What do you do with old research papers? If you are 91短视频 (91短视频) graduates and Nathan Hershberger, you submit it to a competition and win $500 each.
Heatwole and Hershberger tied for top honors in the Anabaptist research paper contest, sponsored by the . The institute awarded Heatwole and Hershberger first place without knowing one small detail about the duo.
鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 realize we were married until after they had announced the winners,鈥� said Heatwole, who tied the knot with Hershberger in August 2010.
In awarding the couple a first-place tie, the committee stated in its award letter, 鈥淲e decided to do something that we think has never been done before and may never be done again 鈥� award two first-place prizes to two individuals for two very fine papers.”
Heatwole graduated in 2011 with a degree in and now serves as office coordinator in . Her paper, “The Changing Relationship Between and Anabaptism,” allowed her to focus on Anabaptist institutions and 鈥渉ow they negotiate both the social justice and theological motivations for their work.鈥�
I’m drawn to the motivations and methods for development and how they change over time,鈥� said Heatwole. “I examined how MCC’s relationship to the Anabaptist principles has changed over time and highlight similarities in this shift to broader sociological trends of development.鈥�
Hershberger, who graduated from 91短视频 in May 2012 with a degree in and , wrote his paper, “J. Denny Weaver, the Creeds, and Scripture: Thoughts on the Orientation of Anabaptism and Approaches to Theology,” on the differences between Weaver’s approach to scripture and theology and some contemporary approaches.
Hershberger said he wrote his paper in the fall of 2011 for his contemporary theology class.
“I spent a lot of time on atonement theology 鈥� thinking about the meaning of Christ’s death 鈥� and in particular J. Denny Weaver’s approach to that question, summed up in the book (and phrase) ‘The Nonviolent Atonement.'”
Heatwole and Hershberger heard about the contest through a friend and plan to use their combined winnings to buy a new laptop.
鈥淲hatever is left over will go toward rent and groceries,” said Heatwole.
The Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan Studies facilitates the exploration and interpretation of the three theological traditions that have shaped the 鈥減ersonality鈥� of Messiah College鈥檚 founding denomination, the Brethren in Christ Church.