NEWS STORY: Top Religion Writers Named by Religion Newswriters Association

c. 2000 Religion News Service SAN FRANCISCO _ The religion writer at The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., was named Religion Reporter of the Year and a national correspondent for Religion News Service took home top honors for religion writing at a small newspaper in awards presented Saturday (Sept. 16) by the Religion Newswriters Association. Three […]

c. 2000 Religion News Service

SAN FRANCISCO _ The religion writer at The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., was named Religion Reporter of the Year and a national correspondent for Religion News Service took home top honors for religion writing at a small newspaper in awards presented Saturday (Sept. 16) by the Religion Newswriters Association.

Three newspapers and 12 writers were honored at the Religion Newswriters Association conference. The RNA awards are the only contest to single out excellence in religion reporting in the secular press.


David Gibson, religion writer for The Star-Ledger, was awarded the John Templeton award for Religion Reporter of the Year. Judges said Gibson’s entry on Reform Judaism was “artfully woven,” and that his articles featured “good, old-fashioned shoe-leather journalism.”

Second place was given to Sandi Dolbee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, and third place went to Larry B. Stammer of The Los Angeles Times.

Kevin Eckstrom, a national correspondent for RNS since February, won first place in the Cassells Award for newspapers with a circulation under 50,000. Eckstrom, a former religion editor at The Stuart/Port St. Lucie News in Stuart, Fla., wrote about a spiritual camp in central Florida and Catholic voting patterns. Judges said his entries were “ambitious, nuanced, insightful and a pleasure to read.”

Second place was awarded to John Armistead for his work at the Northeast Mississippi Journal, and third-place honors were given to Laura Davies of the Tyler (Texas) Morning Telegraph.

Mary Beth McCauley, a free-lancer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, won first place in the Supple Religion Writer of the Year contest. Second place went to The Los Angeles Times’ Stammer, and third place went to David Waters, a columnist for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.

In the Cornell Award for midsized papers, John Railey of the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal won first place. Judges said Railey “answers all journalistic questions, but several stories leave us haunted by questions that no one, especially the subjects themselves, can answer.” Second place was given to Judy Tarjanyi of the Toledo (Ohio) Blade and third place was given to Tom Kisken of the Ventura County (Calif.) Star.

The Dallas Morning News took home top honors as the best religion section or page for the fifth time in the past six years in the Schachern Contest. Judges said the “superior” section was “informative, entertaining and attractive.” Second place was given to The Star Tribune in Minneapolis, and third place went to the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader.


A Special Mention was given to Eric Greenberg, a reporter for The Jewish Week in New York City. One judge said Greenberg “displays authoritative command of his ambitious material. … This is masterful, resonant reporting.”

A total of 251 entries were submitted for RNA’s five award categories, and prizes totaled more than $6,000. The RNA is the nation’s only trade association for reporters who write about religion for the secular press.

AMB END RNS

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