Editing GMA Dove Award (section)

==Eligibility rules==
In 1998, the GMA published a new definition of what music was eligible for a Dove Award, holding that all nominees had to be:

* Substantially based upon historically orthodox Christian truth contained in or derived from the Holy Bible
* An expression of worship of God or praise for His works
* Testimony of relationship with God through Christ
* Obviously prompted and informed by a Christian world view<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z4XJQD4O_TkC&q=%22Substantially+based+upon+historically+orthodox+Christian+truth%22&pg=PA619 |title=Encyclopedia of Radio |last=Sterling |first=Christopher H. |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2004 |location=[[New York City]] |page=619 |isbn=9780203484289 |access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>

Prior to the definition, the only requirement was for a record to be sold in [[CBA (Christian trade association)|Christian Booksellers Association]] affiliated stores. ''[[The New York Times]]'' later attributed these stricter rules to backlash over the [[Amy Grant]] album ''[[Behind the Eyes (Amy Grant album)|Behind the Eyes]]'' winning the award for Pop/Contemporary album earlier that year, whose lyrics ''[[Christianity Today]]'' argued were effectively secular in nature.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/11/us/religion-journal-a-chastened-singer-returns-to-christian-basics.html|title = Religion Journal; A Chastened Singer Returns to Christian Basics|date = May 11, 2002|accessdate = May 16, 2025|last = Rabey|first = Steve|page = A15|url-access = limited|newspaper = [[The New York Times]]}}</ref> The new standards resulted in complaints by some fans and artists after thirteen entries were disqualified as being too secular in the 1999 Dove Awards. The rules were rescinded afterwards and many groups disqualified by the rulings in 1999 were winners in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.av1611.org/crock/gmalyrics2.html |title=GMA's "new" definition for Gospel music |last=Watkins, Terry |publisher=Dial-the-Truth Ministries |access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|sure=yes|date=April 2020}} 

{{As of|2019}}, the GMA's policy stipulates that eligible music is "based upon the historically orthodox Christian faith contained in or derived from the Holy Bible or apparently prompted and informed by a Christian world-view".<ref>{{cite web |title=GMA Dove Awards: 2019-2020 Policies & Procedures Manual |url=https://doveawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-Policies-and-Procedures.pdf |website=doveawards.com |access-date=April 10, 2020 |pages=2–3 }}</ref>