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Interviewed in a story about the institute for National Public Radio's Day to Day, Mattingly cited World editor Marvin Olasky's book Telling the Truth: "The Bible condemns homosexuality so clearly that only the most shameless of those who twist Scripture can try to assert the practice's biblical acceptability. Biblical objectivity means showing the evil of homosexuality; balancing such stories by giving equal time to gay activists is ungodly journalism."

In a lengthy message board debate, Mattingly, who also teaches at the competing Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities' Summer Institute of Journalism, challenged WJI to cut its ties to directed reporting. "Has WJI cut ties to the journalism-education philosophy articulated in its founding textbook, Telling The Truth by Dr. Marvin Olasky?" Mattingly asked.

Olasky's views on Christian journalism are referenced, but as an example of advocacy writing, said WJI founder and director Robert Case on Day to Day. When a student asked if objective reporting on gay marriage would compromise her Christian values, Case replied, "I don't believe that as journalists of faith we have any obligation to bias our reporting on the homosexual movement or on gay marriages. I believe that good, honest, careful, balanced reporting can present both sides of that issue in a way and let God take care of the result."

On the message boards, Case said the institute had not cut its ties to Olasky because Telling the Truth is used as a textbook. However, Case said, the institute uses other texts, and instructors are free to disagree with Olasky's perspective.

A Christian ought to recognize that objectivity is humanly impossible and undesirable for the Christian journalist, Belz said. In that sense, WJI has not changed its philosophy, only some of its methods. "We understand the requirements that secular publishers and editors are going to put on people coming into their workplace," Belz said. "We want to equip our students to do that with integrity and with skill and competence."

WJI's change has also strained the institute's identity. "How to make that transition without even in our own minds having lost our zeal, or without seeming to lose our zeal, is not an easy thing to do," Belz said. "Especially when you're doing it right out there in public."

World magazine has not noted the changes at the institute in its pages because they are still being worked out, Belz said.

WJI's rocky switch from teaching directed reporting to teaching mainstream objectivity has been made more difficult in part because of the attention the institute has received. "When you change your focus from preparing to preach to the choir to preaching to the outside world, you do begin to change at least some of your expressions of the way you do things," Belz said. "We confess quickly to having done it somewhat awkwardly sometimes."

Some of the public criticism is earned, Belz conceded. On the other hand, "There is no question that there is a prejudice against a biblical, evangelical Christian perspective in many parts of the secular media." Belz said. The changes at WJI, he says, are an attempt to meet its critics halfway.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

More on the World Journalism Institute is available from its web site.

The Day to Day story on WJI is available online.

More on Terry Mattingly is available on his web site and his blog at GetReligion.

More on the debate at Poynter is available with a Google search.

More on the CCCU's Summer Institute of Journalism is available on its web site.

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June (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48