually, is awarded to students whose submitted essays best exemplify the goals set forth. A modest monetary payment to the award winners is provided as an incentive. Read the guidelines for submissions. Papers should be submitted to the Bible, Religion & Theology Program by March 15.

2020 Winners

1st Place: Capitalism, Schizophrenia and the Women's Piety Movement by Raviv Monahan

2nd Place: The #MeToo Movement: The Liberation of Female Voices Who Experience Sexual Abuse and Assault by Kate Kauffman

3rd Place: Anabaptism Today: Global Perspectives by Luke Hertzler
2019 Winners

1st place: The Monks of the Holy Cross Abbey: A Missiology by Ariel Barbosa

2nd place: A Theology Para La Lucha: Latin American Feminist Theology by Cassidy Bontrager

3rd place: Seeking Wholeness: Sacrament as a Model for Reclaiming the Interdependency of Matter and Spirit by Megan Good
2018 Winners
- 1st Place: "The Wilderness of the Bible in the Age of the Anthropocene" - Michaela Mast, Psychology
- 2nd Place: "Toward Compassion: Creatively Performing Scripture in a Dynamic World" - Luke Litwiller, Mathematics
- 3rd Place: "Art as Mediator" - Sarah Longenecker, Art
2017 Winners
- 1st Place: “Unworthy of Christ’s body: An Analysis of Communion in Corinth” – Justine Nolt, Writing Studies
- 2nd Place: “A Journey to Complexity: Seeking to Understand Lancaster Mennonite Conference Affiliation with Mennonite Church USA” – Christina Hershey, Congregational & Youth Ministry
- 3rd Place: “Exegesis on First Corinthians 5” – Janaya Sachs, Chemistry
2016 Winners
- 1st Place (tie): Christina Hershey, 2018 Congregational and Youth Ministry, “The Word of God: Revelation in Christianity and Islam”
- 1st Place (tie): Rebekah York, Dec 2015 Peacebuilding and Development, “A Christian Response in a Hypermodern World: A Theological Assessment Shifting the Question from ‘Where is God?’ to ‘Where are God’s people?’”
- 3rd Place: Christian Parks, 2016 Theater major and Bible & Religion minor, “A Way Of Integration”
2015 Winners
- 1st Place: Jordan Luther, 2015 Biblical Studies, “The Hiphopcrypha:The Theological Sensibilities of Rap Music”
- 2nd Place (tie): Andrea King, 2015 Elementary Education, “Women: Free to Speak or Silenced? 1 Corinthians 14:33-36”
- 2nd Place (tie): Jacob Landis, 2015 Congregational & Youth Ministries and Biblical Studies, “A Working Ministry when clergy and laity work together”
2014 Winners
- 1st Place: Evan Knappenberger, 2015 Philosophy & Theology, “Living Prophetically”
- 2nd Place: Emily Hodges, 2014 Religious & Intercultural Studies, “Approaching Youth ministry”
- 3rd Place: Thomas Millary, 2015 Philosophy & Theology, “Politics of Perhaps”
2013 Winners
- 1st Place: Aaron Erb, 2014 Philosophy and Theology major, “Examining the Biblical Portrayal of Hell in Relation to Peace & Justice”
- 2nd Place: Blair Wilner, 2013 Philosophy and Theology major, “Nonviolence without Metaphysics”
- 3rd Place: Matt Naugle, 2014 Congregational and Youth Ministry major, “Romans 1: Condemnation of What Exactly?
2012 Winners
- 1st Place: Nathan Hershberger, 2012 Philosophy & Theology major, “J. Denny Weaver, the Creeds, and Scripture: Thoughts on the Orientation of Anabaptism and Approaches to Theology”
- 2nd Place: Doran Stucky, 2012 Philosophy & Theology major, “Queer Theology of Christianity”
- 3rd Place: Benjamin Bailey, 2012 Biblical Studies major,
  “Vulnerability, Contingency, and Christian Discipleship: Theological Vision from the Seat of a Bicycle”
2011 Winners
- 1st Place: Nathan Hershberger, 2012 Philosophy & Theology major, “Romans 13:1-7: A Call to Revolutionary Subordination”
- 2nd Place: Adella Barrett, 2012 Culture, Religion and Mission major, “Dwelling on Theotokos”
- 3rd Place: Jossimar Diaz-Castro, 2013, Philosophy & Theology major, “Romans 1:16-23 and 3:21-26: Contextual Understandings of the Wrath & Righteousness of God for the Protestant Hispanic Church
2010 Winners
- 1st Place: Taylor Stutzman, 2010 Culture, Religion and Mission major, “Illumination in the Shadow of Doubt: An Essay on Agnostic Faith”
- 2nd Place: Travis Riesen, “Premillenial Dispensationalism: Scatology for the Ages”
- 3rd Place: Grace Schrock-Hurst, 2010 Congregational and Youth Ministries major,
  “Incarnational Missions: Following the Way of Christ as Suffering Servant”
2009 Winners
- 1st Place: John Tyson, 2009 Biblical Studies major, Memory-Politics: “On ‘Edges’, Speed, and Witness in the Holy Land”
- 2nd Place: Taylor Stutzman, 2010 Culture, Religion and Mission major, “What really gets left behind in Paul’s eschatology?”
- 3rd Place: Karissa Sauder, 2009 Bible and Religion minor, “‘Be Silent:’ An Examination of the Admonition of Women in I Corinthians 14”
2008 Winners
- 1st Place: John Tyson, 2009 Biblical Studies major, “A Lamb in the Lion’s Den: Theopolitical Pacifism and Atonement Theology”
- 2nd Place: Nicholas Stoddard, December 2007 Biblical Studies graduate, “God, Creation, and Humans”
- 3rd Place: Laura Cattell, 2009 JPCS major, “A Biblical Narrative Perspective on Environmental Theology”
2007 Winners
- 1st Place: Nicholas Stoddard, December 2007 Biblical Studies major, “Philemon: Equality or Status Quo? An Exegetical Study”
- 2nd Place: Patrick Monk, 2008 Culture, Religion and Missions major, “Reaching Across Rubbled Walls: Emerging from the Galatian Baptism with a New Identity”
- 3rd Place: So Kim, 2007 Philosphy & Theology major, "Miracles and Science: The Quantum Theory “Solution”
2006 Winner

Caleb Yoder, “The Implications of the Resurrection for the World”
2005 Winner

Peter Sensenig, 2005 Culture, Religion and Missions major, “Subjection and Resistance: Paul’s Account of Church and State in Romans 13:1-7”