Wilbraham & Monson Academy’s Jiseong Choi ’23 prays before every meal and reads his Bible nearly every day.

When he saw an opportunity to express his views on Christianity in an academic setting, he took it.

Jiseong’s 2,000-word essay for the John Locke Institute was so good he was invited to Oxford University in England Sept. 24 for an awards ceremony as well as attend classes as a guest. The July competition was sponsored by Oxford and Princeton University.

The South Korean resident, a four-year student at WMA, answered the essay question: If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. Can one be a Christian without believing in the miraculous resurrection of Jesus?

Quotes

Jiseong on why he entered the contest: “I’m interested in philosophy and theology. I thought this competition was an opportunity for me to share my thoughts about religion and Christianity.”

Jiseong on his essay topic: “I wrote about the true meaning of Christianity and how I see the true definition of being a Christian.”

Jiseong on being invited to Oxford: “It was exciting to be invited to Oxford, which is one of the best schools in the world, and to surround myself with people who share a similar interest.”