Christianity Today

Christianity Today
Title	Christianity Today
Editor	Mark Galli (former), Russel Moore (former)
Category	Religious magazine
Frequency	Biweekly (print historically)
Founder	Billy Graham
Founded	1956
Company	Christianity Today International
Country	United States
Based	Chicago
Language	English

Christianity Today Christianity Today is an evangelical Protestant periodical established in 1956 that has shaped debates among evangelicals in the United States and internationally. Founded to provide theological analysis and cultural commentary, it has engaged figures across denominations, institutions, and movements, influencing public discourse among readers connected to Billy Graham, National Association of Evangelicals, Southern Baptist Convention, Evangelical Free Church of America, and global networks. The magazine's coverage has intersected with events involving Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Pope John Paul II, and organizations such as World Council of Churches, Lausanne Movement, and World Evangelical Alliance.

History

The publication was launched by evangelical leader Billy Graham with business partner John Wesley White in 1956 amid Cold War religious realignments and the rise of mass media. Early editorial staff drew on writers connected to Princeton Theological Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, Westminster Theological Seminary, and denominational presses including Zondervan and Eerdmans Publishing. During the 1960s and 1970s the magazine covered civil rights episodes involving Martin Luther King Jr. and social upheavals tied to the Vietnam War, while engaging leaders from the National Association of Evangelicals and critics from Jimmy Carter era politics. In the 1980s and 1990s it navigated alliances with figures associated with Ronald Reagan and the rise of the Religious Right, even as it published critiques referencing theologians in the evangelical left and institutions like Harvard University, Yale Divinity School, and Duke University. The 2000s brought digital expansion alongside involvement with global events such as the Lausanne Congress and collaborations with the World Evangelical Alliance.

Editorial Mission and Theology

The magazine was conceived to articulate an evangelical theological center rooted in the legacy of Billy Graham and conversations with leaders from evangelicalism who traced influences to writers like John Stott, Carl F. H. Henry, J. I. Packer, and historians connected to Oxford University and Cambridge University. Editorially, it has balanced pastoral concerns linked to denominations such as the Southern Baptist Convention and Presbyterian Church (USA) with engagement with academic debates featuring scholars from Princeton Theological Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. The publication has addressed doctrinal topics referencing works by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and modern interpreters like N. T. Wright and Alister McGrath, while situating commentary alongside public figures including Pope Benedict XVI and Barack Obama when religious politics intersect public life.

Publication and Distribution

Originally a print magazine based in Chicago, the periodical expanded its operations into book publishing and digital platforms, collaborating with presses such as Zondervan and distribution partners linked to outlets in United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa. Circulation trends tracked shifts in media consumption seen at publications like Time (magazine) and Newsweek, prompting an emphasis on online content, podcasts, and social media engagement with readers across networks like Twitter and Facebook. The organization operates under the non-profit umbrella of Christianity Today International and has hosted events comparable to gatherings organized by the Lausanne Movement and the World Evangelical Alliance.

Notable Contributors and Staff

Over decades the magazine has featured contributors and editors who are prominent in evangelical and broader religious spheres: columnists and writers affiliated with Mark Noll and D. A. Carson; ethicists connected to Russell Moore and Os Guinness; pastors and authors such as Tim Keller, John Piper, Rick Warren, Beth Moore, and historians like Justo L. González. Editors and staff have included figures who moved between the magazine and institutions such as Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, and academic posts at Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. The roster of contributors has extended globally to leaders associated with Desmond Tutu, Samuel Escobar, and activists who have worked alongside Amnesty International and World Vision.

Influence and Reception

The periodical has been influential in framing debates on issues where evangelical leaders intersect with politics, culture, and theology—engaging controversies tied to administrations of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump, and interacting with ecumenical initiatives involving Pope Francis and the World Council of Churches. Scholars such as Mark Noll and commentators at institutions like Harvard Divinity School and Yale Divinity School have cited its role in chronicling evangelicalism's evolution. Its investigative pieces and editorials have affected public conversations about leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention, prompted responses from politicians including Barack Obama, and influenced debates within networks like the Lausanne Movement and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Controversies and Criticisms

The magazine has faced criticism over editorial decisions, staffing changes, and positions on social issues, drawing rebuke from factions within the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of Evangelicals, and progressive evangelical networks. Editorial controversies have involved responses to sexual abuse scandals connected to institutions like Mars Hill Church and debates about political endorsements during the 2016 United States presidential election and 2020 United States presidential election. Critics in academic and church circles—some from Fuller Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary—have contested its theological balance and institutional affiliations, while others affiliated with movements such as the evangelical left have challenged its stances on race, gender, and public policy.

Category:American magazines Category:Religious magazines