ACU theologians recognised in Catholic Media Awards

The Faculty of Theology and Philosophy is delighted to announce that the recent works of Reverend Associate Professor Ormond Rush and the late Reverend Professor Denis Edwards have been recognised in the 2020 Catholic Media Awards.

Deep Incarnation: God’s Redemptive Suffering with Creatures by Reverend Professor Denis Edwards was posthumously awarded first place in the Faith and Science category.

Head of the School of Theology, Associate Professor Stephen Downs, said Professor Edwards “was a pioneering figure in the international dialogue between Christian faith and the natural sciences”.

“In his final work he writes beautifully of the relevance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the whole of creation.”

This acknowledgement is a fitting honour for a prolific author and internationally recognised theologian who believed that the richness of the theological tradition has much to offer our scientific understanding of the world, including the ecological challenges we face.

The Vision of Vatican II: Its Fundamental Principles by Reverend Associate Professor Ormond Rush was awarded first place in the Theology – Theological and Philosophical Studies category of the Awards.

Associate Professor Downs said that Associate Professor Rush, a Townsville priest based at the ACU Brisbane Campus, is widely regarded as a leading interpreter of the Council.

“This work is being heralded as one of the major studies of Vatican II in the last quarter of a century,” said Associate Professor Downs.

In a recent media article, Associate Professor Rush said that he hopes that the success of his book will provide an impetus for the Church leadership in Australia to further the work of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), and pointed to the role of the Plenary Council in this process.

ACU recently affirmed its commitment to advancing understanding of the Second Vatican Council by establishing the Research Centre for Studies of the Second Vatican Council. Based in the School of Theology, the centre is a partnership between ACU, KU Leuven, and University of Tilburg, with an expert international advisory board.

The Catholic Media Awards are presented by the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada. The awards recognise the books that best inform and promote the mission of the Church. They are for books published in North America, but by authors from all over the world. Here's a full list of the 2020 award winners.

Below: The late Reverend Professor Denis Edwards (left), Reverend Associate Professor Ormond Rush (right).