VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 10/15/15)—The American Baptist Historical Society proudly announces that Andrew Gardner is the winner of the 2015 Torbet Prize. This $500 award is given yearly for the best essay in any area of Baptist History. The Research and Publications Committee of the Board of Managers of ABHS made the determination at their meeting in early October. The winning essay, entitled “Reversing Roles: Denominational Community among the American Baptist Churches USA and the Alliance of Baptists,” will be published in an upcoming issue of The American Baptist Quarterly.

A 2015 graduate from Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity with his Master of Divinity, Gardner is currently in his first year of a doctoral program at Florida State University in American Religious History. He received his bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary where he double majored in Religion and History. While in Divinity School he attended and interned at Knollwood Baptist Church, an American Baptist Congregation.

Each year the American Baptist Historical Society seeks essays from authors who have not already been published in a major scholarly work. Entries should be no more than 25 pages (excluding notes) and must be double spaced in accordance with the Chicago manual of Style. Send entries to abhs@abhsarchives.org. The deadline for the next award is September 1, 2016.

Founded in 1853, the American Baptist Historical Society cares for the largest and most diverse collection of Baptist materials in the world and publishes the oldest Baptist historical journal, the American Baptist Quarterly. Researchers come from around the globe to research the contributions Baptists have made to church and society.  For more information visit our web site: www.absharchives.org.

ABCUSA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.