WASHINGTON (RNS)—Russell Moore, the former Southern Baptist ethicist, was named editor in chief at Christianity Today.
Moore takes over editorial leadership from president and CEO Tim Dalrymple, who assumed dual roles following the departure of former Editor-in-Chief Daniel Harrell.
Moore joined Christianity Today as a public theologian in 2021 after resigning as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. His tenure there had been controversial, in part because of his opposition to Donald Trump and for advocating for sexual abuse reforms.
“I could have won the conflict that needed to be fought,” he said last fall, in reflecting on his departure with fellow former Southern Baptist Beth Moore. “But I realized I would have to have a conflict. And I didn’t want to be the kind of person I would be on the other side of that.”
Moore previously was dean of the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dalrymple said Moore will help Christianity Today answer the question: “What does it look like to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ in our time?”
Christianity Today is considered the premier publication for evangelicals, founded in 1956 by legendary evangelist Billy Graham.
The publication also named Kate Shellnutt, a longtime staffer, as editorial director of news and online and brought on Christian publishing veteran Joy Allmond as chief of staff of editorial.
As editor in chief, Moore will set the vision and direction for the editorial team and will also speak into “the great questions and challenges of our time,” Dalrymple wrote in an email. He called Moore a man of conviction who has a vision for the kingdom of God and “casts that vision with courage and grace.”
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“I really do believe this is a moment of extraordinary peril and extraordinary potential for the church,” Dalrymple said. “The forces driving us apart are powerful. But if we can recapture a compelling vision of the kingdom of God, and reclaim the unity that is already ours in the spirit, it could change the course of history.”
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