Church Life

The Other ‘Christianity Today’

Learning from our fundamentalist predecessor.

Preparing for this 60th anniversary issue, I read the first issue of Christianity Today, published in May 1930. My math is right: When Billy Graham launched this magazine in 1956, he took its name from a Presbyterian reform journal.

The two Christianity Todays shared a mission: “stating, defending, and furthering the gospel in the modern world” as the older title proclaimed, or “to express historical Christianity to the present generation,” as we put it (see “‘Why Christianity Today’ Revisited,” page 46). Born in the fundamentalist-modernist war, our forerunner was pugilistic, “committed to a militant defense of its faith against its enemies—whether within or without its borders,” its first issue announced. “The editors of this paper have no sympathy with those who decry controversy…. It has been not theological pacifists but sturdy contenders for the faith who in the providence of God have saved the day.” (It was not an imagined battle: The official Presbyterian magazine had just fired its editor, Samuel Craig, for supporting conservative leader J. Gresham Machen. Craig became editor of Christianity Today.)

World War II hurt the magazine’s financial footing. So did reaching the end of a major bequest. (Magazines of deep ideals have always needed supporters with deep pockets; see page 29.) But Christianity Today was fatally wounded when its leaders started identifying each other as enemies, prompting schism. “As we are trying to fight against the modernist enemy,” Machen bemoaned, the magazine’s editor (his longtime ally) was “sniping at us from the rear.” Machen withdrew support and, with Christianity Today’s managing editor, launched The Presbyterian Guardian for those who would “not admit of any shadow of compromise with the forces of unbelief.” Christianity Today published only occasionally after 1941 and closed completely in 1949.

Such infighting and division have served as a warning as we have pursued principled unity in the cause of the gospel. Sometimes that means rallying together on causes like religious liberty or beautiful orthodoxy. Sometimes it means charitably entertaining political views of fellow evangelicals with whom we disagree. In this issue, we hear a case for Hillary Clinton, another for Donald Trump, and another for neither. We trust that such efforts illuminate how the depth and transforming power of the gospel permeate all of life.

For 60 years we’ve rejected the choice between “theological pacifism” and totalitarian war, between modernist compromise and fundamentalist schism, between beautiful heresy and ugly orthodoxy. Thanks for being our allies through it all, even—and especially—in times when you’ve disagreed with us.

Ted Olsen is CT’s director of editorial development. Follow Ted Olsen on Twitter @TedOlsen.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

The World Is Yearning for Beautiful Orthodoxy

Putting Our Money Where Our Eyes Are

A Decade of Change

Where Kids Get Their Political Views

You Are the Manure of the Earth

The New Baptist Covenant: Will It Work?

News

Charity Navigator's Overhead Overhaul

News

Manga Mania

News

Gleanings: October 2016

‘Why Christianity Today’ Revisited

The Cosmos Is Vaster than the Ancients Imagined

The Future of the Church Is Analog, Not Digital

Do We Really Need More Breast Cancer ‘Awareness’?

Reply All

Art Advocates

Testimony

I Found the Gospel in Communist Romania

The Value of Friends Who Don’t Look, Think, or Vote Like You Do

Jimmy Carter: Pursuing an Arc of Reconciliation

Review

When Modern Medicine Becomes a False God

5 Books to Read Before Voting in a Presidential Election

New & Noteworthy Books

Excerpt

Why God Doesn’t Let Us In On Everything

Clinton, Trump, or Neither? 3 Views on the 2016 Presidential Election

James Dobson: Why I Am Voting for Donald Trump

Sho Baraka: Why I Can't Vote for Either Trump or Clinton

Ron Sider: Why I Am Voting for Hillary Clinton

View issue

Our Latest

Public Theology Project

The Star of Bethlehem Is a Zodiac Killer

How Christmas upends everything that draws our culture to astrology.

News

As Malibu Burns, Pepperdine Withstands the Fire

University president praises the community’s “calm resilience” as students and staff shelter in place in fireproof buildings.

The Russell Moore Show

My Favorite Books of 2024

Ashley Hales, CT’s editorial director for print, and Russell discuss this year’s reads.

News

The Door Is Now Open to Churches in Nepal

Seventeen years after the former Hindu kingdom became a secular state, Christians have a pathway to legal recognition.

Why Christians Oppose Euthanasia

The immorality of killing the old and ill has never been in question for Christians. Nor is our duty to care for those the world devalues.

The Holy Family and Mine

Nativity scenes show us the loving parents we all need—and remind me that my own parents estranged me over my faith.

China’s Churches Go Deep Rather than Wide at Christmas

In place of large evangelism outreaches, churches try to be more intentional in the face of religious restrictions and theological changes.

Wire Story

Study: Evangelical Churches Aren’t Particularly Political

Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube