WHEATON, Ill.—Crossway is pleased to announce that five books from the past year—Confronting Christianity; Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy; Sophie and the Heidelberg Cat; Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals; and Between Life and Death—have been named winners in their respective categories for the Gospel Coalition’s 2019 Book Awards.
Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion (Crossway, April 2019) by Rebecca McLaughlin was awarded in the Evangelism and Apologetics category. Channeling state-of-the-art research, personal stories, and careful biblical study, this book explores questions that keep many from considering faith in Christ. TGC writes, “It’s an extensively researched, well-written, and accessible book to confidently put into the hands of skeptics, even to read along with them.”
The award in the category of Christian Living was given to Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament (Crossway, March 2019) by Mark Vroegop. This book explores an oft-neglected biblical practice for dealing with life’s trials: lament. “The words of [this] book are biblically rich, perennially relevant, and above all, hope-giving—a balm to readers’ world-weary souls,” writes TGC.
Andrew Wilson received the distinction in the Children’s category for his picture book, Sophie and the Heidelberg Cat (Crossway, September 2019), illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia. This imaginative book tells the story of a young girl and a talking cat, who teaches her about the gospel of grace through a conversation based on the first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism.
Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future (Crossway, October 2019) by Gavin Ortlund received the award in the History & Biography category. Arguing that the Protestant church today can be enriched and strengthened by engaging historical theology, this book charts a course for evangelicals eager to draw from the past to meet the challenges of the present.
Kathryn Butler was awarded in the category for First-Time Author for her book Between Life and Death: A Gospel-Centered Guide to End-of-Life Medical Care (Crossway, April 2019). Utilizing medical knowledge and scriptural wisdom, this book provides readers with help to navigate a painful and confusing process with clarity, peace, and discernment. TGC writes, “Anchored to the hope of the gospel, Butler shows what Christian discipleship might look like in some of the most agonizing moments in life.”
“Any time one of our books is acknowledged at the end of the year is an honor,” writes Crossway’s publisher for books, Justin Taylor. “But it is especially gratifying when it comes from ministries like the Gospel Coalition, whose theological and ministry heartbeat mirrors our own in so many ways.”
The Gospel Coalition, founded in 2005, reviews nearly 300 books per year on their website and in their academic journal Themelios. This year, winners were awarded in eleven categories—including Popular Theology, Ministry, Arts & Culture, and others. Awards are given to titles that are gospel-centered, faithful to Scripture, spiritually discerning, and unifying and renewing for the church.
Founded in 1938, Crossway is a not-for-profit global Christian publishing ministry that publishes gospel-centered, Bible-based content to honor our Savior and serve his church. Crossway seeks to help people understand the all-encompassing implications of the gospel and the truth of God’s word—for all of life, for all eternity, and for the glory of God alone. Crossway is the global publisher of the ESV® (English Standard Version®) Bible, more than 1,000 Christian books, and an extensive list of gospel literature. For additional information, visit crossway.org.
Media Contact: Lauren Harvey lharvey@crossway.org crossway.org
