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
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
2021 Wilbur Awards Program & Winners
2012-2019
Recognizing excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes in secular media.
2019
2019 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2019 Wilbur Award Acceptance Videos
2019 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2018
2018 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2018 Wilbur Award Acceptance Videos
2018 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2017
2017 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2017 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2016
2016 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2016 Wilbur Award Acceptance Videos
2016 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2015
2015 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2015 Wilbur Award Acceptance Videos
2015 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2014
2014 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2014 Wilbur Award Acceptance Videos
2014 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2013
2013 Wilbur Awards Program and Winners
2013 Wilbur Award Ceremony Photos
2012
2003-2011
Recognizing excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes in secular media.
2011
2011 Wilbur Award Acceptance Videos
2011 Wilbur Award Ceremony Photos
2010
2010 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2009
2009 Wilbur Awards Ceremony Photos
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
1992-2002
Recognizing excellence in the communication of religious issues, values, and themes in secular media.
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1992