The ESV Study Bible has been named the “Christian Book of the Year” by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, marking the first time the honor has been given to a study Bible.
The Bible, which is in the English Standard Version, includes study notes from evangelical Christian scholars and other reference materials.Published by Crossway, it also won in the best Bible category.
The honoring of the study Bible follows two previous first-time wins of other products. In 2008, the Word of Promise New Testament Audio Bible became the first audio product to win; in 2007, Karen Kingsbury became the first woman and the first novelist to win, for her book, Ever After.
The award was announced March 19 at the kick-off for the 2009 Christian Book Expo in Dallas. The Christian Book Awards, which previously were known as the Gold Medallion Book Awards, were established in 1978 to recognize Christian books for excellent content, design and literary quality.
The other winners are:
— Bible Reference & Study: Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (InterVarsity Press).
— Children & Youth: For Young Men Only by Jeff Feldhahn and Eric Rice with Shaunti Feldhahn (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
— Christian Life: Spectacular Sins by John Piper (Crossway Books & Bibles)
— Fiction: The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group)
— Inspiration & Gift: Holiness Day by Day by Jerry Bridges (NavPress).