Living Faith books are for readers who cherish the life of the mind and the things of the Spirit. Each title offers an example of faith in search of understanding, the unique voice of a practicing scholar who has cultivated a believing heart. See the full collection here.
The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship is pleased to continue an initiative to support women writing Living Faith books. Latter-day Saint women regularly encounter gender inequity in their academic, professional, and personal lives, which consumes valuable time and energy. We hope that grants for writing might facilitate some flexibility for women academics and professionals to devote time to a Living Faith project.
An author may be awarded up to $6000, split into two stages (for example, $3000 on acceptance of a book proposal and $3000 when the manuscript is completed).
Receiving a grant does not constitute an agreement with the Maxwell Institute to publish the manuscript. Book proposals and manuscripts are subject to the normal review process by the Maxwell Institute as outlined below. Grants count against royalties; that is, no royalties would be paid until net sales would cover the grant amount.
About the Living Faith series
The Living Faith series was created in 2014 at the Maxwell Institute to offer young adults and their mentors the perspectives of Latter-day Saint scholars who integrate their academic training with the principles and covenants of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This distinctive approach offers Latter-day Saint young adults and their mentors nourishing traveling companions on their journeys of faith. Each author personally models the conviction that to live both faithfully and thoughtfully as Latter-day Saints in the 21st century is a vocation worthy of serious reflection and joyful effort. Authors narrate their diverse paths of discipleship as they seek truth, navigate tension, and discover harmony in their rich integration of the life of the mind and things of the Spirit. They articulate expansive, confident, and generous testimonies—testimonies rooted in Jesus Christ and infused with visions of fresh and creative ways to faithfully follow the Savior.
Author Guidelines
The Living Faith series is published by the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship at Brigham Young University, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Named after a beloved apostle who epitomized the adventure of discipleship, the Maxwell Institute aims to support “scholars whose work inspires and fortifies Latter-day Saints in their testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and engages the world of religious ideas.” Living Faith authors freely engage deep questions from their standpoint as scholars holding terminal academic degrees in their fields and as faithful members of the Church. Each volume should be coherently crafted and manifest scholarly expertise. We seek projects that speak powerfully to our core audience, which is young adult Latter-day Saints and their mentors, and they respond most favorably to thoughtfully written monographs that balance theological insights and intellectual models with practical and personal reflection.
Writing is a remarkable medium of self-expression and connection, which authors model in this series. We encourage authors to engage with the complexity of their lives; readers connect with courageous vulnerability. However, the scope of this series is pastoral, not psychological, though these dimensions may intersect. The aim of the Living Faith series is to catalyze the spiritual, ethical, and intellectual development of our young adult audience.
Living Faith titles are thoroughly reviewed by the series editors, scholar peers, young adult readers, the internal publications and external imprint boards, and finally by the executive director. We partner with the Religious Studies Center for production and, in some cases, with Deseret Book for publication.
Please contact the co-editors Morgan Davis (morgan.davis@byu.edu) and Miranda Wilcox (miranda_wilcox@byu.edu) to discuss a Living Faith book proposal. Please submit your proposal before January 31, 2022.