As the mixture of politics and religion comes to the fore in the lead-up to the Federal election, the biography of a faithful politician is awarded this year's Christian Book of the Year.
Faith and Duty: The John Anderson Story by journalist Paul Gallagher has won the title of Christian Book of the Year for 2007 in an event held at St Michael's, Vaucluse on Wednesday night.
The biography of the former Deputy Prime Minister was commended by the judges for being "an engaging and well-written account of the political life and personal faith of a prominent Australian public figure.”
"It manages to give significant insights into the motivation for, and nature of public duty, as well as the expression of Christian faith in the political context,” the judges wrote in their official comments.
“Insight is also given into the personal cost borne by politicians generally.”
Second prize was shared by Lugarno Uniting Church minister Stephen Robinson for his book Ministry In Disaster Settings: Lessons From The Edge and Michael Frost for his book Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture.
Last year's Christian Book of the Year winner, broadcaster Sheridan Voysey, delivered the key address at St Michael’s, speaking about his award-winning book Unseen Footprints.
Former Moore College lecturer Graeme Goldsworthy has also been honoured as the Theological Writer of the Year for his work Gospel-Centred Hermeneutics.
"Gospel-Centred Hermeneutics articulates the theological foundations of the Biblical-theological approach that has occupied Graeme Goldsworthy’s writing and teaching for more than four decades," say the judges.
"The book will almost certainly have very wide readership worldwide and become a key reference book in its area."
The Theological Writer of the Year award recognises the work of Australian theologians whose work is published overseas and is therefore ineligible for the Christian Book of the Year Award.
Former Moore College lecturer and assistant minister at the parish of South Sydney, the Rev Dr Keith Mascord, received an honourable mention in the same category for his work Alvin Plantinga and Christian Apologetics.
