2005 ATF Book Prize
The Australasian Theological Forum (ATF) awards an annual prize for outstanding theological books published in the area of Christian theology in the past year. Recently it announced the recipients for the 2005 prize for books published in 2004. Archbishop Keith Rayner, former Primate of the Anglican Church in Australia and former Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, who is one of the ATF’s Patrons, announced the winners at the ATF annual lecture held in Adelaide on the 23rd August. Archbishop Rayner said that ‘the criteria used by the panel of judges require that a book be well written, that it makes an original contribution to its field of theology, that it is of international standard, and that it is challenging’. ‘In awarding it prize the ATF aims is to recognise and encourage theological work of real quality in Australia and New Zealand’, Archbishop Rayner said.  | Rev Dr Denis Edwards, has been awarded the first prize for 2005 for his book Breath of Life: A Theology of the Creator Spirit. Dr Edwards is a Roman Catholic priest who teaches in the Adelaide College of Divinity. In awarding the prize, Dr Rayner said that ‘in his theological studies Dr Edwards has consistently aimed to relate theology to the findings of contemporary science. In his introduction to the book he sets out his aim: “the stunning world of opened by the Big Bang cosmology and evolutionary biology calls for a renewed theology of the Creator Spirit”.’ Dr Rayner said that ‘While the book is grounded in classical theology, particularly 4th century Greek theologian, Basil of Caesarea, it makes use of recent theological movements like liberation and feminist theology, as well as modern scientific thought. Unlike many theologians, Dr Edwards traces the work of the Holy Spirit beyond the New Testament account of the day of Pentecost to the origins of the universe fourteen billion years ago.’ | 
| Dr Rayner also announced the second prize, which was also highly commended, and awarded to Michael Cassey a monk of the Roman Catholic Cistercian monastery at Tarrawarra in Victoria. It was for his book, Fully Human Fully Divine: An Interactive Christology. Dr Rayner said that ‘this beautifully written book reflects on the significance of the Incarnation of Jesus for our understanding of our humanity. Fr Casey comments in the book that ‘by going more deeply into the mystery of Jesus, we begin to experience our own mystery more intensely.’ The previous year’s winner, the first year of the Prize, went to Dr Dorothy Lee, of the Melbourne based United Faculty of Theology, for her book entitled Flesh and Glory. |  Dr Rayner and Dr Edwards at the Award ceremony
in Adelaide | 
Dr Edwards with the Award | 
Those that gathered for the Award in Adelaide on 23rd August |
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