Christianity Today
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Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 145,000 and readership of 304,500.[1]
History
It was started in 1956 as counter-point to The Christian Century (the predominant independent periodical of mainline Protestantism) and as a way to bring the evangelical Christian community together, the magazine was founded by the famous evangelist Billy Graham.[2] Its first editor was Carl F. H. Henry. Notable contributors in its first two decades included contributions from F. F. Bruce, Edward John Carnell, Frank Gaebelein, Walter Martin, John Warwick Montgomery, and Harold Lindsell. Lindsell succeeded Henry as editor and during his editorial administration much attention centred on debates about Biblical inerrancy. Later editorial work came from Kenneth Kantzer and Terry Muck. Notable current writers include author Philip Yancey, Fuller Theological Seminary's Richard Mouw, Yale University law professor Stephen Carter, and Prison Fellowship's Charles W. Colson. Contents include editorial material, features, news, and occasionally investigative reporting.
The magazine's presence on the Internet began in October of 1994 when it became one of the top 10 content providers on all of AOL. Then, in 1996, their website was launched. It was originally named ChristianityOnline.com. Today it, and its 13 sister publications, which range from the popular Today's Christian Woman to the intellectual Books & Culture, reach well over 2 million readers in its traditional paperbound form, and more than 10 million pageviews per month in their Internet form. All print magazine articles also appear online, which offers free access to well over 35,000 articles on their website, ChristianityToday.com.
Perspectives
Founding editor Henry was an advocate for the labor movement, and in the past decade the magazine and its sister publications have run articles both promoting and criticizing the Intelligent Design movement. During presidential campaigns, columns give coverage to both Republican and Democratic candidates, with emphasis on their moral and social justice agendas, although in recent years, the publication has moved increasingly to the left.
While traditionally associated with the religious right, Christianity Today recently has moved to a more liberal political position. The writers famously broke with the Bush administration and conservative evangelicals over the question of environmental policy. The publication endorsed the McCain-Lieberman global warming bill, which was eventually defeated by the Republican congress and opposed by Bush. According to the magazine, "Christians should make it clear to governments and businesses that we are willing to adapt our lifestyles and support steps towards changes that protect our environment." Commentators have pointed to Christianity Today's support for policies combatting climate change as part of the general trend towards Green Christianity. This has led to criticism from fellow evangelicals, most of whom are politically conservative. [3]
References
- ^ Rates & Data, Christianity Today
- ^ About Christianity Today
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1491-2005Feb5.html
- Board, Stephen, "Moving the World With Magazines: A Survey of Evangelical Periodicals," in American Evangelicals and the Mass Media, edited by Quentin J. Schultze, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1990, pp. 119-142.
- Marsden, George M., Reforming Fundamentalism, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1987.
External links
- Christianity Today - official website
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