Robin T. Jennings’ Celtic Christianity book earns NYC Big Book Award recognition

Rev. Robin T. Jennings’ “Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity & Life with God” was named a Distinguished Favorite in the Christian Nonfiction category by the NYC Big Book Award. The honor puts a Kentucky author’s spiritual formation book in front of a wider national audience as publishers and readers look for faith-based books rooted in church history and practical devotion.

Why it matters: - The recognition gives Robin T. Jennings’ book national visibility in a crowded Christian nonfiction market. - The award can help expand readership for a title aimed at Christians seeking spiritual renewal, church history, and daily devotional tools. - The distinction also adds third-party validation to a book centered on Celtic Christianity, a niche but enduring subject in faith publishing.

What happened: - The NYC Big Book Award named “Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity & Life with God” a Distinguished Favorite in the Christian Nonfiction category. - Robin T. Jennings wrote the book, and Elk Lake Publishing, Inc. published it. - The announcement came from Louisville, Kentucky, on Oct. 14, 2026.

The details: - The NYC Big Book Award evaluates mainstream, independent, and self-published books worldwide. - A panel of industry experts, including publishers, writers, editors, and librarians, reviews the entries. - The award drew submissions from authors around the world, including entries from the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. - Cities represented included Auckland, Baltimore, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hollywood, Johannesburg, Manhattan Beach, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Sydney, and West Palm Beach. - Participating publishers included Beacon Press, Berrett-Koehler, Casemate, Edinburgh University Press, Forbes Books, Kiplinger Books, NYU Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Rizzoli, Routledge, The White House Historical Association, University of California Press, University of Nebraska Press, Weaving Influence Press, and Wiley. - The book was published Jan. 13, 2026, as a paperback priced at $18.99. - The listed ISBN is 979-8891344808. - The book is categorized under Christian Non-Fiction and Spiritual Growth. - The publisher describes the book as an invitation to revisit the fifth-century Celtic revival and recover spiritual vitality. - Jennings argues that modern culture has lost “the language of the soul” amid artificial intelligence and social polarization. - The book rejects commercialized versions of “Celtic spirituality” and instead grounds its approach in historical Celtic Christianity, traced back to the Day of Pentecost. - The book presents a “pilgrimage philosophy” meant to help readers learn from saints connected to the earth, the elements, and the Trinitarian God. - Key themes include hospitality, evangelism, and practical Christian living. - The book explores the idea that God communicates personally and directly through the soul. - Jennings contrasts distracted modern life with the slower, reflective practices of Celtic Christianity. - The book highlights spiritual meaning in nature and in the classical elements of water, earth, fire, and wind. - It includes concepts such as Anam Cara, or soul friendship, “thin places,” and prayers such as St. Patrick’s Breastplate. - Jennings draws on 40 years of parish ministry and retreat leadership.

Between the lines: - The award fits a broader trend in faith publishing: readers often gravitate toward books that pair spiritual guidance with historical grounding. - Jennings’ framing of Celtic Christianity as practical rather than decorative positions the book as a guide for readers who want spiritual formation, not just historical background. - The emphasis on soul, presence, and rootedness reflects a response to modern life’s speed and fragmentation.

What's next: - The book is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other major online retailers. - The NYC Big Book Award will continue its annual cycle, with winners and distinguished favorites featured on the organization’s site at More information. - Jennings continues his work in writing, retreat leadership, and spiritual direction after four decades of ordained ministry.

The bottom line: - The award spotlights a devotional book that blends Celtic Christian history with practical faith guidance for contemporary readers.