Wilbur Awards

2025 Wilbur Award Honorees, Award of Excellence and Award of Merit Recipients

Audio Productions – News Stories – Faith & Values + Human Interest

Wilbur
For many Missouri Catholics, abortion rights means choosing between faith, politics
NPR, Katia Riddle, Catherine Laidlaw, Jason DeRose

Excellence
Once officially atheist, today’s Cuba hosts a rich diversity of faiths
AP, Walter Ratliff, Luis Andres Henao

Whole Again: One Woman’s Journey with FGM-C
CBC, Lauren Sproule

Ramadan diaries of a morning show host
CBC, Rhivu Rashid, Caroline Hillier

A rabbi and his son mourn Oct. 7 victims, disagree on next steps
Minnesota Public Radio, Catharine Richert, Annie Baxter, Lorna Benson

Merit
A court ruled embryos are children, while a Christian couple wrestles with IVF choices
AP, Walter Ratliff, Tiffany Stanley, Laura Ungar

 

 

Audio Productions – News Stories – Hard News 

Wilbur
Synagogues focus on building compassion for all those suffering from the Israel-Hamas conflict
NPR, Jason DeRose, Cheryl Corley, Liz Baker

Excellence
Latino evangelicals praise Donald Trump as president-elect who respects Christians
NPR, Sarah McCammon, Megan Pratz

Merit
As It Happens: US Election Ministry
CBC, Nil Köksal, Chris Howden, Leslie Amminson, Chloe Shantz-Hilkes, Austin Webb

Rabbis offer pastoral care for those traumatized by Oct. 7 Hamas attack
NPR News, Jason DeRose, Tara Neill


Audio Productions – Extended Length

Wilbur
The Second Helpings Society
CBC Radio, Jennifer Warren

Excellence
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah Platt & Team

Betrayal of Faith: The Story of Pastedechouan
CBC Radio, Ideas, Emma Anderson, Kevin Burns, Greg Kelly

Thejewfunction podcast
Thejewfunction, Lio Oded Spiegler, Seth Breitman, Andrew Martin

Money, Meet Meaning
Park Piedmont Advisors, Tom Levinson, Amber Hacker, Jonathan Woodward, Elizabeth Windom

Merit
Spirit & Power: Charismatics and Politics in American Life
Portland Seminary, Dr. Leah Payne, Karrie Gaspard-Hogewood

 

 

Audio Visual Productions – News Stories – Faith & Values + Human Interest

Wilbur
St. Mary’s
CBS 60 Minutes, Bill Whitaker, Sara Kuzmarov, Daniel J. Glucksman, Mariah Campbell

Face to Face
CBS Sunday Morning, Seth Doane, Sari Aviv, Ed Givnish, Rand Morrison

Excellence
Is America Losing Its Religion?
ABC News, ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis

Pope Francis
CBS 60 Minutes, Norah O’Donnell, Keith Sharman, Anna Matranga, Julie Morse, Roxanne Feitel

60 Minutes goes inside the Vatican with Pope Francis
CBS 60 Minutes Overtime, Brit McCandless Farmer, Keith Sharman, Roxanne Feitel, Scott Rosann

Twin Artists
CBS Sunday Morning, Jim Axelrod, Jay Kernis, Lauren Barnello, Rand Morrison, Mike Hernandez, Eric Vucelich

Introducing: Jelly Roll
CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley, Kelefa Sanneh, Alan Golds, Aria Shavelson, Ed Givnish, Rand Morrison

Bishop Gene
CBS Sunday Morning, Ted Koppel, Deirdre Cohen, Robert Marston, Ed Givnish

Eye On America: Evangelical Political Rise
CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell, Major Garrett, Jim Axelrod, Carolyn Cremen, Brian Bingham, Arden Farhi, Matthew Mosk, Chrissy Hallowell

Margaret Brennan interviews Cardinal Dolan and Reverend Mariann Budde
CBS Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Margaret Brennan, Ed O’Keefe, Anne Hsu, Avery Miller, Carol Joynt, Jake Miller, Kelsey Micklas, Michael Jackson

Finding Common Ground: Muslims and Jews Bridging the Gap

CBS Reports & CBS News Race and Culture, Alvin Patrick, Matt Morrison, Roxana Saberi, Sharaf Mowjood, Deanna Fry, Bonita Sostre, Harry Forbes, Marc Weiner, Jonathan Best, David Robinson, Gavin Webb

Merit
Those who wrestle with God
CBC, Josh Murphy, Caroline Rex, Nick Gutz, Ash Abraham, Christine Maki

Eye on America: Priest Shortage
CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell, Mark Strassmann, Jim Axelrod, Brian Bingham, Elizabeth Campbell, Larry Warner, Lora Pichkhadze

 

Audio Visual Productions – News Stories – Hard News

Wilbur
Notre Dame
CBS 60 Minutes, Bill Whitaker, Rome Hartman, Matthew Riley, Craig Crawford

Excellence
Children of War
CBS 60 Minutes, Scott Pelley, Aaron Weisz, Ian Flickinger, Warren Lustig

 

Audio Visual Productions – Short

 Wilbur
The Kilkenny Nativity
Bo Media, Derek Nagle

Merit
The World, the Jews and the Science of Human Survival
Thejewfunction, Lio Oded Spiegler, Andrew Martin, Tony Kosinec

Audio Visual Productions – Medium 

Wilbur
Abraham’s Bridge
Elinor Pierce


Audio Visual Productions – Long

Wilbur
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt
Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, Jonah Platt and Team

Excellence
Not In My Name
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Brietta Hague, Peter O’Donoghue, Amanda Collinge

Religion, Racism, & Reconciliation
Auteur Productions, Ltd., Gerald Krell & Adam Krell

Merit
Unexpected Peace
Dove Tale Productions, Ehab Assal, Jonathan Bornman, D. Michael Hostetler

Teilhard: Visionary Scientist
Frank Frost Productions, LLC, Frank and Mary Frost

Audio Visual Productions – Feature Film

Wilbur
Colleyville
Hey Jude Productions, Dani Menkin

Books

Wilbur
The Oracle: Portraits of Rebbe Mendel Schneerson
Hasidic Archives, Marc Asnin, Dovid Zaklikowski, Sara Ogince, Julian Anderson

The Politzer Saga
The Politzer Foundation, Linda Ambrus Broenniman

Excellence
100 Jewish Brides: Stories from Around the World
Indiana University Press, Barbara Vinick and Shulamit Reinharz

The Best of KidSpirit, Volume X
KidSpirit, KidSpirit

 Circle of Hope
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Eliza Griswold

The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church
Macmillan Publishers, Sarah McCammon

 God’s Ghostwriters: Enslaved Christians and the Making of the Bible
Little, Brown & Company, Candida Moss

 Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart
Macmillan Publishers, Brian D. McLaren

 A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church series
Church Publishing Incorporated, Wilda C. Gafney

Merit
The Accidental Yogini: Padma
One Yoga and Wellness Center LLC, Rev. Dr. Tracey L. Ulshafer

Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders
Zondervan Reflective, Harper Collins, Daniel Yang, Adelle Banks, Warren Bird

 The False White Gospel: Rejecting Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy
Macmillan Publishers, Jim Wallis, foreword by Eddie Glaude

High Hawk
University of Iowa Press, Amy Frykholm

 Holy Bible Feminine Translation Version
Mark 7 Publishing, JW Farquhar

 

Written Works – Magazines 

Wilbur
The Demon Slayers: The new age of American exorcisms
Harper’s Magazine, Sam Kestenbaum

Excellence
The Most Revealing Moment of a Trump Rally
The Atlantic, McKay Coppins

How Islamophobia Is Driving a Mental Health Crisis Among Michigan’s Muslim Youth
Capital & Main/Rolling Stone, Eli Cahan

The Prophet Nahum: A Symbol of Religious Coexistence in Kurdistan
Kurdistan Chronicle, Kurdistan Chronicle

The Gospel of Matthew Trewhella: How a militant anti-abortion activist is influencing Republican politics
Wisconsin Watch, Phoebe Petrovic

Merit
How ‘Vatican Watchers’ Report On The Papacy To Catholics Around The World
Religion Unplugged, Clemente Lisi

 

Written Works – Newspapers – Faith & Values

Wilbur
Peyote sacred to Native Americans threatened by psychedelic renaissance and development
AP, Deepa Bharath and Jessie Wardarski

Uncovering Abuse at Greater Grace Church
The Baltimore Banner, Jessica Calefati, Julie Scharper, Justin Fenton

‘Haitians are not eating pets’: Springfield faith leaders stand with embattled migrants
RNS, Kathryn Post

Excellence
Meet the young women joining the ranks of Catholic nuns, a journey that can take up to ten years
AP, Jessie Wardarski

With 275 years of ghosts, Charleston’s Jewish leaders bullish on its future
JNS/Jewish News Syndicate, Menachem Wecker

 Trumpland’s spiritual (and not-so-spiritual) leaders
RNS, Jack Jenkins

Hindu Americans are leaning more right than ever
RNS, Richa Ravindra Karmarkar

Grace College professor ousted after online commentators flag ‘woke’ social media posts
RNS, Kathryn Post

 Polyamorists look for their place in church as the practice loses its taboo
RNS, Kathryn Post

Merit
Voting rights advocate Barbara Williams-Skinner thrives on prayer and policy changes
RNS, Adelle M. Banks

 

Written Works – Newspapers – Hard News

Wilbur
Killing the Faithful for Organs: The Brutal Secret Beijing Doesn’t Want Exposed
Epoch Times, Eva Fu

Excellence
Canada’s controversial ban on adoptions from several Muslim countries sparks court challenge
CBC, Shanifa Nasser

American Jews Show Support For Israel By Volunteering During Wartime
Epoch Times, Dan M. Berger

Threats to Catholic Charities staffers increase amid far-right anti-migrant campaign
RNS, Aleja Hertzler-McCain and Jack Jenkins

Merit
Amid unusual and ongoing court battle, 2 priests in Steubenville, Ohio, seek custody of 2-year-old
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jacob Geanous

 

Written Works – Newspapers – Human Interest 

Wilbur
Last of the witnesses
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Laura Malt Schneiderman

Excellence
Afro-Cuban drums, Muslim prayers, Buddhist mantras: Religious diversity blooms in once-atheist Cuba
AP, Luis Andres Henao

From legendary photographer Ralph Gibson, a brand new lens on Israel
Forward, Simi Horwitz

Merit
Haitians in Ohio find solidarity at church after chaotic week of false pet-eating claims
AP, Luis Andres Henao

African spiritualities are attracting Black Americans as a source of pride and identity
RNS, Fiona Anne Andre

Why you might have heard Paul Simon’s ‘The Sound of Silence’ at Spanish Mass
RNS, Aleja Hertzler-McCain

 

Written Works – Newspapers – Opinion

Wilbur
Gaskin: Recognizing humanity in ‘new’ identities
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets/Boston Herald, Ed Gaskin

Excellence
Gaskin: Mary a beacon of inspiration for all faiths
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets/Boston Herald, Ed Gaskin

Merit
CNN: New Louisiana law threatens the sanctity of the Ten Commandments
CNN, Eli Federman

Gaskin: Antisemitism’s long roots offer lesson for today
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets/Boston Herald, Ed Gaskin

Gaskin: Yom Kippur offers lessons in prayer, repentance
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets/Boston Herald, Ed Gaskin


Images – Photography
 

Wilbur
Black transgender pastor builds community in Sacramento while searching for a place of worship
San Francisco Chronicle, Salgu Wissmath

Merit
Interfaith protest confronts Christians United for Israel summit
RNS, Aleja Hertzler-McCain

Meet The Swiss Guard: 500 Years Of Protecting The Papacy
Religion Unplugged, Clemente Lisi

Over 70 Years of Recognizing Excellence in the Communication of Religious Issues, Values, and Themes in Public Media

Since 1949, the Wilbur Awards have been presented annually to recognize excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes in public secular media.

Through the awards, the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) recognizes the work of individuals, production companies and agencies as they communicate about religious issues, values and themes with professionalism, fairness, respect and honesty.

Past winners include Morgan Freeman, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Pauley, Mister Rogers, CBS Sunday Morning, ABC’s 20/20, Meet the Press, Vanity Fair, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and the New York Times.

The Wilbur Award is the top honor provided by the Religion Communicators Council.  It is reserved for the most outstanding entries each year.

The Award of Excellence is the next level of recognition provided by the Religion Communicators Council. It is for entries deemed to be of excellent quality and unquestionably worthy of recognition.

The Award of Merit is the final level of recognition provided by Religion Communicators Council, for work deemed meritorious and worthy of acknowledgment.

The Wilbur Award honors Marvin C. Wilbur, a pioneer in the field of religious public relations. Each Wilbur stained glass trophy is individually hand-crafted. An eloquent thank you for excellent work!

Previous Winners

2020-2024

Recognizing excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes in secular media.

2024 Wilbur Award Winners:

Audio Productions:

  • News Stories/Short Form –
    • Two pastors worry for their congregants’ safety. Are more guns the answer or the problem?; Associated Press, Walter Ratliff and Allen Breed
  • News Stories/Medium Form –
    • Churches confess and repent for sins against Native and Indigenous people; NPR News, Jason DeRose and Cheryl Corley
  • News Stories/Long Form –
    • Freshwater, United; CBC Newfoundland and Labrador, Lindsay Bird and Steward Young
  • Audio Productions/Long Form –
    • How three Muslims memorized the entire Qur’an; CBC Ottawa, Halima Sogbesan, Betsy Trumpener, Christine Maki and Caitlin Crockard

 

Written Works:

  • Magazine Articles –
    • The Meeting House: Inside a Megachurch Scandal; The Walrus, Rachel Browne, Harley Rustad, Cornelia Li, Emma Wilkie, and Allison Baker
  • Newspaper Articles/Faith & Values –
    • The Nones; Associated Press, Chinedu Asadu, Ilan Ben Zion, Deepa Bharath, Giovanna Dell’Orto, Mariam Fam, Luis Andres Henao, Peter Smith, and Mari Yamaguchi
    • Silicon Valley’s vision for AI? It’s religion, repackaged; Vox, Sigal Samuel
    • Meet Natalie Drew: Christian, trans woman, veteran and pacifist; Religion News Service Kathryn Post
  • Newspaper Articles/Hard News –
    • The Synagogue Shooting Trial; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Anya Sostek, Megan Guza and Jonathan D. Salant
  • Newspaper Articles/Human Interest –
    • Arson fire destroyed a Black L.A. church. ‘We shall rise from the ashes’ – but how?; Los Angeles Times, Thomas Curwen
  • Books –
    • One More Mountain; Del Mar Investments, Mansur Nurdel and Jeannette Moninger

 

Audio-Visual:

  • Major Motion Picture –
    • With This Light (Con Esta Luz); Miraflores Films, Nicole Bernardi-Reis, Laura Bermudez, and Jessica Sarowitz

 

Audio-Visual/Broadcast Television:

  • Short Form –
    • Secrets of the Clergy; Fault Lines – Al Jazeera English, Kavitha Chekuru, Laila Al-Arian, Natasha Del Toro, Erik Ljung, and Leslie Atkins
    • A Taste of History with Chutzpah: Remarkable Stories of the Southern Jewish Adventure; AIB Network, Audrey Galex, Jai Schwarz, Adam Van Wickel, and Lucas Hale
  • Medium Form –
    • The Malevolent Bride; A+E Studios and Ananey Studios, Noah Stollman, Avigail Ben-Dor Niv, Orly Atlas-Katz, Osnat Saraga, Oded Davidoff, Barry Jossen, Tana Jamieson and Adam Berkowitz
  • Long Form –
    • Three Chaplains; Terrace Films LLC, David Washburn and Razi Jafri
    • SABBATH; Journey Films, Martin Doblmeier, Mark Comberiate and Carrie Snyder

 

Audio-Visual News Stories:

  • Medium Form –
    • Taste of Home; CBS Sunday Morning, Lee Cowan, Sara Kugel, and Ed Givnish
  • Long Form –
    • The Resurrection of Notre Dame; CBS News 60 Minutes, Bill Whitaker, Rome Hartman, Sara Kuzmarov, and Craig Crawford

2023 Wilbur Award Winners:

Audio/Audio-Visual Productions:

  • Audio Productions > Audio-Only News Stories
    • “When Does Life Begin? Religions Don’t Agree”, NPR, Sarah McCammon, Jason DeRose
  • Audio Productions > Other Audio Productions
    • Turn the Other Cheek, CBC Radio One, Sean Foley, Producer IDEAS; Greg Kelly, Executive Producer IDEAS
  • Audio-Visual Productions > News Stories (Faith & Values, Hard News & Other)
    • CBS Sunday Morning: An Act of Faith, CBS Sunday Morning, Ted Koppel, Deirdre Cohen, Ed Givnish
  • Audio-Visual Productions > News Stories (Human Interest) (Note: 2 Wilbur Awards presented)
    • 60 Minutes: Lourdes, CBS News 60 Minutes, Bill Whitaker, Nichole Marks, John Gallen, Patrick Lee
    • CBS Sunday Morning: “Stranger at the Gate,” SMARTYPANTS PICTURES, Joshua Seftel, Conall Jones, Avi Bond, Hayden Goldsworthy, Kristin Thompson, Rob Chapman, Steve Benjamin, Collin Friesen, Bobb Barito
  • Audio-Visual Productions > Full-Length AV Productions & Other
    • Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom, Our Daily Bread Ministries, Ya’Ke Smith, Rasool Berry, Matt Huizenga, Ted Harrison
  • Audio-Visual Productions > Major Motion Pictures
    • AULCIE, Hey Jude Productions, Dani Menkin

 

Images:

  • Illustration & Photography
    • Sacred Work, Los Angeles Times, Francine Orr, Chaplain Kevin Deegan

 

Written Works:

  • Books
    • Then They Came for Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence; Westminster John Knox Press, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts 
  • Magazine Articles
    • Demon Time, Reporter, the LAnd, Sam Kestenbaum
  • Newspaper Articles (Faith & Values) (Note: 2 Wilbur Awards presented)
    • CRT, Trumpism and doubt roil Biola University. Is this the future of evangelical Christianity?, Los Angeles Times, Thomas Curwen
    • Looking at the Forgotten and Overlooked: The Richness of Jewish history, The Forward, Andrew Silverstein
  • Newspaper Articles (Human Interest) (Note: 2 Wilbur Awards presented)
    • Black Catholic nuns: A compelling, long-overlooked history, The Associated Press, David Crary
    • Sacred Rivers, The Associated Press, Chinedu Asadu, Deepa Bharath, Giovanna Dell’Orto, Mariam Fam, Binaj Gurubacharya, Nick Perry

2022 Wilbur Awards Winners

 

2021 Wilbur Awards Program & Winners

 

2020 Wilbur Awards Program & Winners

2020 Wilbur Awards Presentation & Acceptance Videos

1992-2002