By Aaron Wilson
TEMPE, Ariz. – Two new B&H Publishing releases that draw from the past were recognized as 2020 Christian Book Award winners by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) in a live webcast held May 5.
“Devotedly: The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot” won in the Biography & Memoir category, while the “CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible” shared the award for best Bible of 2020 in a tie.
Both titles help Christians navigate today’s world by drawing insights from spiritual giants and saints of the past.
“What an honor it is to be recognized by the ECPA for these two resources that help us glean from heroes of the faith,” said Ben Mandrell, Lifeway president and CEO.
“One of my favorite courses in seminary was church history as it helped me appreciate the backstory of our faith. I also love the way the Old Testament adds depth and color to the New Testament. What a privilege to produce resources that help believers in the modern day by gathering insights of the past.”
“Devotedly” presents never-before-published letters and private journal entries that capture the unlikely love story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot.
In the book, the couple’s only daughter, Valerie Elliot Shepard, unseals the correspondence that brought her parents together as they followed God’s will for their young lives—a calling that eventually led to her father’s death in 1956 at the hands of a Ecuadorian tribe he was seeking to reach with the gospel.
“It’s rare for a publisher to participate in history the way B&H was able to with ‘Devotedly,’” said Devin Maddox, Lifeway director of book publishing. “We are incredibly proud of Valerie Shepard, Wolgemuth & Associates and the entire team that brought ‘Devotedly’ to life, specifically because of the distinct contribution this book will be for future students of the history of the church.”
The “CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible” features the text of the Christian Standard Bible alongside study notes and commentary from the writings of church fathers of the second through fifth centuries. It also highlights biographies of 25 church fathers and features “Twisted Truth” callouts that describe how some ancient thinkers drifted from orthodoxy.
“What I love about the ‘CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible’ is in how it brings together the richness of ancient Christian commentary on Scripture with a beautiful, elegant design that makes the Bible delightful to read,” said Trevin Wax, Lifeway senior vice president of Theology and Communications.
“Our team wanted to carefully craft a Bible that offered readers spiritual insight from ancient pastors and commentators, with a design that would be worthy of such spiritual richness. We are thrilled to see such acclaim for the ‘Ancient Faith Study Bible,’ and we hope it will introduce more Bible readers today to Bible interpreters from yesterday.”
Since 1978, the Christian Book Award Program has recognized the highest quality in Christian books based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and impact. The full list of this year’s CBA winners can be found at ChristianBookAwards.com.
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Aaron Wilson is a writer for Lifeway Christian Resources.
