The Massachusetts Bible Society established the Donald A. Wells Preaching Prize in 2007 to honor Executive Director Emeritus Donald A. Wells and his commitment to social justice. The prize includes a check for $1,000 and is awarded each year to a student from one of the member schools of the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium for a sermon based on a biblical text that raises an issue of social justice in the contemporary world. 

MBS features an annual social justice theme - determined by our Board of Trustees - that speaks to a timely, contemporary issue through a biblical and theological lens. Wells Preaching Prize submissions must adhere to the theme provided for the current year. Submitted sermons should not be more than 20 minutes in length and are judged according to the appropriateness to the theme, the quality of biblical exegesis, and the ability to present the sermon in an engaging manner. 

2022 Preaching Prize Announcement:

This year, our Board of Trustees identified a biblical passage: the New Revised Standard Version of Genesis 1: 26-28.  We accepted sermons building on this passage with a Social Justice theme. 

 

Genesis 1:26-28 - New Revised Standard Version

26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind[a] in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth,[b] and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

 

27 So God created humankind[c] in his image,

    in the image of God he created them;[d]

    male and female he created them.

 

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

 

Preaching Prize Winners:

2022 - 'Let Us Be' - Madison Boboltz, Boston University School of Theology - View sermon

2020 - 'Of Pandemics and Paracletes' - Scott Donahue-Martens, Boston University School of Theology - View sermon

2019 - 'Fear Not: Working for Justice in a World Split Asunder' - Mimi Micner, Hebrew College Rabbinical School

2018 - 'Truth Decay, Justice and Alternative Facts' - Godwin Nnanna, Boston University School of Theology 

2017 - 'Shabbat Hayei Sarah' - Salem Pearce, Hebrew College Rabbinical School - View sermon

2016 - 'Are We Always with the Poor? Welcoming the Stranger, Responding to Need' - Amelia Nugent, Harvard Divinity School - View sermon

2015 - 'Overcoming the Wounds of Racism (Jeremiah 8:18-22)' - Art J. Gordon, Boston University School of Theology - View sermon

2014 - 'Jesus' Strange Economy' - Alex Kato, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - View sermon

2013 - 'The Great Footwashing Imposition' - Arienne Johnson, Harvard Divinity School - View sermon

 

The Massachusetts Bible Society is able to sustain its ministries of Bible Grants, promoting Biblical literacy, and nurturing open spiritual/theological dialogue through financial contributions from people and organizations such as you.