CHICAGO — The Presbyterian Outlook received top honors in several categories at the Associated Church Press (ACP) 2019 annual conference in Chicago last week. The ACP awards recognize excellence in faith-based media — including magazines, news services, online media and podcasts.
The Presbyterian Outlook was commended at the ACP “Best of the Christian Press Awards,” receiving:
Best in class: Denominational magazine.
Best in class blog: Outlook Outpost blog, featuring voices of younger Presbyterian leaders. Here are three of the posts the judges considered:
- My children aren’t part of my résumé by Rachel Young.
- The correct way to pray by Alex Becker.
- Say this, not that by Emma Nickel.
James Solheim Award for Editorial Courage: Renouncing white Jesus by Jill Duffield.
Award of excellence in personal experience (long format) for My mom and me: Theological comfort and the suicide crisis by Chip Hardwick
Award of excellence for a blog series: The sisterhood of the traveling robe.
Award of excellence for a theme issue in a magazine: Who is my neighbor? (November 12, 2018), including these articles:
- The loving work of welcome by Kent Annan.
- Sojourners all by Sherry Blackman.
- When children pray by Tony Lin.
- God’s love knows no borders by Jill Duffield
Award of merit in feature article: Serving the world at the truck stop by Sherry Blackman.
Honorable mention for online thematic series: On the border: Faith stories from the front lines of migration by Leslie Scanlon.
Of Jill Duffield’s editorial “Renouncing white Jesus” winning the James Solheim Award for Editorial Courage, the ACP judge noted, “Wow! Bold. Brief. Brilliant. … [James Cone’s] connection between the cross and the lynching tree is a compelling image. [Jill Duffield] used it well as a jumping off point to speak eloquently and convincingly about one of the most important social issues of our day.”
Regarding the Sisterhood of the Traveling Robe blog series, the ACP judge wrote: “Great series discussing an overlooked issue (if pregnancy can be called an “issue”) and how a caring community evolved to help one another with shared robes. Lovely and meaningful personal reflections combined nicely to complete this series.”
Other Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) media also received recognition. Presbyterians Today (the official magazine of the denomination), The Presbyterian News Service and The Presbyterian Mission Agency Peacemaking Program were also recognized with multiple awards.
The ACP is a professional organization of member publications (of which the Outlook is one) “with a commitment to excellence in journalism as a means to describe, reflect and support the life of faith and the Christian community,” according to its mission statement.
