George Cornell, 74, News Service 'Dean' Of Religion Writers
Published: August 12, 1994 Obituaries - The New York Times
George W. Cornell, the dean of American religion writers whose columns for The Associated Press brought theological issues to newspaper readers for more than 43 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 74.
The cause was heart problems, which he had had for two years.
When he began specializing in religion coverage in 1951, his columns were the first on the subject to be carried regularly by a news wire service. He won a number of awards for excellence in religion reporting, including the Religion Newswriters Association's Templeton Reporter of the Year Award in 1987. He was also the author of six books on religion.
In April, the association voted to create an annual award for religion reporting in his honor.
Mr. Cornell wrote two columns a week. For more than 30 years he also wrote special Christmas and Easter series, each of five or more installments.
Among the major stories he covered were the mid-century rise of the ecumenical movement for Christian unity and the momentous changes in Roman Catholicism. His assignments took him to assemblies of the World Council of Churches in Nairobi, Kenya, and Canada, and to religious centers in Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. He covered the first papal trips to Israel and India, as well as papal visits to the United States.
Mr. Cornell was born on July 21, 1920, in Weatherford, Okla., and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. He joined The Associated Press in New York in 1947 as a general assignment reporter.
He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann of Weatherford; a son, Harrison, 34, of New York City, and a daughter, Marion Emma, 39, of Auburn, Calif
Published: August 12, 1994 Obituaries - The New York Times
George W. Cornell, the dean of American religion writers whose columns for The Associated Press brought theological issues to newspaper readers for more than 43 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 74.
The cause was heart problems, which he had had for two years.
When he began specializing in religion coverage in 1951, his columns were the first on the subject to be carried regularly by a news wire service. He won a number of awards for excellence in religion reporting, including the Religion Newswriters Association's Templeton Reporter of the Year Award in 1987. He was also the author of six books on religion.
In April, the association voted to create an annual award for religion reporting in his honor.
Mr. Cornell wrote two columns a week. For more than 30 years he also wrote special Christmas and Easter series, each of five or more installments.
Among the major stories he covered were the mid-century rise of the ecumenical movement for Christian unity and the momentous changes in Roman Catholicism. His assignments took him to assemblies of the World Council of Churches in Nairobi, Kenya, and Canada, and to religious centers in Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. He covered the first papal trips to Israel and India, as well as papal visits to the United States.
Mr. Cornell was born on July 21, 1920, in Weatherford, Okla., and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. He joined The Associated Press in New York in 1947 as a general assignment reporter.
He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann of Weatherford; a son, Harrison, 34, of New York City, and a daughter, Marion Emma, 39, of Auburn, Calif
George Cornell, 74, News Service 'Dean' Of Religion Writers
Published: August 12, 1994 Obituaries - The New York Times
George W. Cornell, the dean of American religion writers whose columns for The Associated Press brought theological issues to newspaper readers for more than 43 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 74.
The cause was heart problems, which he had had for two years.
When he began specializing in religion coverage in 1951, his columns were the first on the subject to be carried regularly by a news wire service. He won a number of awards for excellence in religion reporting, including the Religion Newswriters Association's Templeton Reporter of the Year Award in 1987. He was also the author of six books on religion.
In April, the association voted to create an annual award for religion reporting in his honor.
Mr. Cornell wrote two columns a week. For more than 30 years he also wrote special Christmas and Easter series, each of five or more installments.
Among the major stories he covered were the mid-century rise of the ecumenical movement for Christian unity and the momentous changes in Roman Catholicism. His assignments took him to assemblies of the World Council of Churches in Nairobi, Kenya, and Canada, and to religious centers in Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. He covered the first papal trips to Israel and India, as well as papal visits to the United States.
Mr. Cornell was born on July 21, 1920, in Weatherford, Okla., and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. He joined The Associated Press in New York in 1947 as a general assignment reporter.
He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann of Weatherford; a son, Harrison, 34, of New York City, and a daughter, Marion Emma, 39, of Auburn, Calif
Published: August 12, 1994 Obituaries - The New York Times
George W. Cornell, the dean of American religion writers whose columns for The Associated Press brought theological issues to newspaper readers for more than 43 years, died on Wednesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 74.
The cause was heart problems, which he had had for two years.
When he began specializing in religion coverage in 1951, his columns were the first on the subject to be carried regularly by a news wire service. He won a number of awards for excellence in religion reporting, including the Religion Newswriters Association's Templeton Reporter of the Year Award in 1987. He was also the author of six books on religion.
In April, the association voted to create an annual award for religion reporting in his honor.
Mr. Cornell wrote two columns a week. For more than 30 years he also wrote special Christmas and Easter series, each of five or more installments.
Among the major stories he covered were the mid-century rise of the ecumenical movement for Christian unity and the momentous changes in Roman Catholicism. His assignments took him to assemblies of the World Council of Churches in Nairobi, Kenya, and Canada, and to religious centers in Turkey, Switzerland and Italy. He covered the first papal trips to Israel and India, as well as papal visits to the United States.
Mr. Cornell was born on July 21, 1920, in Weatherford, Okla., and graduated from the University of Oklahoma. He joined The Associated Press in New York in 1947 as a general assignment reporter.
He is survived by his wife, Jo Ann of Weatherford; a son, Harrison, 34, of New York City, and a daughter, Marion Emma, 39, of Auburn, Calif
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