“The bar was very high in this category,” said head judge Debra Mason, who serves as executive director of the Religion Newswriters Association (RNA), a consortium of journalists covering religion for the secular press. “I’ve judged a number of these kinds of contests and found that byFaith could compete aggressively with major secular publications, in terms of design and writing.”

ByFaith, which debuted in 2005, is the quarterly publication of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).

“ByFaith reflects the understanding that our denomination is a steward of the Reformed faith,” said Richard Doster, editor of byFaith. “For that reason we’re more about the broader interests of the kingdom than some denominational magazines. And we’re more broadly focused, written primarily for the men and women in our pews, equipping them to be a redemptive presence in God’s world.

“This is the second time in three years we’ve been honored with this award. I hope others are encouraged that we have, with PCA pastors, professors, writers, and designers, created such a highly respected publication.’”