Christendom College philosophy professor Dr. Daniel McInerny has been awarded the 2025 Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction by Dappled Things magazine for his essay, “The Very Model of a Modern Catholic Comedy.” The prize, awarded annually, honors the best nonfiction writing published in the Catholic literary journal over the course of the year.
Named after the influential twentieth-century Thomist philosopher Jacques Maritain, the prize recognizes essays for their exemplary thoughtfulness, scope, and beauty. McInerny’s essay, which provides a hilarious look at what writing a modern Catholic comedy would entail, took first place in the magazine.
McInerny’s essay brings together humor and storytelling in his trademark fashion to illuminate deeper truths about the human person. The award-winning piece reflects themes long central to McInerny’s scholarship and creative work, particularly the relationship between philosophy, imagination, and culture.
This recognition from Dappled Things highlights McInerny’s continued contributions to contemporary Catholic thought and literature. A member of Christendom College’s philosophy faculty for nearly a decade, McInerny is a passionate speaker and writer on art and beauty, as evidenced in his recent book, Beauty and Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts. McInerny is also a frequent podcast guest, including speaking on art and beauty for Christendom College President George A. Harne, Ph.D.’s podcast, Christendom Conversations.
When he is not teaching and mentoring his students, McInerny has been writing fiction, nonfiction, drama, and screenplays for years, including his adult fiction novel The Good Death of Kate Montclair, and his Kingdom of Patria series for middle-grade readers (now available on Amazon).
The Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction is awarded annually to outstanding nonfiction essays published in Dappled Things during the previous year, with winners selected by an independent judge.
To read McInerny’s award-winning essay, visit here.
To learn more about the Jacques Maritain Prize for Nonfiction, visit here.