GRAND RAPIDS,Mich., (June 30, 2004) — The Acton Institute announced the recipients of the2004 Homiletics Award, an annual competition for seminarians and graduatestudents preparing for a career in preaching and teaching ministries.

This year'shomiletics competition included entrants from more than 43 different colleges,seminaries, and universities. Contestants were asked to prepare and preach a sermon targeted toward a group of corporate executives ata weekend retreat. This year, participants preached a sermon based on Luke 16:1-16. The biblical passage includes the challenging“Parable of the Shrewd Manager”.

In all, five recipientswere selected:

• First place prize,$2,000: Jared Evan Alcántara, Master of Divinity student at Gordon ConwellTheological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass.
• Second place, $1,000:Charles Patrick Fearon, a Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership and SpiritualFormation, and Master of Arts in Counseling student at Grand Rapids TheologicalSeminary, in Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Third place prize,$500: Anthony Co, a Master of Divinity student at Mount Saint Mary's Seminaryin Emmitsburg, Md.
• Honorable mentions: Peter Raymond, a Master of Divinity student at AndoverNewton Theological School in Newton Centre, Mass.; Michael Angarola, a Masterof Divinity and M.A. Theology student at Mount Saint Mary's Seminary.

This year'spanel of Homiletics Award judges included Rev. Robert Sirico, co-founder andpresident of the Acton Institute; Fr. Paul Hartmann,Judicial Vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal, Roman Catholic Archdiocese ofMilwaukee; Dr. Duane Kelderman, vice-president of CalvinTheological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Fr. Roger Landry, parochialvicar of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Hyannis, Mass.; Rev. John Nunes, visitingprofessor at Concordia College and pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church inDallas, Texas.

The annualHomiletics Award is one of the Acton Institute's many programs designed toassist future religious leaders in developing an understanding of therelationship between morality and the marketplace and becoming articulateproponents of a free and virtuous society.