The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is pleased to announce that Nottingham priest the Revd Alison Fulford has been appointed as a judge for the 2009 Michael Ramsey Prize for Theological Writing.

Alison will join a judging panel consisting of Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP, winner of the 2007 Michael Ramsey Prize; AN Wilson, the writer; Dr Elaine Storkey, the lecturer, writer and broadcaster; Canon Dr Paula Gooder, the New Testament expert; the Archbishop; and Jane Williams, his wife, also a distinguished theological writer.

Alison (29) is a working mum who looks after her toddler as well as serving in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham as assistant minister at St Barnabas, Lenton Abbey. She is also taking a part-time MA in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham. She studied English Literature at Cambridge University and then Theology while training for ordination at Ridley Hall.

Alison was selected for the judging panel through a writing competition which was open to the general public. She said: “I’m really excited to have been chosen to be a judge and I’m looking forward to reading the books that are shortlisted and talking to all the other judgers on the panel.” Alison said she enjoyed reading a lot of different kinds of books from Daphne du Maurier to more theological books like Bible commentaries by the Bishop of Durham and a recent theological book called ‘Christ and Horrors’ by Marilyn McCord Adams.

The Archbishop said: “I am very happy to welcome Alison to our panel and am looking forward to hearing her views on the shortlisted titles.”

The winner of the 2009 Michael Ramsey Prize will be announced in May 2009 at the Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival.

The Michael Ramsey Prize, awarded biennially, and worth £15,000, aims to encourage the most promising contemporary theological writing and to identify it for a wider Christian readership.

The biennial prize was inaugurated by Archbishop of Canterbury in 2005 to commemorate Dr Ramsey, who was Archbishop of Canterbury 1961-1974, and his commitment to increasing the breadth of theological understanding of people in general.

The Michael Ramsey Prize is administered by SPCK on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and is sponsored by the Lambeth Partners.

ENDS