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Sojourners

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"Post American" redirects here. For the time period, see Post-American era.
Not to be confused with Sojourner Truth.

Sojourners is a progressive monthly magazine and daily online publication of the American Christian social justice organization Sojourners, which arose out of the Sojourners Community. It was first published in 1971 under the original title of The Post-American. The magazine and online publication feature reporting, commentary, and analysis on Christianity and politics, the church and social issues, social justice, and Christian living. Articles frequently feature coverage of fair trade, interfaith dialogue, peacemaking, and work to alleviate poverty. The offices of the magazine are in Washington, D.C.

Sojourners
May 2011 cover of Sojourners
Editor-in-Chief
Editor		Julie Polter
Jim Rice
PresidentAdam Russell Taylor
CategoriesChristian magazines
FrequencyMonthly
PublisherSojourners
Founded1971
CountryUnited States
Based inWashington, D.C.
LanguageEnglish
Websitesojo.net Edit this at Wikidata
ISSN0364-2097

Julie Polter has served as editor-in-chief since September 2022. She followed Sandi Villarreal, who was named in August 2020.[1] Adam Russell Taylor succeeded founder Jim Wallis as president in November 2020.[2]

History

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Sojourners magazine was originally published in 1971[3] under the name The Post American, coming out of the Sojourners Community.[4] The name was changed to Sojourners in 1975, when the community moved from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, to Columbia Heights in Washington, D.C. The mission of Sojourners is "to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world."[5]

The magazine was originally published quarterly, then every other month, and since January 2004 has been published eleven times per year, with a single issue published for September and October.

The Sojourners Collection is maintained by Wheaton College in its archives and special collections. Collected materials include magazine issues, correspondence, original manuscripts and administrative papers, as well as information on the Sojourners Community, founder Wallis, and other communities and organizations affiliated with the publisher.[6][7]

Other activities

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Along with the magazine,[8] Sojourners also produces a website, sojo.net.[9]

In 2010, Wallis was interviewed in episode six of God in America, a documentary featured on PBS from Frontline and American Experience.[10]

Sojourners CEO Wallis served as a member of President Barack Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Community Partnerships, which advises the president and White House staff on a range of concerns.[11] Sojourners has organized high-level meetings with the White House and political leaders on both sides of the aisle.

Recent work

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Responding to the global economic crisis

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Wallis's latest book, published in January 2010, is Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street and Your Street.[12] As part of his nationwide book tour, Wallis was interviewed on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Morning Joe on MSNBC,[13] and PBS's The Tavis Smiley Show.[14] The Jon Stewart interview and the first chapter of Wallis's book, "Sunday School with Jon Stewart", are on their sojo.net website.[15]

Immigration reform

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Sojourners is leading faith groups in support of comprehensive immigration work through its Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform campaign. As a June 2010 Brookings Institution panel on "Religious Activism and the Debate over Immigration Reform" affirmed, "largely because of the activism of these religious groups, immigration has remained on a legislative agenda crowded with other pressing domestic concerns."[16] A Sojourners letter to President Obama – calling for leadership on immigration reform that reflects the nation's best values – was signed by more than 40 prominent faith leaders and 28 national organizations. Sojourners was one of the primary faith organizers of the March 21, 2010, national immigration rally that brought 200,000 people to Washington, D.C. As part of a coalition of evangelical groups, Sojourners came out in full support for a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants as part of any immigration reform legislation in the United States on March 18, 2013. Wallis stated that it was part of a "sea change" in the evangelical community, driven in part by the increasing numbers of immigrants in congregations. He went on to state that evangelical leaders have concluded that "we don't believe there are second-class images of God, and therefore we don't believe in a second-class status for people who are willing to follow an earned path to citizenship."[17]

Climate change, green energy, and the Gulf oil spill

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Sojourners urged constituents to reduce energy use and advocate for laws that hold polluters accountable, support green energy technology, and prioritize people and the planet above corporate interests. It mobilized its grassroots base and engaged in advocacy at the highest levels in support of action to stop climate change. Faith leaders called for increasing funding from Congress to help the most vulnerable communities worldwide who are affected by climate change. Wallis led a delegation of faith leaders who traveled to the Gulf of Mexico for a listening tour sponsored by the Sierra Club. A reporter from CNN participated in the delegation and covered the Gulf Coast tour.[18]

Rejecting LGBT advertising

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In 2011, the Sojourners website, sojo.net, rejected a Mother's Day advertisement from Believe Out Loud that featured a same-sex couple.[19]

Author Becky Garrison wrote that she "lost [her] position on the Sojourners masthead for protesting their rejection of an LGBT welcome ad."[20]

Countering extremism

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Wallis and other faith leaders played an important behind-the-scenes role in preventing the Quran burning by pastor Terry Jones on September 11, 2010. Wallis's opinion piece in The Washington Post's "Sunday Outlook" section describes the role he and other faith leaders played.[21] The article also highlights how the welcoming stance of a church in Tennessee had global implications in Pakistan and what that could teach us about interfaith understanding and fighting terrorism. The column was reprinted in newspapers globally, including in publications with predominantly Muslim audiences.

Notes

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  1. ^ Khan, Aysha (August 14, 2020). "Jim Wallis replaced as Sojourners editor after controversy over article on Catholic racism". Religion News Service. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  2. ^ "Adam Taylor succeeds Jim Wallis as Sojourners president". Religion News Service. November 20, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  3. ^ Ken Waters (August 2012). "The Evangelical Press". In Diane Winston (ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Religion and the American News Media. Oxford.
  4. ^ Macdonald, G. Jeffrey (December 2, 2006). "Liberal Journals Wither Despite Rising Christian Left". The Washington Post. Religion News Service. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  5. ^ "Sojourners: About Us". Sojo.net. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  6. ^ "History". Sojourners. 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2010.
  7. ^ "Sojourners Records, 1971–2006". Wheaton College. Retrieved May 6, 2010.
  8. ^ "Associated Church Press Best of the Christian Press Awards, Presented May 8, 2010, Arlington, Virginia". Associated Church Press. May 8, 2010. Archived from the original on May 18, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  9. ^ "Sojourners Magazine Wins Top Magazine Honors - Jeannie Choi - God's Politics Blog". Blog. May 5, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  10. ^ "God in America: Watch the Full Program Online". PBS. October 11, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "Obama Announces White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships". whitehouse.gov. February 5, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2011 – via National Archives.
  12. ^ "Sojourners : Rediscovering Values". Sojo.net. Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  13. ^ "Morning Joe". MSNBC. Archived from the original on February 2, 2004. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  14. ^ "Tavis Smiley . Shows". PBS. January 9, 2010. Archived from the original on March 30, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  15. ^ "Sojourners : Rediscovering Values". Sojo.net. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  16. ^ "Religious Activism and the Debate over Immigration Reform - Brookings Institution". Brookings.edu. June 15, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  17. ^ Werner, Erica (March 18, 2013). "Evangelicals Support Path To Citizenship". Talking Points Memo. Associated Press. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  18. ^ "CNN Covers Jim Wallis and Other Faith Leaders in Gulf Coast". God's Politics: A blog by Jim Wallis and Friends. Sojourners. July 8, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  19. ^ Savage, Dan (May 9, 2011). "NALT Watch: The Ad That Was Too Controversial for Sojourners". The Stranger.
  20. ^ Garrison, Becky. "Going Global to Do Good Without God." American Atheist. 2nd Quarter 2013. p. 18
  21. ^ Wallis, Jim (September 19, 2010). "Jim Wallis on the story behind Pastor Terry Jones's change of heart". The Washington Post.
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