Reflections garners several awards from Associated Church Press
 
WaddleReflections, Yale Divinity School’s twice-yearly magazine of theological and ethical inquiry, garnered several awards at The Associated Church Press annual Awards Banquet, held May 8 in Arlington, VA.

The magazine, distributed freely to all Yale Divinity School alums and subscribers from outside the ranks of alumni, received second-place awards (“awards of merit”) in three categories and a third place (honorable mention) in a fourth:

  • Best in Class: Journal. Award of merit. Judge’s comment: “Elegant, attractive layout. Important current themes of interest to its audience, and powerful, impactful photos in interior design.  High-quality writing.”
  • Editorial or Opinion Piece: Magazine. Award of merit.  (“One Superpower Under God” by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, Spring 2009 issue) Judge’s comment:  “The writer clearly put a lot of thought and time into this piece, and the reader looking for provocative opinion is certainly rewarded here by the effort.”
  • Theological Reflection: Short Format. Award of merit.  (“Minor-Key Theology” by Ray Waddle, Fall 2009 issue) Judge’s comment:  “An engaging and insightful outline of the divide in American religion between so-called traditional and megachurch varieties, providing relevant analysis and questions.”
  • Devotional/Inspirational: Short Format. Honorable mention. (“In Defense of Courage” by Scott Bader-Saye, Spring 2009 issue)

Attending the Awards Banquet was Reflections editor Ray Waddle (pictured above), who joined YDS as editor of the magazine three years ago.  Waddle, former religion editor of the Nashville Tennessean, is the author of two books and teaches a writing course at YDS during Summer Term.

Among other national publications receiving awards at the banquet were Christian Century, Sojourners, Commonweal, Religion News Service, The United Church Observer, The Lutheran, and Presbyterian Outlook.

ACP describes itself this way: “The oldest interdenominational religious press association in North America, the Associated Church Press, founded in 1916, is an international community of communication professionals brought together by faithfulness to their craft and by a common task of reflecting, describing, and supporting the life of faith and the Christian community.”

The current ACP president is Verity Jones, editor and publisher of Disciples World magazine, who holds both B.A. and M.Div. degrees from Yale.