The Christian Century

Theological Identity And Editorial Stance

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.

Social Activism And Civil Rights

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.

Common questions

When did The Christian Century begin publication and where was it originally located?

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.

Who purchased The Christian Century after the mortgage foreclosure sale in 1908?

Charles Clayton Morrison purchased the struggling periodical shortly after the financial struggles led to a mortgage foreclosure sale in 1908. He quickly rebranded it as nondenominational to reach a broader audience beyond one church group.

What role did The Christian Century play during World War II regarding Japanese American internment?

Why has The Christian Century faced accusations of antisemitic content during the 1930s and 1940s?

Accusations of antisemitic content surfaced during Charles Clayton Morrison's editorial reign throughout the 1930s and 1940s because some 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 while another condemned American Jews for maintaining their distinct cultural identity separate from mainstream society.

Which notable figures have contributed articles to The Christian Century over its history?

Influential writers like Reinhold Niebuhr shaped the magazine's intellectual legacy over its long history alongside Jane Addams, Albert Schweitzer, and W. E. B. DuBois who 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.

The Christian Century.