The Peter Augustine Lawler Award for Excellence in the Study of ‘Things Divine’
The Ciceronian Society is excited to announce the The Peter Augustine Lawler Award for Excellence in the Study of ‘Things Divine’.
The late Dr. Peter Augustine Lawler (1951 – 2017) was a great teacher, mentor, scholar, and Christian. His legacy is not only in his many publications but in his lively fellowship with his colleagues and ordinary people interested in the way faith sends us “wondering and wandering.”
Key to Dr. Lawler’s legacy is the idea of the “relational.” The human person is a relational being, one seeking a relationship with God and community. Hence, no person is at home being alone. This starting point is what sent him into such a wide range of subjects, from bioethics to higher education, and to the fiction of Walker Percy. Dr. Lawler was also dedicated to building up the institution of Berry College, where he taught for 38 years, as well as students passing through the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, where he also served for many years.
Berry College has created an excellent gateway for learning more about Peter Lawler and his many writings.
Weeks before his death, Dr. Lawler spoke at the 2017 Ciceronian Society annual meeting, but he also met with countless attendees, socializing into the wee hours of the morning. Not only did he possess a keen mind and commitment to building institutions dedicated to the study of things divine, Dr. Lawler also possessed the character of a true Christian, generous and faithful in everything. We wish to honor him and others like him with an award in his name.
With the generous consent of his widow, Rita, we are pleased to announce the creation of an annual award in his name to those who have demonstrated “excellence in the study of ‘things divine.’” Starting in 2024, the award will be selected by the Board of the Ciceronian Society. Qualifications will entail a lifelong commitment to advancing Christian scholarship in publications, institution-building, and the spirit of generosity.
We welcome donations to endow this award to build a cash prize to provide due compensation for those who, like Dr. Lawler, gave up more lucrative opportunities to serve others with their God-given talents.
Click here to give to the Ciceronian Society in Peter Lawler’s honor.
Check out The Sower episode below to learn more about Peter and the Ciceronian Society’s award in his honor:
2025
Jeffrey O. Nelson
Jeffrey O. Nelson (pictured 5th from the left) is the second winner of the Peter Lawler Award. Jeff is the Director of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, which he co-founded with Annette Y. Kirk, but his full bio would require another panel.
Prior to his return to the Kirk Center, Jeff held senior leadership or board of trustee roles for the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) for three decades, most recently overseeing ISI’s national educational program as its Chief Academic Officer. A Michigan native, Jeff grew up west of Detroit and spent much of his youth in Russell Kirk’s native town of Plymouth. He earned his Ph.D. in American history from the University of Edinburgh. His dissertation was on Edmund Burke and America.
Jeff has distinguished himself as a leader by sticking to his core commitments rather than following fleeting trends, and he has been deeply influential on our Board of Directors as we learn and grow.
Along with the rest of the Kirk Center, Jeff has also been an encouragement to countless Christian scholars, providing them with academic and professional guidance, refuge, and friendship for decades. Thank you, Jeff!
2024
Trey Dimsdale
The inaugural winner of the Lawler Award is certainly a man who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing Christian scholarship in publications, institution-building, and the spirit of generosity.
Trey Dimsdale (above, center) has written well in defense of religious liberty. As director of the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy, he has built it into a major force in the study of ‘things divine,’ especially as they relate to matters of law and public policy. Finally, anyone who knows Trey knows of his incredible generosity in time and advice, and especially to those of us here at the Ciceronian Society. He was instrumental in guiding us through our first couple years to get us “back in action,” and he continues to be source of wisdom for all of us. Thank you, Trey!