The Spirit of Adoption
Writers on Religion, Adoption, Faith, and More
Deadline: January 15, 2013

The editors of a new anthology are seeking essay submissions. The Spirit of Adoption: Writers on Religion, Adoption, Faith, and More will feature stories by adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents who have considered the complex relationship between religion and adoption, and who have tried to make meaning of adoption through the lens of their own faith perspective.

Submissions for this collection should be primarily narrative-driven rather than how-to: we are not looking for devotionals about how adoption was a "God Thing," or for overly preachy polemics about why adoption saves children from heathen faiths (this is not the orientation of the book, and texts grounded in this theological principle will not be considered). Instead, we are seeking true stories about how people think about adoption and its relationship to religion; how adoption has changed their understanding of God's nature; how adoption has challenged and shaped their own faith, Christian or otherwise.

Essays should follow the criteria of any good narrative, having a strong beginning, middle, and end; showing, rather than telling; drawing the reader into the experiences of the writer; focusing on the individual as a means of understanding the universal. We are seeking tightly-written essays between 1,000-5,000 words, though shorter essays might be considered.

The editors have a proposal to a book publisher and will build a website after they receive a contract. Please send inquiries, questions, and submissions to Melanie Springer Mock: mmock (at) georgefox (dot) edu