For years, the E.T. Thompson Award has recognized some of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s most influential leaders — theologians, pastors, educators, journalists and church statespersons whose work has shaped the life and witness of the church.
Presented biennially by the Presbyterian Outlook Foundation Board, the award honors leaders whose ministries embody the convictions and legacy of Ernest Trice Thompson, the longtime Presbyterian Outlook editor, educator and advocate for the church’s public witness.
Now, the Presbyterian Outlook is preparing to announce the 2026 recipient.
The winner of the 2026 E.T. Thompson Award will be revealed on May 20, with a special Facebook Live conversation to follow on June 4 featuring the honoree, Presbyterian Outlook editor and publisher Teri McDowell Ott, and Presbyterian Outlook board chair Bridgett Green.
Learn more about the E.T. Thompson Award
Named for Ernest Trice Thompson – the founding editor of the Presbyterian Outlook Foundation – the award reflects a particular vision of Presbyterian leadership: intellectually rigorous, deeply faithful and engaged with the pressing issues facing both church and society.
Thompson himself was a towering figure in 20th-century Presbyterianism. An educator and church historian, he also served as moderator of the 99th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1959. He became known for his commitment to ecumenism, racial justice and the church’s responsibility to speak prophetically in public life.
Recipients of the E.T. Thompson Award are selected for leadership that reflects those same commitments. Honorees are recognized for sustained service to the church, contributions to scholarship, journalism or ministry, courageous leadership and work that strengthens the broader Presbyterian community.
Over the years, the award has recognized many of the most respected voices in Presbyterian life.
Past recipients include former General Assembly moderator Heath Rada, theologian and denominational leader Joseph Small, longtime Auburn Seminary president Barbara Wheeler, former Christian Century editor John Buchanan, former stated clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick and mission leader Syngman Rhee.
Most recently, the 2024 award was presented to Brian K. Blount in recognition of his decades of leadership in theological education and biblical scholarship. Blount, widely known for his work on Revelation and African American biblical interpretation, served as president of Union Presbyterian Seminary from 2007 to 2023 and has held numerous leadership roles across theological education.
The award is not simply about longevity or résumé lines. Instead, it recognizes leaders whose work has left a lasting imprint on the church’s witness and imagination.
That legacy is part of why the announcement of each new recipient has become a significant moment within Presbyterian circles. In a denomination that values leadership, institutional trust and public witness, the E.T. Thompson Award points to the kinds of leadership the church hopes to cultivate and remember.
Following the May 20 announcement, the Outlook will host a Facebook Live conversation with the 2026 recipient on June 4, offering readers and church leaders an opportunity to hear directly from the honoree about their ministry, legacy and hopes for the church.
Additional details about the Facebook Live event will be shared following the award announcement. Be sure to follow us on Facebook or sign up for our email updates to stay in the loop.
