The Christian Century

• 1. Founding And Early Evolution

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  The Christian Century began its life in 1884 as The Christian Oracle within the Disciples of Christ denomination. This publication started in Des Moines, Iowa, before moving to Chicago around the turn of the 20th century. A proposal emerged in 1900 to rename the magazine Christian Century. Editors hoped this change reflected a new optimism that faith could coexist with modern science and technology. Financial struggles led to a mortgage foreclosure sale in 1908. Charles Clayton Morrison purchased the struggling periodical shortly after. He quickly rebranded it as nondenominational to reach a broader audience beyond one church group. Morrison became a leading voice for liberal Christianity during the early decades of the 1900s. His editorial direction emphasized higher criticism of the Bible alongside social reform efforts. Fundamentalist critics frequently targeted the magazine throughout the fundamentalist, modernist debate era.

• 2. Theological Identity And Editorial Stance

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  Described by observers as liberal, the magazine serves as the flagship publication for US mainline Protestantism. Current editor Peter W. Marty leads the team while Steve Thorngate manages daily operations. Regular columns include Screen Time written by Kathryn Reklis and Voices featuring contributors like Debie Thomas and Sam Wells. The website hosts podcasts created by Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Amy Frykholm among others. This structure allows diverse voices to address theological, moral, and cultural issues monthly. Reviews cover books, movies, and music to engage readers on multiple fronts. The publication maintains independence within ecumenical circles despite competition from other religious outlets. Christianity Today emerged in 1956 as a conservative evangelical alternative founded by Carl F. H. Henry. Both magazines continue to flourish today with distinct audiences and perspectives.

• 3. Social Activism And Civil Rights

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  During World War II, writers such as Galen Fisher published critiques opposing the internment of Japanese Americans. These articles helped raise public awareness about government policies affecting citizens of Japanese descent. The Century actively covered the civil rights movement through direct reporting and advocacy efforts. Editors traveled to Selma, Alabama in 1965 to document the march firsthand. The magazine became one of the first national publications to print Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from Birmingham Jail. Six additional essays by King also appeared alongside this famous text. King himself served as an editor-at-large for the periodical during his lifetime. Earlier social concerns championed by Charles Clayton Morrison included child labor laws and women's suffrage. Alcoholism and prohibition debates featured prominently in early editorial discussions. Environmentalism later joined the list of political causes supported by the staff.

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• 4. Controversies Regarding Antisemitism

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  Accusations of antisemitic content surfaced during Charles Clayton Morrison's editorial reign throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Articles opposed American intervention in World War II specifically regarding Jewish persecution under Nazi rule. One piece argued moral equivalence between alleged Jewish actions and Nazi crimes against Jews. Another condemned American Jews for maintaining their distinct cultural identity separate from mainstream society. A rebuttal to Rabbi Stephen Wise claimed he exaggerated reports about the Holocaust occurring at that time. Fred Eastman published A Reply to Screamers in 1944 which questioned any moral obligation to aid European Jews. Historian Martin E. Marty described the publication during those years as anti-Zionist. Modern controversies emerged when James M. Wall served on the editorial board of VNN starting in 2012. The Southern Poverty Law Centre identified VNN as a neo-Nazi hate site despite Wall retaining his name on the Century masthead until 2017. Marty later conceded in a 2021 obituary that Wall's pro-Palestinian writing sometimes devolved into anti-Semitism.

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• 5. Notable Contributors And Cultural Impact

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  Influential writers like Reinhold Niebuhr shaped the magazine's intellectual legacy over its long history. Jane Addams, Albert Schweitzer, and W. E. B. DuBois contributed articles spanning decades of publication. Religious figures such as Thomas Merton and Billy Graham appeared alongside political leaders including John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Literary giants T. S. Eliot and C. S. Lewis also found space within these pages. Contemporary voices include Sarah Coakley, N. T. Wright, and Marilynne Robinson among many others. Rosemary Rutherford and Mary Daly brought feminist theological perspectives to the discussion. Delores S. Williams and Rowan Williams expanded global Christian dialogue through their contributions. The magazine continues publishing both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel authors while arguing for a two-state solution. Archives at the University of Pennsylvania preserve historical records of this ongoing cultural conversation.

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