(RNS) A Newsweek magazine cover story on gay marriage has won a 2009 Wilbur Award from the Religion Communicators Council.

The story by Lisa Miller, “Our Mutual Joy,” prompted more than 100,000 e-mail responses and more than 2 million hits on the magazine’s Web site after it was published on Dec. 15. It won in the magazine category for the prize that recognizes outstanding work in the secular media.

“Wilbur judges noted that, while people of faith and Religion Communicators Council members disagree widely on the subject of gay marriage, Miller’s article is a fine example of the purpose of the Wilbur Awards, which is to recognize `excellence in the presentation of religious issues, themes and values,”‘ the organization stated in its Tuesday (March 3) announcement of award winners.

The awards will be presented at a March 28 ceremony during the national convention of the Religion Communicators Council in Boston.

Other winners included:

— Newspapers, Top 15 Markets: “Trial, Triumph and Transition at Chicago’s Trinity,” Chicago Tribune

— Newspapers, Other Markets: “Front Lines of Faith,” TimesDaily of Florence, Ala.

— Editorial Cartoon: John Sherffius, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.

— Book :”Blind Spot: When Journalists Don’t Get Religion,” Oxford University Press

— Television Comedy: “We’ve Come This Far by Faith, Part 2,” House of Payne, Turner Broadcasting System

— Television News: “With Full Honor,” CBS News Sunday Morning

— Television Documentary: “The Power of Forgiveness,” Journey Films

— Radio: “Soul in the City,” Tapestry, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

— Film Documentary: “Pray The Devil Back To Hell,” Fork Films

— Web-based Communications (Blogs): “The Seeker: A personal and professional quest for truth,” by Manya A. Brachear, Chicago Tribune.