Pastoral Study Project Program
APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 15, 2010
GRANT TIMELINE: March 1, 2011 thru August 31, 2012
Click here to download the
2010 Pastoral Study Project
Application
The Louisville Institute offers a study project grant opportunity for pastoral leaders.
Through its “Pastoral Study Project” program (PSP), the Institute offers pastoral leaders the
opportunity to engage in thoughtful study and inquiry about issues related to Christian faith
and practice, religious institutions, and/or the practice of ministry. We believe that pastoral leaders have a particular
and significant vantage point on the challenges and promises of faith, practice, and ministry;
with adequate time and support, they can engage in research and writing that can make
important and unique contributions to pressing issues of our times. This program seeks to
create opportunities for pastoral leaders to develop and share their wisdom on important
issues for Christian life and practice today, and thus extend their leadership in ways that can
benefit both church and society.
The PSP program seeks to:
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Support the intellectual work of pastoral leaders who have the capacities for research,
teaching, and writing that can reach broad audiences.
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Support first-rate inquiry and dissemination about (a) Christian faith and
life, (b)
religious institutions, and (c) pastoral leadership, so that the faith and life of all Christians,
the vitality of their institutions, and the work of
pastoral leaders might be strengthened.
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Identify pastoral leaders already working on these issues.
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Generate a broader conversation in the American academic and church communities about
the nature of and challenges to contemporary Christian life, its institutions, and
its leaders.
Concerns related to Christian life and practice. The PSP program invites pastors to
consider study and research on understanding, enriching, and responding to
contemporary issues of Christian life and practice. PSP supports efforts to describe
more fully how the Christian faith is actually lived by contemporary Christians of various
ages, circumstances, and traditions, and to bring the resources of the ethical, liturgical,
and doctrinal wisdom of the Christian faith into closer relation to the daily lives of
practicing Christians. Research into questions of Christian faith and practice may include
appreciative recovery and critical re-appropriation of the riches of the Christian tradition
in scripture and history as well as an investigation into the context of the concern in
contemporary religious life. The program looks for pastoral leaders to interpret the
situation and to offer constructive proposals that can assist Christian communities.
Concerns related to religious institutions. The PSP
invites pastoral leaders to advance our understanding of contemporary religious
institutions, the challenges and opportunities they face, and the conditions in
which they operate. Projects may investigate ways in which churches and
other religious institutions are changing or must change in our place and time,
and the leadership challenges such changes present. We especially
encourage projects that explore institutions' historical patterns, present
prospects, and future possibilities from pastoral perspectives.
Concerns related to the practice of ministry. The PSP program also supports inquiry by
pastoral leaders on the nature and challenges of North American pastoral leadership,
with special attention to the conditions of contemporary Christian ministry and the
character of pastoral excellence. Questions and concerns about ministry may range
across the spectrum of ministry practices, including catechesis and faith formation,
worship and preaching, pastoral care and reconciliation, social ministry, and
stewardship, leadership, and administration. Applicants who want to address issues of
concern in ministry should attend to the way in which the challenges facing ministers
relate to the well-being of the Christian community.
Program Elements and Instructions
Because Louisville Institute grant programs are highly competitive, applicants must effectively
communicate why they are applying, what they will do during their study period, and how this
work will benefit the larger church as well as their own ministry. It is recommended that
applicants share a version of their proposal narrative with a colleague in ministry, a mentor, or
a scholar—ideally the one asked to write a letter of reference—to receive feedback and
suggestions prior to submitting the application.
In crafting a proposal, applicants should clarify the nature of the problem, question, or concern
that they hope to investigate. How do they see this problem manifest in their ministry and
congregation? What resources are available for studying the concern? Recognizing that others
have studied the issue, what new insights does the applicant hope to bring forward to the
conversation about this concern through their work? Proposals most likely to be funded are
those that describe persuasively the nature of the problem, have a clear plan of study and
investigation, and have a sense of how they will share what they have learned, through either
oral or written communication, with a well-defined audience. We encourage and welcome
proposals on a wide range of topics and interests related to the challenges facing the Christian
life, religious institutions, and the practice of Christian ministry in North America today.
Proposal Details
Proposal Summary: A description of the project theme and an outline of the research design,
in 200 words or less.
Proposal Narrative: In approximately five pages (12-point and double-spaced) describe your
proposal in detail, using the following outline:
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Concern/Question: What is the primary concern or question being investigated?
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Rationale: Why is the proposed topic important to the church? What are
the consequences if this issue is not investigated and responded to? Why
are you the right person to undertake this project?
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Plan: How do you intend to study and investigate the concern? Include a description of
the way in which you will conduct the inquiry: bibliography of the main sources to be
read, field work if appropriate, travel and other resources necessary to complete the
project.
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Dissemination: Who is your audience for this research? How do you plan to share your
research with them? What oral forms of dissemination fit the project (e.g., sermons,
education venues, speeches, conference papers)? What written forms of dissemination
fit the project (e.g., essay, article, book, and possible web publication venues)?
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Impact: What changes do you hope that this project
will effect in your place of ministry? What might be its consequences for
the larger church?
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Timeline: What is the schedule and timeline for the project? Be as specific as possible.
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Budget: A line item budget is required, clearly
showing the connections between particular expenses and the project's
objectives. Budget preparation guidelines are available
here.
Application Form
Applications for the PSP program are made using a standard application form. The application
form may be downloaded here 2010 Pastoral Study Project Application, or obtained by
mail upon request.
Program Outline, Rules, and Eligibility