Release date: Jan. 17, 2008

Emory Theology Professor Receives Templeton Award

Jan. 17, 2008

Contact: Elaine Justice, 404-727-0643, elaine.justice@emory.edu
Contact: Kelly McLendon, 404-727-4481, kelly.mclendon@emory.edu

Jacob Wright, assistant professor of Hebrew Bible at Emory University's Candler School of Theology, is a winner of the 2008 John Templeton Award for Theological Promise. The recognition comes for his book, "Rebuilding Identity: The Nehemiah Memoir and its Earliest Readers," published by De Gruyter in 2004.

Wright's book outlines the reciprocal relationship between writing and identity construction in the biblical book of Ezra-Nehemiah. Nehemiah specifically portrays how the inhabitants of Judah, in the process of rebuilding their society after destruction, adapted ancient traditions and conventions to a new political environment. Many of the ideals of Ezra-Nehemiah -- such as intensive study of scripture, public and private prayer, and the importance of communal consensus -- have made a deep impact on both Jewish and Christian thought and life.

"What makes the award particularly gratifying is that it brings attention to this fascinating biblical book and its importance for contemporary projects of identity construction," says Wright.

The Templeton Award for Theological Promise is the largest prize specifically designated for junior scholars of religion. Sir John Mark Templeton, a billionaire philanthropist and promoter of the interplay between religion and science, is the founder of the award that is granted to scholars in a variety of fields from all over the globe. The prize money is $10,000, and another $10,000 is available as a stipend for lectures the recipients are invited to hold at universities, colleges, seminaries and other institutions of research and higher learning within two years after the presentation of the award.

"For an author, it is always great to hear how a reader found one's book to be helpful or insightful," says Wright. "Yet there is incomparable sense of achievement and fulfillment that comes when the scholarly community -- or at least a group of 25 international judges -- recognizes the contribution a book makes and its potential to make a difference."

"This prize brings great honor to Professor Wright as an extraordinarily gifted scholar -- and to Candler," says Jan Love, dean of Candler. "I am delighted that the Templeton Foundation has recognized one of our faculty members who, like others here, excels not only in research but also in teaching. We're very happy to have Professor Wright as a recent addition to our community."

Wright taught for several years at the University of Heidelberg before coming to Candler, where he offers courses on biblical interpretation, the history and archaeology of ancient Israel, and Northwest Semitic languages. In addition to responsibilities in the archaeological excavations at Ramat Rachel (located outside Jerusalem), he is currently writing articles and a book that examine the role war and the military played in ancient Israelite society.

Emory University (www.emory.edu) is one of the nation’s leading private research universities and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate college of arts and sciences, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities, Emory is ranked as one of the country's top 20 national universities by U.S. News & World Report. In addition to its nine schools, the university encompasses The Carter Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, the state's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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