Korean student wins Lombard Prize

A Korean theology student has won the 2009 Lombard Prize for his study of the implications of John Calvin’s theology for the current ecological and economic crisis.

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	Korean theology student Eun Young Hwang has won the 2009 Lombard Prize for his study of Calvin and environmental concerns. (Photo: So Jung Kim)

Eun Young Hwang, a student at Yale University Divinity School in the United States, was awarded the USD $1000 prize for his essay examining today’s environmental crisis in light of Calvin’s image of God and justice.

Results of the essay competition were announced 30 October by the World Alliance of Reformed Churches which coordinates the annual competition on behalf of the Lombard Prize Committee. The award is named for the Genevan banker, Georges Lombard, who served as WARC’s General Treasurer from 1948 to 1970.

To mark the quincentary of the birth of Calvin, the theme of the competition was “What would Calvin Say? Responsible Stewardship in the Face of Today’s Ecological and Financial Crisis”.

Two candidates tied for second place. David Balázs Magyar (Hungary) and Jean-Paul Agidi (Ghana) each receive USD $600. Third prize winner Sobana Isac Samuel (India) receives USD $300 for her entry.

Lombard’s daughter, Catherine Kuhn-Lombard, says she is “delighted” with the results and with the question chosen for the 2009 competition.

“You couldn’t find a better theme, given the present state of global warming and all it affects. If young theologians can think about and help others to promote a better world, that meets the very aim of the award: to encourage us to care, dare, share.”

Kuhn-Lombard says the family launched the award to honour their father’s commitment to putting his faith into action. “My father was concerned about the relationship between faith and material goods and he put his beliefs into practice through the church and through WARC.”

The essays were judged for their presentation of issues related to today’s ecological and financial crisis and of biblical and theological perspectives on those questions.

Jury members included theologians from South America, Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and the Caribbean.

Competition winners will receive their awards in Grand Rapids, United States, in June 2010 at the Uniting General Council where WARC will merge with the Reformed Ecumenical Council to form the World Communion of Reformed Churches.