“Christianity Today has its origin in a deepfelt desire to express historical Christianity to the present generation.”
Thus stated this magazine’s very first editorial, published in October 1956. Billy Graham experienced a prompting in his spirit to create a “rallying point,” as he later put it, for men and women of orthodox Christian faith that would bring loving biblical conviction to the crises of their times.
Fourteen years later, in 1970, CT published an editorial reflecting on how Christianity “can relate itself to new circumstances” by applying its timeless principles “to any age and to all problems.” Their era presented numerous challenges, the editors said, and so required a brave and faithful adventurousness. Thus “Christianity Today will look for bold and creative approaches,” taking “necessary risks” in service to God and with confidence in his power and provision.
Another 21 years had passed when, in 1991, CT leaders hosted a conclave of scholars and thinkers to reexamine the needs of the church in their own time and the means by which CT should seek to address them. And so the process continued.
Perhaps every generation must, sooner or later, confront the challenges and opportunities of its time. The world is ever restless. Our social, cultural, and technological landscape evolves slowly—but sometimes all at once, in the blink of an eye.
When Christianity Today was founded, it was published “fortnightly,” in 40 pages, and only in print. To read the first issue, with the criticism and discussion it stimulated, is to see followers of Jesus struggling to discern how to be faithful to their calling in their moment. Now that task falls to us, and someday it will fall to those after us.
The year ahead will be transformative for Christianity Today. Our board, management, staff, and many wise counselors have sought, humbly and prayerfully, to discern what it means for Christianity Today to be for Christianity today. Over the months to come, we’ll have much to share with you as we rearticulate our calling in a way that is continuous with our past yet creative toward our future. This will include new branding and new design; new technologies and websites; new initiatives and campaigns to fund them; and, last, new ventures in the most powerful media of our time—designed to tell the most important stories in our world today.
So buckle up. Expressing historical Christianity to the present generation is nothing if not an adventure. And we’re thankful you’re with us for the journey.
Timothy Dalrymple is President and CEO of Christianity Today.
