The Disciples of Christ Historical Society is pleased to announce that Emmanuel Aidoo, a master’s student in the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Isaac Errett Award for Excellence in Stone-Campbell Scholarship by a Graduate Student.

The award was presented at the Stone-Campbell Journal Conference at Johnson University in Tennessee. Although Emmanuel was not able to attend in person, he joined the conference virtually, presented his paper in one of the sessions, and was also present online for the award ceremony. DCHS President and Historian Joel Brown presented the award, joined by Dr. James Gorman, Chair of the DCHS Board of Trustees and sponsor of Emmanuel’s paper, as well as DCHS Trustee Dr. Lisa Barnett.

Emmanuel’s paper, “Historical Analysis of the ‘Husband of One Wife’ Eldership Qualification in the Gospel Advocate, 1855–1960,” was selected by the judges as the unanimous winner. The paper offers a careful historical study of how Churches of Christ leaders debated the meaning of the biblical requirement that an elder be the “husband of one wife.” Drawing on a close reading of the Gospel Advocate across more than a century, Emmanuel demonstrates that there was never a single, uncontested interpretation of this qualification within Churches of Christ. Instead, differing views emerged over time, including disagreement over whether an elder had to be married at all and whether widowhood disqualified a serving elder. Emmanuel argues that this history complicates later assumptions about a single “orthodox” position and invites a more historically grounded and humble approach to the question.    

The judges especially appreciated the paper’s clarity, strong research question, sound method, and discerning use of the Gospel Advocate as a source. They noted in particular the quality of Emmanuel’s close reading of one of the more significant periodicals in Stone-Campbell history. They also valued the way the paper expands a conversation often treated almost entirely within a North American frame by bringing it into dialogue with the life of the church in Ghana, where questions about eldership continue to carry significant pastoral and ecclesial importance. Emmanuel’s work stood out as an excellent example of graduate student scholarship: well written, well researched, historically nuanced, and deeply engaged with the tradition and historiography.

Emmanuel is currently pursuing the Master of Theological Studies degree at Abilene Christian University and expects to graduate this fall. He hopes to matriculate into a doctoral program in 2027. His research interests include Stone-Campbell history, the history of missions, and Ghanaian Christian history. In addition to his studies, he serves as a teaching assistant in the Department of Theology and Ministry at Heritage Christian University in Accra, Ghana, and he hopes to join the faculty there full-time after completing his MTS. He also serves as the minister in charge of the New Bortianor Church of Christ in Accra.

The Isaac Errett Award has a long and distinguished history, stretching back more than half a century. Over the years, it has recognized many emerging scholars whose work has gone on to shape the study of Stone-Campbell history and thought. The award includes a $500 cash prize and a certificate, and we are also hopeful that additional support may be secured in the future to help Emmanuel travel to the United States for research.

We are grateful to all of the graduate students who submitted papers for this year’s competition, and to the faculty sponsors who encouraged and supported their work. We extend special thanks to Dr. Lisa Barnett, who coordinated the Isaac Errett Award process in her role as chair of the Board’s Scholarship and Publications Committee. We are also grateful to the judges—Dr. Lisa Barnett, Dr. Douglas Foster, Dr. Edward J. Robinson, and Dr. Joel Brown—for their careful reading and evaluation of the submissions, and to Dr. James Gorman for sponsoring Emmanuel’s paper at Abilene Christian University.

We also want to thank Bill Baker and our partners at the Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, whose longstanding collaboration has helped lift up the Isaac Errett Award for many years. 

We are pleased to share as well that Emmanuel’s paper will be published in the 2026 volume of the Journal of Discipliana. We hope many of our members and friends will take the opportunity to read it there.

Please join us in congratulating Emmanuel Aidoo on this well-deserved recognition.