John Locke Global Essay Prize 2025 Theology Prompts Breakdown
The John Locke Institute has just released the prompts for their international essay writing competitions for high school students. They have released three prompts for each of the following categories, philosophy, politics, economics, history, law, psychology, and theology. Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, endnotes, bibliography or authorship declaration).
To be eligible to compete, one's 19th birthday must fall after June 30th, 2025. Given this easily satisfied requirement for high school students the world over, many compete in this competition, making it incredibly competitive.
The John Locke Competition is one of the most prestigious essay writing competitions for high school students. It ranks alongside the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards as a humanities extracurricular activity that would impress admissions officers. Placing competitively in this competition could be what convinces an admissions officer at an elite university to admit an applicant.
One major difference between the John Locke competition and the Scholastic Writing and Arts Awards is that it has a right-wing, instead of a left-wing focus. Past winning essays have argued for fringe ideas like anarcho-capitalism. The John Locke Institute is committed to upholding the principles of classical liberalism espoused by John Locke, the founder of liberalism. Being liberal in Europe has a different connotation than it does in the U.S. While liberalism in the U.S. is associated with center-left politics like the Democratic Party, in Europe, it denotes what Americans would call conservatives, who believe in laissez-faire economic policies and upholding individual freedom to the point that it might enable individuals to infringe on the liberties of others, such as individuals having the right to deny service to people at their place of business due to their sexual orientation.
Despite the competition's right-wing focus, and the well-known left-wing bias of academics and admissions officers, high school students can place competitively without arguing for positions that would decrease their likability with a left-wing audience when applying to college.
We have extensive experience guiding applicants through this competition and are proud to have students who received at least a commendation from the judges. In this article, we will outline the three theology questions they ask and provide resources, along with cliff notes for these resources, to help start one's journey towards drafting compelling answers to these questions.
Theology Q1:
Is atheism implausible?
Historical Resources
John Locke Works
"An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1689)
Locke discusses our knowledge of God's existence through reason
In Book IV, Chapter X ("Of our Knowledge of the Existence of a God"), Locke argues that God's existence can be known with certainty through reason
Explores the idea that atheism contradicts our natural intuitions about causation
"The Reasonableness of Christianity" (1695)
Examines the compatibility of reason and Christian faith
Argues that Christianity is the most reasonable religious system
Suggests rational grounds for religious belief
"A Letter Concerning Toleration" (1689)
While primarily about religious tolerance, it discusses the social implications of atheism
Locke controversially excludes atheists from toleration, arguing that their denial of God undermines social contracts and morality
Other Historical Works
"Natural Theology" by William Paley (1802)
Presents the watchmaker analogy for intelligent design
Argues that the complexity of nature implies a creator, making atheism implausible
"Pensées" by Blaise Pascal (1670)
Contains Pascal's Wager, which argues that believing in God is the rational choice
Suggests pragmatic reasons to reject atheism even under uncertainty
"The Existence of God" by Richard Swinburne (1979)
Uses probability theory to argue for God's existence
Presents a cumulative case that theism is more probable than atheism
Contemporary Resources
"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins (2006)
Presents a comprehensive case for atheism
Argues that supernatural claims are implausible given scientific understanding
Criticizes theological arguments and religious faith
"Atheism: The Case Against God" by George H. Smith (1979)
Systematic defense of atheism from a logical perspective
Examines the burden of proof in theological debates
"God and the Burden of Proof" by Keith Parsons (1989)
Explores epistemological issues in theism vs. atheism debates
Addresses who bears the burden of proof in religious discussions
"The Miracle of Theism" by J.L. Mackie (1982)
Critiques various arguments for God's existence
Presents arguments that atheism is more plausible than theism
"Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism" by Alvin Plantinga (2011)
Argues that naturalism (associated with atheism) is self-defeating
Suggests the compatibility of science and theism
"Reasonable Faith" by William Lane Craig (2008)
Presents contemporary arguments for theism
Argues that atheism fails to account for key aspects of human experience
"Theism and Explanation" by Gregory Dawes (2009)
Examines whether theistic explanations can be good explanations
Evaluates the explanatory power of theism versus atheism
"The Cambridge Companion to Atheism" edited by Michael Martin (2007)
Collection of essays on the philosophical foundations of atheism
Explores various arguments for and against atheism's plausibility
Key Questions and Issues to Address
Definitional Issues
What precisely is meant by "atheism"? (Lack of belief vs. active disbelief)
What constitutes "plausibility" in this context?
Epistemological Considerations
Burden of proof: Does it rest with theists or atheists?
Standards of evidence: What counts as sufficient evidence for or against God's existence?
How does Locke's empiricism impact the plausibility of atheism?
Metaphysical Questions
Can the universe exist without a creator?
Does the contingency of the universe suggest a necessary being?
Is materialism/naturalism sufficient to explain reality?
Moral and Existential Dimensions
Can objective morality exist without God? (Locke's view on natural law)
Does atheism provide adequate grounds for meaning and purpose?
Locke's argument that atheism undermines social contracts
Scientific Considerations
Does scientific explanation eliminate the need for God?
Fine-tuning arguments and their implications
The relationship between evolution and theistic belief
Practical/Pragmatic Aspects
Pascal's Wager and pragmatic arguments for belief
Social and psychological benefits/costs of atheism vs. theism
Locke's concern about the social implications of atheism
Historical Context
How has the plausibility of atheism changed throughout history?
The impact of the Enlightenment on religious belief
Locke's historical context and its influence on his views
Theology Q2:
Why would the creator of a trillion galaxies become angry if you have sex with your boyfriend or eat bacon for breakfast?
Historical Resources
John Locke Works
"The Reasonableness of Christianity" (1695)
Examines which religious doctrines are essential versus peripheral
Argues for distinguishing between fundamental beliefs and secondary practices
Explores the rational basis for religious requirements
"An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1689)
In Book IV, Locke discusses the limits of human knowledge about God
Explores how we might understand divine attributes and intentions
Questions how we can know God's will with certainty
"A Letter Concerning Toleration" (1689)
Distinguishes between matters essential to salvation and indifferent matters
Argues for limited religious authority over personal conduct
Discusses the proper scope of religious rules in civil society
Other Historical Works
"Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion" by David Hume (1779)
Questions anthropomorphic conceptions of God
Examines the problem of inferring divine intentions from natural evidence
Critiques the coherence of traditional theistic attributes
"Religion Within the Bounds of Bare Reason" by Immanuel Kant (1793)
Distinguishes between moral religion and statutory religion
Questions which religious practices have genuine moral significance
Examines the rational foundations of religious prohibitions
"The Guide for the Perplexed" by Maimonides (12th century)
Addresses the rationality behind Jewish dietary laws
Explores divine commandments as serving practical purposes
Reconciles divine transcendence with specific commandments
Contemporary Resources
"God: A Biography" by Jack Miles (1995)
Literary analysis of God as a character in scripture
Examines the development of divine concerns from cosmic to personal
Explores the paradox of divine attention to human minutiae
"The Evolution of God" by Robert Wright (2009)
Traces how conceptions of God evolved from tribal to universal
Examines how moral codes reflect historical social needs
Explores the tension between universal deity and particular rules
"Why Religion?" by Elaine Pagels (2018)
Personal and scholarly examination of religious prohibitions
Explores how religious rules function in communities
Examines the gap between cosmic theology and everyday practice
"The Language God Talks" by Herman Wouk (2010)
Examines the relationship between scientific understanding and religious practice
Discusses how traditional observances can coexist with cosmic perspective
Written by an observant Jew who respected scientific cosmology
"God After Darwin" by John F. Haught (2000)
Explores how evolutionary understanding affects theological concepts
Examines how divine concern might operate across different scales
Proposes understanding God's relationship to creation in non-interventionist terms
"A Secular Age" by Charles Taylor (2007)
Traces the development of religious consciousness in modernity
Examines how cosmic scale affects religious sensibilities
Explores how behavioral codes function in modern spiritual frameworks
"Unclean" by Richard Beck (2011)
Psychological analysis of purity codes in religion
Examines why certain behaviors are tagged as morally significant
Explores disgust psychology behind dietary and sexual prohibitions
"The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James (1902)
Distinguishes between institutional religion and personal experience
Examines the psychological foundations of religious prohibitions
Explores the gap between cosmic religious experience and moral codes
Key Questions and Issues to Address
Scale and Significance
How can human activities matter to a cosmic creator?
Does divine concern scale inversely with cosmic scope?
The problem of reconciling divine transcendence with immanence
Anthropomorphism in Religious Thought
To what extent is divine "anger" a human projection?
How do different traditions understand divine emotional responses?
Locke's views on metaphorical language about God
Cultural and Historical Context of Prohibitions
How dietary and sexual regulations served community functions
The historical development of purity codes across religions
How prohibitions reflect ancient rather than cosmic concerns
Theological Interpretations of Divine Law
Different religious understandings of commandments (tests, demonstrations of loyalty, ways to flourish)
Theological efforts to rationalize specific prohibitions
The concept of divine accommodation to human understanding
Moral Psychology
How disgust psychology underlies many religious prohibitions
The cognitive mechanisms behind moral intuitions about "purity"
How morality becomes sacralized in religious contexts
Epistemological Questions
How can humans know what matters to God?
Locke's approach to religious knowledge claims
The limits of revelation as a source of knowledge about divine preferences
Free Will and Divine Purpose
The relationship between prohibitions and human freedom
Whether constraints serve a developmental purpose
How prohibitions might relate to larger divine purposes
Proportionality and Theodicy
Whether divine concern with human behavior is proportionate
How divine justice is understood across different scales
The problem of evil and suffering versus minor prohibitions
Theology Q3:
Why pray?
Historical Resources
John Locke Works
"The Reasonableness of Christianity" (1695)
Examines the rational foundations of Christian practices including prayer
Discusses how prayer relates to faith and reason
Explores prayer as communication with the divine
"An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" (1689)
In Book IV, Locke discusses our knowledge of God and relationship with the divine
Explores the limits of human understanding in relation to divine communication
Provides a framework for thinking about how finite beings might relate to an infinite God
"Some Thoughts Concerning Education" (1693)
Discusses the role of prayer in moral education
Examines prayer as a practice for developing virtue
Considers habitual prayer as formative for character
Other Historical Works
"Pensées" by Blaise Pascal (1670)
Explores prayer as existential engagement with God
Discusses the paradox of communication between finite and infinite beings
Presents prayer as both rational and beyond reason
"The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James (1902)
Examines prayer as a psychological phenomenon
Documents various forms of prayer across traditions
Explores the subjective effects of prayer on practitioners
"The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence (17th century)
Presents prayer as continuous awareness of God
Describes prayer beyond formal practices
Explores the integration of prayer into everyday activities
Contemporary Resources
"Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?" by Philip Yancey (2006)
Examines common questions about prayer's efficacy
Explores both theological and practical dimensions of prayer
Considers prayer from both devotional and skeptical perspectives
"The Psychology of Prayer: A Scientific Approach" by Bernard Spilka and Kevin Ladd (2012)
Presents empirical research on prayer practices
Examines psychological benefits of prayer
Explores cognitive dimensions of prayer across traditions
"When Prayer Fails: Faith Healing, Children, and the Law" by Shawn Francis Peters (2007)
Examines ethical and legal questions about prayer's limits
Explores tensions between faith in prayer and other responsibilities
Presents case studies where prayer was chosen over medical intervention
"How God Changes Your Brain" by Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman (2009)
Presents neuroscientific research on meditation and prayer
Examines neurological changes associated with prayer practices
Explores biological mechanisms behind prayer's reported benefits
"The Efficacy of Prayer" by C.S. Lewis (essay in "The World's Last Night," 1960)
Explores philosophical questions about how prayer might "work"
Examines whether prayer changes God, the person praying, or both
Addresses the paradox of petitionary prayer to an omniscient God
"Beginning to Pray" by Anthony Bloom (1970)
Explores prayer as encounter rather than technique
Examines prayer as relationship rather than transaction
Presents prayer as discovery rather than rote practice
"Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home" by Richard Foster (1992)
Categorizes different types of prayer (contemplative, petitionary, intercessory, etc.)
Examines prayer traditions across Christian history
Explores prayer as transformative practice
"The Phenomenon of Prayer" edited by Fran Porter, Mark Shelton, and Richard Tiplady (2004)
Collection of interdisciplinary essays on prayer
Examines prayer from theological, psychological, and sociological perspectives
Explores prayer in various cultural and religious contexts
Key Questions and Issues to Address
Definitional Questions
What constitutes prayer across different traditions?
How does prayer differ from meditation, contemplation, or reflection?
What are the varieties of prayer (petition, thanksgiving, confession, adoration, etc.)?
Efficacy Issues
Does prayer "work" and how would we know?
Research on intercessory prayer and its methodological challenges
The relationship between prayer, coincidence, and confirmation bias
Theological Dimensions
How prayer relates to divine sovereignty and human free will
The paradox of petitioning an omniscient God
How prayer is understood to affect God, the person praying, or both
Psychological Benefits
Prayer as stress reduction and emotional regulation
Community and social dimensions of shared prayer
Prayer as meaning-making and narrative integration
Philosophical Considerations
Locke's epistemological framework and its implications for prayer
The rationality of prayer in a scientific worldview
Prayer as relationship versus prayer as transaction
Prayer Practices
Different methodologies and techniques of prayer
The role of ritual, repetition, and spontaneity
How prayer practices shape religious identity
Existential Aspects
Prayer as confrontation with ultimate concerns
Prayer as expression of human finitude and limitation
The relationship between prayer and human vulnerability
Sociological Dimensions
How prayer functions in communities
Prayer as political act or social statement
The relationship between prayer and ethical action
If you are overwhelmed by the number of sources and complexity of answering these questions, we understand. English teachers don't prepare high school students to tackle such formidable challenges in the humanities. But we do. Schedule a free consultation with a John Locke Essay Writing Competition expert today and learn how to unpack all of these sources to write a coherent and logically sound 2000 word essay which will earn you a competitive placing in this competition and impress admission officers.
