Once upon a time, Christianity Today stood at the gate of American evangelicalism as a clarifying voice of biblical orthodoxy. Founded by Billy Graham in 1956 to offer a thoughtful, faithful, and culturally engaged alternative to theologically liberal Protestantism, it was meant to be a counterbalance—a magazine that could sharpen minds, stir hearts, and stand unflinchingly on the Word of God.
But something has shifted.
In recent decades—particularly in the post-2000 era—Christianity Today has drifted from its moorings. It now offers a platform for progressive thought cloaked in evangelical language. It seems less interested in guarding biblical doctrine than in policing tone, favoring respectability over truth, and appeasing cultural trends rather than confronting them. It is, in many ways, a textbook example of the so-called “Big Eva” institutions that prioritize elite cultural acceptance over scriptural clarity.
This article examines the worldview, editorial slant, ideological drift, and theological compromises that have made Christianity Today worthy of inclusion in the Hall of Shame. Though it still retains the outward form of evangelicalism, its theological spine has been hollowed out by worldly ideologies masquerading as justice and compassion.
Ownership and Worldview
While Christianity Today is technically owned by the not-for-profit Christianity Today International, its true orientation is determined by its editorial leadership and institutional alliances. The magazine is governed by a board of evangelical leaders but steered editorially by voices like Russell Moore (current Editor-in-Chief) and Timothy Dalrymple (President and CEO). These men represent a particular kind of American evangelical: educated, winsome, polished, and deeply anxious about their proximity to elite respectability.
Russell Moore, formerly head of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention, is perhaps the most visible figure within the “respectable evangelical” world. While claiming theological conservatism, Moore has spent the last decade punching rightward, downplaying the threat of LGBTQ+ ideology, critical race theory, and progressive encroachments within the church—all while amplifying concern over Christian nationalism, tone, and Donald Trump.
Under this kind of leadership, Christianity Today’s worldview can be summarized as:
- Culturally engaged but biblically compromised
- Politically neutral but practically progressive
- Theologically conservative on paper but socially liberal in practice
This is the magazine of the “winsome gospel,” a version of Christianity that speaks in soothing tones to avoid offending secular sensibilities—at the cost of moral clarity.
Typical Claims and Outlook
Here are the dominant themes in Christianity Today’s recent publications:
- Evangelicalism must atone for its complicity in racism, patriarchy, and nationalism.
- Biblical ethics are important, but not nearly as important as civility, nuance, and dialogue.
- The culture war is a distraction; the real threat is a loss of moral credibility due to right-wing politics.
- LGBTQ+ individuals must be welcomed, understood, and gently shepherded—terms that often function as code for theological compromise.
- Economic justice, racial equity, and climate concern are key gospel implications.
- The problem with Christians isn’t doctrinal drift, but “idolatry of politics”—almost always meaning conservative politics.
Their contributors increasingly echo talking points indistinguishable from left-leaning secular media—just rephrased in softer tones and sprinkled with Bible verses.
Specific Incidents of Bias and Progressive Framing
Several high-profile moments illustrate the editorial trajectory of Christianity Today.
The 2019 Trump Impeachment Editorial
Perhaps the most glaring example was the December 2019 editorial by then-editor-in-chief Mark Galli, calling for the removal of President Donald Trump. The editorial—released shortly after Trump’s first impeachment—claimed that evangelical support for Trump was a betrayal of moral principle. It accused evangelicals of undermining their witness and declared Trump’s behavior “grossly immoral.”
Now, was Trump morally flawed? Certainly. But what Christianity Today never reckoned with was the moral degeneracy of the Democratic Party: its full-throated embrace of abortion, its assault on religious liberty, and its pandering to gender ideology.
The timing and tone of the editorial suggested not a prophetic rebuke rooted in impartiality, but an institutional lurch toward elite approval. The New York Times, Washington Post, and MSNBC all gleefully amplified the piece—an irony lost on the editors.
Russell Moore’s Evangelical Elite Echo Chamber
Since taking the helm, Moore has used Christianity Today to spotlight the same issues he emphasized at the ERLC: systemic racism, nationalism, immigration reform, and the threat of right-wing extremism. While these topics are not inherently wrong to address, they are almost always framed through the lens of progressive assumptions.
Moore rarely, if ever, addresses the theological rot coming from the Left: the LGBTQ+ agenda infiltrating mainline and evangelical churches, the rise of deconstructionist “exvangelicals,” or the neo-pagan spiritualities embraced by Gen Z. These are simply not priorities for this brand of Christianity.
The Tone Police Approach to Cultural Conflict
Articles critical of Rosaria Butterfield, John MacArthur, Voddie Baucham, or Al Mohler often focus not on their theology, but on their “lack of kindness.” Meanwhile, Progressive Christian figures like David Gushee or Pete Enns are given generous space to air doubts and concerns with little correction.
It’s a double standard: bold clarity is scolded as divisive, while soft heresy is excused as intellectually honest.
Neo-Marxist or Ideological Influence
The influence of Neo-Marxist categories is subtle but unmistakable. Christianity Today often speaks of “systems,” “power,” “privilege,” and “oppression” in ways that mimic secular sociology more than biblical theology.
- Race: It frequently cites Critical Race Theory–adjacent ideas, though rarely by name. It elevates writers who treat whiteness as a problem and who frame evangelicalism as irreparably tainted by racism.
- Gender: Complementarianism is increasingly treated as suspect, even toxic. Articles platform egalitarian views and question traditional gender roles.
- Sexuality: While not outright affirming of LGBTQ+ identity, the magazine flirts with “Side B” theology—the idea that same-sex attraction is not sinful as long as it is not acted upon. It avoids strong condemnation of LGBTQ+ ideology and offers space to voices who advocate for “dialogue” and “inclusion.”
- Economics: Economic justice articles veer toward leftist redistributionist ideas. Private property, free markets, and personal responsibility are rarely championed; instead, the emphasis is on structural solutions and state intervention.
Most Ideologically Reflective Figures
Certain writers and editors have become emblematic of Christianity Today’s ideological shift. Their body of work and influence illustrate the magazine’s turn toward progressivism:
Russell Moore
As Editor-in-Chief, Moore is the magazine’s public face. Once hailed as a thoughtful Southern Baptist ethicist, Moore has in recent years become a symbol of “elite evangelicalism.” He opposes abortion and same-sex marriage in principle but seems more concerned with tone than truth. His critiques of “Christian nationalism” and “Trumpism” come across as more urgent than his rebukes of LGBTQ+ ideology or abortion extremism. He rarely—if ever—defends conservative Christians under attack.
Katelyn Beaty
A former managing editor, Beaty exemplifies the magazine’s posture toward feminism, progressive gender roles, and “deconstructing” traditional evangelical culture. She routinely critiques complementarianism and often platformed feminist or egalitarian perspectives within Christianity Today. She has gone on to write for more secular-leaning outlets like the New York Times and The Atlantic.
Esau McCaulley
A regular contributor, McCaulley writes on race, justice, and theology from a standpoint shaped by critical social theory. His work emphasizes systemic racism and often echoes secular talking points more than theological categories. While his tone is thoughtful, his categories align with identity-based activism rather than biblically defined justice.
Tish Harrison Warren
Known for her “prayerful activism” and gentle tone, Warren often serves as a voice of progressive moderation. Yet her views on gender, politics, and institutional Christianity reflect an underlying discomfort with traditional orthodoxy. Her columns tend to assume progressive critiques of conservative Christians are largely valid, even when cloaked in conciliatory language.
These figures shape the magazine’s outlook—and their voices dominate its editorial space. Traditionalist, Reformed, or biblically assertive voices are increasingly marginalized, while these “respectable evangelicals” are elevated as models of “thoughtful faith.”
Scandals and Controversies
While not plagued by financial scandal or sexual impropriety like some ministries, Christianity Today has not been immune to controversy—particularly over its institutional double standards and editorial decisions.
Mark Galli Allegations and Departure
In 2020, Christianity Today acknowledged that former editor Mark Galli—who wrote the anti-Trump editorial—had been accused of inappropriate behavior toward female employees. The magazine claimed it had failed to take adequate action at the time, and released a carefully worded apology.
This incident revealed the same pattern found in many elite institutions: strong public posturing against injustice, but a muted internal accountability when it hits closer to home.
Selective Moralism
The magazine often amplifies moral outrage over political rhetoric or “Christian nationalism” while treating grave theological compromise as an opportunity for dialogue. That asymmetry—harshness toward the Right, softness toward the Left—has not gone unnoticed by its readers.
Departures and Deplatforming
Over the past decade, numerous conservative writers have either left Christianity Today or been quietly sidelined. Contributors who hold firm to Reformed theology, male-only pastoral leadership, or biblical sexuality have found themselves increasingly out of place.
Evaluating Christianity Today on 20 Key Issues
Let’s now evaluate Christianity Today on twenty key ideological issues using a descriptive summary (not a chart, per your preference). Each entry explains where the magazine generally lands.
- Biblical Authority – Formally affirms it, but editorial practice often undermines it by platforming theological doubt and revisionist interpretations.
- Abortion – Officially pro-life but lacks urgency. Emphasizes compassion for women more than clear advocacy for the unborn.
- LGBTQ+ Ideology – Does not affirm LGBTQ+ relationships but tolerates Side B theology and soft-pedals the dangers of transgender ideology.
- Critical Race Theory – Frequently echoes CRT language without naming it. Frames racial issues using power-oppression paradigms.
- Marriage and Family – Gives room to egalitarian voices and feminist critiques of complementarianism. Rarely defends biblical patriarchy or headship.
- Social Justice – Affirms the term and often uses it in alignment with progressive definitions rooted in equity and group identity.
- Religious Liberty – Supports it in theory, but rarely highlights threats from the Left (e.g., LGBTQ coercion, state mandates).
- Free Speech – Does not strongly defend conservatives deplatformed for biblical views. Avoids controversy.
- Gender Roles – Clearly moving toward soft egalitarianism. Rarely publishes strong complementarian voices anymore.
- Economic Policy – Favors redistributionist perspectives and state-led social policy. Distrusts free-market language.
- Immigration – Consistently critical of border enforcement; emphasizes compassion and hospitality over national sovereignty.
- Environmentalism – Supports climate change activism and frames it as a gospel issue. Echoes alarmist narratives.
- Church Discipline – Rarely addressed. Avoids discussions that might portray churches as “judgmental.”
- Theology of Sin – Emphasizes systemic sin and social complicity over personal sin and depravity.
- Education – Promotes elite academic voices and progressive institutions. Little support for classical Christian education or homeschooling.
- Christian Nationalism – Treats it as one of the gravest threats to the church. Rarely defines it clearly.
- Israel and Foreign Policy – Generally silent or neutral. Not friendly toward Christian Zionism.
- Pornography and Sexual Ethics – Opposes it, but focuses more on addiction and shame than holiness and sin.
- Cultural Engagement – Advocates dialogue, bridge-building, and listening more than confrontation and clarity.
- Deconstruction and Apostasy – Often treats deconstruction sympathetically as a journey rather than rebellion or unbelief.
Final Verdict: Polished Compromise in Evangelical Wrapping
Christianity Today is not apostate in the classic sense. It does not outright deny the deity of Christ, the resurrection, or salvation by grace through faith. It publishes biblical references. It employs theologians. It still claims the name “evangelical.”
And yet, it consistently functions as a cultural interpreter of progressive secularism to the church rather than as a herald of God’s unchanging truth to a dying world. It chooses nuance over clarity, tone over truth, and elite approval over biblical fidelity.
To borrow a phrase from Jesus, Christianity Today has become salt that has lost its saltiness. It is not unique in this—many formerly orthodox institutions have followed the same path—but it is uniquely influential in doing so under the guise of theological respectability.
It is a Trojan Horse of the evangelical world. Still bearing Christian language, it smuggles in ideas shaped by the spirit of the age: identity politics, social justice ideology, soft LGBTQ+ theology, and a suspicion of historic orthodoxy—particularly when that orthodoxy involves male leadership, clear lines on sexuality, or public confrontation with sin.
The tragedy of Christianity Today is not merely its compromise. The tragedy is that it still speaks for many in the evangelical mainstream. Its conferences, articles, and thought leaders continue to shape seminaries, pastors, and laypeople who think they are receiving mature biblical insight—when they are, in fact, being slowly conditioned to accommodate the world.
It belongs in the Hall of Shame—not for promoting rank heresy, but for offering a respectable form of surrender dressed up as wisdom. Like the mainline denominations it was founded to resist, it now walks the same road—only with better branding and fancier vocabulary.
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
MMXXV
christiannewsjunkie@gmail.com
RELATED CONTENT
Concerning the Related Content section, I encourage everyone to evaluate the content carefully.
If I have listed the content, I think it is worthwhile viewing to educate yourself on the topic, but it may contain coarse language or some opinions I don’t agree with.
Realize that I sometimes use phrases like “trans man”, “trans woman”, “transgender” , “transition” or similar language for ease of communication. Obviously, as a conservative Christian, I don’t believe anyone has ever become the opposite sex. Unfortunately, we are forced to adopt the language of the left to discuss some topics without engaging in lengthy qualifying statements that make conversations awkward.
“Progressive” is another such word. I don’t believe that “Progressives” are a positive movement. “Progressive” is a euphemism for wokeness, Neo-Marxism, or “political correctness”.
“Progressive” in this sense is actually corruptive and harmful to mankind. “Progressive Christianity” is an anti-Christian movement that reflects apostasy.
Feel free to offer your comments below. Respectful comments without expletives and personal attacks will be posted and I will respond to them.
Comments are closed after sixty days due to spamming issues from internet bots. You can always send me an email at christiannewsjunkie@gmail.com if you want to comment on something afterwards, though.
I will continue to add videos and other items to the Related Content section as opportunities present themselves.