By Mark Brolly for Anglican Media Melbourne
TMA (The Melbourne Anglican) and its Editor, Mr Roland Ashby, have been honoured with the Gutenberg Award, the highest annual honour of the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA).
The award, granted by ARPA President Mr Peter Bentley, was presented to Mr Ashby in Brisbane at the association's annual conference on 29 August. More than 80 denominational and ecumenical publications and publishers in Australia and New Zealand are members of ARPA.
It is a record third Gutenberg win for TMA, which also won the Gutenberg in 1998 and 2006. TMA's predecessor as Melbourne's diocesan newspaper, See, won the Gutenberg under Mr Ashby's predecessor, Mrs Angela Grutzner, in 1994.
Mr Ashby said TMA was "very much a team effort" and thanked staff members Mark Brolly, Emma Halgren, Beryl Rule, Ivan Smith, intern Chris Shearer and what he described as many wonderful collaborators over the years, who had all contributed to the breadth and depth of the paper.
Mr Bentley's citation said Mr Ashby's editorial role was more than simple oversight "as he has been the integral foundation at the development and continuation of The Melbourne Anglican".
"The publication is a thoroughly professional publication, and also quite a nuanced publication, resplendent in design, with an excellent use of photos, especially on the front page, to complement the quite diverse range of content," the citation said. "There is a breadth of church news and articles, from local and diocesan affairs, to national and international affairs, with a distinct orientation to avoiding parochialism."
Mr Bentley also praised TMA's features on contemporary issues in the church and the world, including science and religion, social justice, spiritual practices and personal faith and the "Heroes of the Faith" series. He said there was a consistently high standard of book and film reviews, and "an incredible range of interviews that often reflect the wide range of contacts of the editor".
"Articles are provided from distinct theological perspectives, reflecting the different traditions in a diverse diocese, and an awareness that demonstrates understanding and an ability to balance perspectives that would rival The Great Blondin.
"In all, a stimulating publication and a key to this good work is the editor, and now with twenty years of service, Roland Ashby has demonstrated an exemplary role in leadership and development, providing opportunities and allowing input from staff in many ways. The Melbourne Anglican is a team publication, helmed by a person committed to excellence."
TMA contributor, the Revd Chris Mulherin, won a silver award in the Best Profile Story category for his story last year on the response British Christian academic, Professor John Lennox, to modern atheists Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens.
The judge said Mr Mulherin's article was carefully crafted from a presentation by Professor Lennox, "which superbly captures Lennox's humanity, humour, theology and faith; who he is and why he believes what he does".
The result is an easily understood article written in such a style that does not in any way detract from the weightiness of the subject matter. A story to strengthen and encourage one's faith."
The Gippsland Anglican, edited by Ms Jan Down, won three awards - two gold and a bronze - including a posthumous gold award for Best Editorial or Opinion Piece by Bishop John McIntyre in June last year, "A nation defined by war?". The judge described Bishop McIntyre's article, written only a few weeks before his sudden death, as "a provocative and passionate plea for Australia to move beyond the ANZAC myth as the defining paradigm for Australia's national identity and core values". The Gippsland paper's other gold award was for Most Improved Hard-Copy Publication".
Crosslight, the Uniting Church's paper for Victoria and Tasmania, was named ARPA's Publication of the Year. Described as "incisive, lively, inclusive, informal, engaging" and "enjoyable", its Managing Editor is Ms Penny Mulvey, a Melbourne Anglican.