Christianity Today

(Redirected from Christian Music Today)

Christianity Today is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. The Washington Post calls Christianity Today "evangelicalism's flagship magazine".[5] The New York Times describes it as a "mainstream evangelical magazine".[6] On August 4, 2022, Russell D. Moore—notable for denouncing and leaving the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention[7]—was named the incoming Christianity Today Editor-in-Chief.[2]

Christianity Today
Cover of the April 2010 issue
President & CEOTimothy Dalrymple[1]
Editor-in-ChiefRussell D. Moore[2][3]
Former editorsCarl F. H. Henry, Harold Lindsell, Kenneth S. Kantzer, V. Gilbert Beers, David Neff, Terry C. Muck, George K. Brushaber, Mark Galli, Daniel M. Harrell
FrequencyMonthly
Circulation130,000[4]
FounderBilly Graham
First issueOctober 1956 (1956-October)
CompanyChristianity Today International
CountryUnited States
Based inCarol Stream, Illinois
LanguageEnglish
Websitechristianitytoday.com
ISSN0009-5753

Christianity Today has a print circulation of approximately 110,000 and an online readership of 2.2 million at ChristianityToday.com.[8] The founder, Billy Graham, stated that he wanted to "plant the evangelical flag in the middle of the road, taking the conservative theological position but a definite liberal approach to social problems".[9] Other active publications currently active within Christianity Today include: Building Church Leaders which has vocational education materials for evangelists and clergy.[10] Church Law & Tax which discusses tax compliance.[11] ChristianBibleStudies helps with Bible studies.[12] ChurchSalary helps churches with information on proper remuneration.[13] Ekstasis Magazine about Christian arts and media, specifically to encourage creativity within Christian culture to enable better storytelling, worldbuilding, and cultural representation.[14] PreachingToday is a publication specifically for those delivering sermons.[15] SmallGroups is a leadership magazine for smaller church planting groups such as missional living, cafe churches, pub churches, or house churches.[16]

Graham began the magazine as counterpoint to The Christian Century, the predominant independent periodical of mainline Protestantism, and as a way to bring the evangelical Christian community together.[9][17]

History

edit

The second issue of Christianity Today was created in the date of October 15, 1956, and the opening editorial, Why 'Christianity Today'?,[18] stated "Christianity Today has its origin in a deep-felt desire to express historical Christianity to the present generation. Neglected, slighted, misrepresented—evangelical Christianity needs a clear voice, to speak with conviction and love, and to state its true position and its relevance to the world crisis. A generation has grown up unaware of the basic truths of the Christian faith taught in the Scriptures and expressed in the creeds of the historic evangelical churches."

Its first editor was Carl F. H. Henry. Notable contributors in its first two decades included 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 centered on debates about biblical inerrancy. Later editorial leadership came from Kenneth Kantzer, Terry Muck, and David Neff. V. Gilbert Beers was hired as the fourth editor in 1982, reportedly to increase the magazine's lay readership.[19] From 2015 until January 3, 2020, Mark Galli was the editor in chief.[20][21] Following Galli's retirement Daniel M. Harrell served as editor in chief for a year. Russell Moore took the position in August 2022.[22][21] The publication now includes print and online versions and various ancillary products. Print and online contents include feature stories, news ranging from cultural issues from a Christian viewpoint to the global church, opinion, reviews, and investigative reporting.

In Billy Graham's 1997 autobiography, Just As I Am, he writes of his vision, idea, and history with Christianity Today,[23] and his early meeting with oil company executive, John Howard Pew, to establish the publication.[24][25] Most critics label Christianity Today as a mainstream, intellectual, centrist evangelical publication.[26][27][28][29]

Editorials on impeachments of U.S. presidents

edit

On June 7, 1974, in an editorial entitled "Should Nixon Resign?", published during the impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon, Christianity Today wrote "that the constitutional process should be followed, and followed with dispatch." The magazine did not call for his resignation, but instead stated that "If he is acquitted, the nation will have to wait out the term of a President whose ability to function has been seriously eroded."[30][31] On October 5, 1998, regarding the imminent impeachment of President Bill Clinton, Christianity Today stated in an editorial that "Unsavory dealings and immoral acts by the president and those close to him" have compromised his administration's moral leadership,[32] criticizing his televised August 17 confession as a "nonapology".[33]

In an editorial published on December 19, 2019, a day after the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress,[34][35] editor in chief Mark Galli asserted among other criticisms that he sought to leverage his political power "to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit" presidential candidate Joe Biden. He argued: "That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral."[35][36] The editorial received extensive media coverage and caught the attention of Trump and his allies, who in response sought to discredit the publication,[37] with the former describing it as "far-left",[27] and almost 200 evangelical leaders rebuking it for the editorial.[38]

Sexual harassment controversy

edit

In 2022, the magazine published two articles announcing that a number of women reported demeaning, inappropriate, and offensive behavior by former editor in chief Mark Galli and former advertising director Olatokunbo Olawoye, whilst their behavior remained unchecked and the men were not disciplined, according to an external assessment of the ministry's culture.[39] Speaking to Religion News Service, Galli admitted that he may have "crossed lines" during his time as editor but denied having had "any romantic or sexual interest in anyone at Christianity Today."[40] In an editorial on the magazine, the CEO of Christianity Today Timothy Dalrymple admitted that the society that owns and edits the magazine fell short on protecting the employees and apologized for the fact, promising strong and swift action against sexual harassment.[41]

Publications

edit

Harold Myra, who became president and chief executive of the magazine in 1975, believed that a "family" of magazines would disperse overhead expenses and give more stability to the organization.[42] Christianity Today both online and magazine is the flagship publication, fully effective in three basic areas: editorial, circulation, advertising; as such, many of the articles from their broader publications often get distributed through CT's flagship.[43] Christianity Today founded or acquired periodicals during the 1980s and 1990s, beginning with Leadership, a quarterly journal for clergy, in 1980.

Active

edit

At the ministry's web home, ChristianityToday.org, all other brands for Christian thought leaders and church leaders are featured, including publications such as the intellectual Christian review, Books & Culture, and the website for pastors and church leaders, CT Pastors. Additional web resources include Men of Integrity and Preaching Today. Many of the sections published online under the Christianity Today banner are the online legacies of defunct print publications, even named after the aforementioned publications.

Ekstasis (2016–present)

edit

Ekstasis is a journal that was acquired by Christianity Today in 2021, originally founded in 2016 by Conor Sweetman in Toronto, Canada it focuses on Christian arts and media.[44][45][46][47]

International editions (2007–present)

edit

Besides English, it is available in 12 other languages: Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Filipino, French, Galician, German, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.[48] Their publication can be found within those linguistic regions, as well as in Japan and Israel.[49]

Online presence

edit

The magazine's mission statement is to "provide evangelical thought leaders a sense of community, coherence, and direction through thoughtful, biblical commentary on issues and through careful, caring reporting of the news." Its presence on the Internet began in October 1994 when it became one of the top ten content providers on all of AOL. Then, in 1996, their website was launched. Originally, it was named ChristianityOnline.com before becoming ChristianityToday.com. Today ChristianityToday.com serves as the web home for Christianity Today magazine, which now has distinct sections for Local Church Pastors,[50] Reporting, [51] Women,[52] History,[53] and Spanish[54] readers.

Together, all Christianity Today brands reach more than 2.5 million people every month when print and digital views are combined, plus more than 5 million pageviews per month on the Internet.[55] The ministry offers access, both premium and free, to more than 100,000 articles and other content on their various websites. They operate several stand-alone websites from ChristianityToday including SmallGroups.com, Preaching Today, Church Law & Tax and many other sites.[56]

Defunct

edit

In 2005, Christianity Today International published 12 magazines,[57] but following the financial downturn of 2008 it was forced to shutter several publications.[58] By 2017 that had further diminished to three, as many of them became sections of Christianity Today proper.[59]

Leadership Journal (1980–2016)

edit

The first "sister publication" added to the Christianity Today publishing group was Leadership: A Practical Journal for Church Leaders, launched in 1980. The subtitle clearly defined the journal's mission: it was a quarterly publication, aimed primarily at clergy and focusing on the practical concerns of ministry and church leadership. The first issue of Leadership sold out its initial press run of 50,000 copies and the publication was in the black after a single issue.[60] The journal continued in print for 36 years. After volume 37, issue 1 (winter 2016), Christianity Today discontinued the print publication, replacing it with expanded content in Christianity Today for pastors and church leaders and occasional print supplements, as well as a new website, CTPastors.com.[61]

Campus Life/Ignite Your Faith (1982–2009)

edit

In 1982, Christianity Today purchased the magazine Campus Life, aimed at a high school audience, from, Campus Life Publications, Inc., a nonprofit organization, which had purchased Campus Life magazine from Youth For Christ in 1980. The name of the magazine was changed to Ignite Your Faith in 2006. It ceased publication in 2009.[62]

Partnership/Marriage Partnership (1984–2009)

edit

Partnership was launched in 1984[63] as a magazine for wives of clergy.[42] In 1987[63] it was renamed Marriage Partnership and expanded its focus to marriage in general, not just clergy marriages. The magazine ceased publication in 2009.[62]

Today's Christian Woman (1985–2009)

edit

Today's Christian Woman was founded in 1978 and acquired by Christianity Today from the Fleming H. Revell Co. in 1985.[64] It discontinued print publication in 2009 and was replaced with a "digizine" entitled Kyria, which was online only, but still required a paid subscription to access, although at a lower price than the print magazine.[65] In 2012 the name of the digital publication was changed back to Today's Christian Woman, and in 2016 it stopped being issued as a regularly scheduled digital periodical.[66]

Christian History (1989–2008)

edit

Christian History was a journal of the history of Christianity, first issued in January 1982 by the Christian History Institute. Each issue had multiple articles covering a single theme. Initially published annually, it became a quarterly publication. Christianity Today took over ownership of the magazine beginning with issue 22 in 1989. It was discontinued after the publication of issue 99 in 2008. In 2011 the Christian History Institute resumed quarterly publication of the magazine. Christian History archives still may be found on ChristianityToday.com under its special section.[53]

Christian Reader/Today's Christian (1992–2008)

edit

Christian Reader, a digest magazine in the vein of Reader's Digest, was founded in 1963 by the founder of Tyndale House Publishers, Ken Taylor.[67] Christianity Today purchased the magazine in 1992.[63] The name was changed to Today's Christian in 2004.[68] In 2008, Christianity Today sold the magazine to the ministry Significant Living.[69]

Books & Culture (1995–2016)

edit

Books & Culture was a bimonthly book review and intellectual journal modeled after the New York Review of Books and The New York Times Book Review and was published by Christianity Today International from 1995 to 2016.[70] At the end of its publication life in 2016, the magazine's circulation was 11,000 and its readership was 20,000.[71] It was edited by John Wilson, and notable contributors included Mark Noll, Lauren Winner, Alan Jacobs, Jean Bethke Elshtain, and Miroslav Volf.

Virtue (1998–2000)

edit

Virtue, a magazine for Christian women, was founded in 1978.[72] Christianity Today purchased the publication from Cook Communications Ministries in 1998 after that publisher abruptly closed the magazine.[73] Christianity Today revived the magazine and continued publishing it for two more years before discontinuing publication following the December/January 2000 issue.[72]

Christian Parenting Today (1998–2005)

edit

Christian Parenting Today (originally entitled Christian Parenting) was founded in 1989.[74] Christianity Today purchased the magazine from Cook Communications Ministries in 1998 in the same deal in which it acquired Virtue.[73] It ceased publication in 2005.[74]

Men of Integrity (1998–2017)

edit

Men of Integrity was a bi-monthly magazine for Christian men published by Christianity Today. It was created in 1998, in partnership with the evangelical men's organization Promise Keepers.[73] It ceased publication with the November–December 2017 issue.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Meet the CT Team". ChristianityToday.com. March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Dalrymple, Timothy (August 4, 2022). "Christianity Today Names Russell Moore Editor in Chief". Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  3. ^ Smietana, Bob (August 6, 2022). "Russell Moore Named Christianity Today Editor, Lynn Vincent to Lead World Magazine". The Roys Report. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  4. ^ https://www.christianitytodayads.com/. Retrieved July 9, 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Lupfer, Jacob (June 10, 2015). "Why a 'yes' to gays is often a 'no' to evangelicalism". The Washington Post. RNS. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  6. ^ Leland, John (December 26, 2005). "New Cultural Approach for Conservative Christians: Reviews, Not Protests". The New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  7. ^ Wehner, Peter (June 7, 2021). "The Scandal Rocking the Evangelical World". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "Christianity Today Ads". Christianity Today. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Smith, Christian; Emerson, Michael (1998). American Evangelicalism: Embattled and Thriving. University of Chicago Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0226764191.
  10. ^ Schmidt, Alexandria (January 4, 2022). "10 Best Church Leadership Training Programs In 2022". The Lead Pastor. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  11. ^ "Class Notes: Summer 2020". University of Denver Magazine. June 22, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "Bible study tools and Christian resources". SHEEPHERALD!. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  13. ^ "The hidden costs of job relocation". Church Executive. January 27, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  14. ^ Fryling, Bob (July 23, 2021). "What Is the Future of Evangelicalism?". Bob Fryling. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  15. ^ "Why Christians must stay on social media despite the hassles and hostility – Baptist News Global". Baptist News Global. September 27, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  16. ^ Atkinson, Harley; Rose, Joshua (July 23, 2020). "The Small-Group Ministry Movement of the Last Four Decades". Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry. 17 (3). SAGE Publications: 547–559. doi:10.1177/0739891320942932. ISSN 0739-8913.
  17. ^ "About Christianity Today". Christianity Today.
  18. ^ "Why 'Christianity Today'?". Christianity Today.
  19. ^ Buursma, Bruce (June 19, 1982). "Author V. Gilbert Beers chosen to edit top religious periodical". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  20. ^ Smith, Harold B. (January 6, 2015). "Joyful Vision". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Olsen, Ted (October 7, 2019). "Mark Galli Announces Retirement as Editor in Chief of Christianity Today". Christianity Today. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  22. ^ "CT Names Russell Moore Editor in Chief". August 4, 2022.
  23. ^ "Envisioning 'Christianity Today'". Christianity Today.
  24. ^ Graham, Billy (1997). Just as I am: the autobiography of Billy Graham. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan. p. 88. ISBN 978-0060633875.
  25. ^ Olson, Roger E. (2004). The Westminster Handbook to Evangelical Theology. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 71. ISBN 0-664-22464-4. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  26. ^ Neuhaus, Richard John (June 1, 1999). "Bill Clinton and the American Character". First Things. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  27. ^ a b Pesce, Nicole Lyn. "Trump lashes back at 'far left' Christianity Today — and says he'll stop reading 'ET'". MarketWatch. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  28. ^ Martin, Wes (January 6, 2020). "Retired Christianity Today Editor Talks Backlash Over Editorial Advocating For Trump's Removal". WBUR. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  29. ^ Lindsay, D. Michael (2007). "Ties That Bind and Divisions That Persist: Evangelical Faith and the Political Spectrum". Political Science Quarterly. 59 (3): 883–909. ISSN 0032-3195. JSTOR 40068454. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  30. ^ "Should Nixon Resign?". ChristianityToday.com. June 7, 1974. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  31. ^ Settje, David E. (2020). Evil Deeds in High Places: Christian America's Moral Struggle with Watergate. New York University Press. p. 242. ISBN 9781479803170. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  32. ^ "The Prodigal Who Didn't Come Home". Christianity Today. October 5, 1998. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  33. ^ Bauer, Susan Wise (2008). The Art of the Public Grovel: Sexual Sin and Public Confession in America. Princeton University Press. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-691-13810-7. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  34. ^ Fandos, Nicholas; Shear, Michael D. (December 18, 2019). "Trump Impeached for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress". The New York Times. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  35. ^ a b Galli, Mark (December 19, 2019). "Trump Should Be Removed from Office". Christianity Today. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  36. ^ Ho, Vivian (December 19, 2019). "Evangelical magazine Christianity Today calls for Trump's removal after impeachment". The Guardian. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  37. ^ Brittain, Christopher Craig (February 18, 2021). "Chapter 13 – Donald Trump and the Stigmata of Democracy: Adorno and the Consolidation of a Religious Racket". How to Critique Authoritarian Populism: Methodologies of the Frankfurt School. Studies in Critical Social Sciences. Vol. 180. Brill Publishers. pp. 373–375. ISBN 978-90-04-44473-7. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  38. ^ Pieper, Andrew L.; DeWitt, Jeff R. (2021). The Republican Resistance: #NeverTrump Conservatives and the Future of the GOP. Lexington Books. p. 212. ISBN 978-1-7936-0745-4. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  39. ^ Silliman, Daniel (March 15, 2022). "Sexual Harassment Went Unchecked at Christianity Today". Christianity Today.
  40. ^ RELEVANT (March 16, 2022). "A Former Christianity Today Editor Has Been Accused of Sexual Harassment". Relevant.
  41. ^ Dalrymple, Timothy (March 16, 2022). "We Fell Short in Protecting Our Employees". Christianity Today.
  42. ^ a b Board, Stephen (1990). "Moving the World with Magazines: A Survey of Evangelical Periodicals". In Quentin J. Schultze (ed.). American Evangelicals and the Mass Media: Perspectives on the Relationship Between American Evangelicals and the Mass Media. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan Publishing Company. pp. 119–142. ISBN 978-0-310-27261-8.
  43. ^ Myra, Harold L. (Winter 1980). "A Message from the Publisher". Leadership. 1 (1): 138.
  44. ^ "What Is the Future of Evangelicalism?". Bob Fryling. July 23, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  45. ^ "Why an English Professor Loves Ekstasis Magazine". ChristianityToday.org. October 28, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  46. ^ "Conor Sweetman [BA English] Launches Magazine". Tyndale University. November 21, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  47. ^ "Christianity Today Announces New Publication That "Revives the Christian Imagination"". ChristianityToday.org. June 21, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  48. ^ "CT Translations". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  49. ^ Chantry., pastor Walt (March 2, 2010). "Records of Christianity Today International - - Collection 8". www2.wheaton.edu. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  50. ^ "The Local Church". christianitytoday.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  51. ^ "Gleanings". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  52. ^ "CT Women". christianitytoday.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  53. ^ a b "Christian History – Learn the History of Christianity & the Church". christianitytoday.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  54. ^ "En Español". christianitytoday.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  55. ^ "ChristianityToday.org". Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  56. ^ "ChristianityToday.org". ChristianityToday.org. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  57. ^ "Campus Life magazine to change name in January". Spero News. November 14, 2005. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  58. ^ "Christianity Today International closes four publications". Good News Florida. June 18, 2009. Archived from the original on December 3, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  59. ^ "CT Advertising: Print Media". CT Advertising. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  60. ^ Myra, Harold L. (Spring 1980). "A Message from the Publisher". Leadership. 1 (2): 138.
  61. ^ Shelley, Marshall (Winter 2016). "The Next Life of Leadership". Leadership Journal. 37: 8.
  62. ^ a b Gordon, Tracy (May 26, 2009). "Christianity Today to close four publications, lay off 31". Religion News Service. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  63. ^ a b c "Records of Christianity Today International – Collection 8 (Archival Finding Aid)". Billy Graham Center Archives. March 2, 2010.
  64. ^ Paddon, Anna R. (1995). "Today's Christian Woman". In Kathleen L. Endres; Therese L. Lueck (eds.). Women's Periodicals in the United States: Consumer Magazines. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-313-28631-5.
  65. ^ "Have the Days of Christian Media Come and Gone?". Newsweek. June 3, 2009.
  66. ^ Trujillo, Kelli B. (May 25, 2016). "The Next Chapter for TCW". Today's Christian Woman.
  67. ^ Gilreath, Edward (November–December 2003). "Turning 40". Christian Reader: 5.
  68. ^ Gilbreath, Edward (January–February 2004). "What's in a Name?". Christian Reader: 6.
  69. ^ "Significant Living Acquires 'Today's Christian' Magazine". Christian Newswire (Press release). October 16, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  70. ^ "About B&C". Booksandculture.com. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  71. ^ "BooksAndCulture.com – Christianity Today Advertising". christianitytodayads.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  72. ^ a b "Virtue Folds". Christianity Today. October 25, 1999. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  73. ^ a b c "Two Cook Magazines Join CTi". Christianity Today. 42 (6): 15. May 18, 1998.
  74. ^ a b "Christian Periodical Index (CPI) – All Titles". cpi.acl.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  • Marsden, George M., Reforming Fundamentalism, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1987.
edit