Dear Readers,

First Things is excited to announce the second annual Student Essay Contest for young thinkers and scholars. Those currently enrolled in a college, graduate program, or seminary—including students graduating this May—are invited to participate.

We’re asking for 2000- to 2500-word responses to one of three statements:

1. Richard Lewontin, a Harvard geneticist: “The problem is to get [people] to reject irrational and supernatural explanations of the world, the demons that exist only in their imaginations, and to accept a social and intellectual apparatus, Science, as the only begetter of truth.”

2. John Henry Newman: “Many a man will live and die upon a dogma: no man will be a martyr for a conclusion.”

3. Charles Péguy: “Tout commence en mystique et finit en politique.”

All entries—original, unpublished work—must be sent as Microsoft Word attachments to essaycontest@firstthings.com. Essays are due on June 15.

Everyone who participates, winner or no, will receive three free digital issues of First Things.

The first-place and second-place essays will be published on our website. We’ll print the names of the two winners in our magazine. The victors will receive monetary rewards—$750 for first place, $250 for second place.

Editors will be reviewing all submissions and selecting the winning essays. A decision will be announced on July 25.

Best,

R. R. Reno
Editor, First Things

You can read the 2015 winning essays below: