Author Submission Guide 

1. Content and Formatting Guidelines

We do not impose rigid formatting templates or stylistic uniformity across submissions. Authors are encouraged to design their manuscripts with clarity and creativity, reflecting their disciplinary traditions and individual voice. However, every manuscript must include the following essential components, presented in a coherent and scholarly structure:

• A clear abstract of 200–300 words that summarizes the purpose, scope, and key insights of the paper.

• An introduction that establishes the background, states the research objectives, and articulates the research question(s) or central thesis.

• A methodology section that explains how the research was conducted or how the argument is developed.

• A findings and discussion section that presents the results, interpretations, and relevant implications.

• A conclusion, with recommendations or reflections that follow logically from the paper's findings.

Additional sections such as theoretical frameworks, literature reviews, policy implications, or scriptural applications are welcome where relevant, though not mandatory. The structure should serve the purpose of the manuscript, not the other way around.

Authors should use a clear, readable font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or similar, with font size between 9 and 12. The manuscript must maintain consistency in formatting throughout. Footnotes, endnotes, and references should follow a single, clearly identifiable citation style. APA 7th edition is recommended, but other styles (e.g., Chicago, MLA, SBL) are acceptable if applied consistently.

Figures and tables should be integrated where needed and clearly labeled. If additional visual materials are provided (charts, diagrams, scanned documents), they should be of sufficient resolution for publication.

2. Author Responsibilities and Ethical Standards

By submitting a manuscript, authors affirm that the work is original, not under consideration elsewhere, and free from plagiarism. All data, quotations, and ideas drawn from other sources must be appropriately credited. We use professional plagiarism detection tools to verify the integrity of all submissions.

All named co-authors must have contributed meaningfully to the manuscript and approved the final version. Any potential conflicts of interest—financial, institutional, or personal—should be disclosed in a footnote or acknowledgment section.

If your paper includes data derived from case studies, interviews, or institutional practices, please ensure that you have obtained all necessary permissions or ethical approvals. We do not require formal IRB clearance for all submissions, but transparency and accountability are expected.

3. Use of AI and Assistive Tools

Authors are permitted to use AI tools (e.g., grammar correctors, translation aids, summarizers, or generative models such as ChatGPT) during manuscript preparation, provided such tools do not substitute for the author’s own intellectual work. Where used, their role must be acknowledged transparently in a brief note at the end of the paper or in the author’s declaration.

Manuscripts generated wholly or substantially by AI without meaningful human authorship will not be accepted.

If you have questions or would like to consult with the editorial team before submitting, please feel free to reach out at Editor@openchristian.education. We are here to serve you in truth, humility, and excellence.

We look forward to receiving your manuscript and sharing in the journey of advancing rigorous, independent, and transformative scholarship.