It’s always fascinated me that the starlight we see at night is billions of years old. Light waves travel through space and time to reach Earth, connecting us to our past, to the original source of illumination. They shine onward, past our little blue planet, filling more darkness with their light.
Being the editor and publisher of North America’s oldest continuously published magazine is a bit like looking at starlight. The work we do today is connected to the work we did five years ago when we became Broadview, to the work we did 85 years ago when we became The United Church Observer, to 99 years ago when we became The New Outlook — all the way back to that original spark on Nov. 21, 1829, when The Christian Guardian was first published.
When we say “continuously published,” we mean that a single light beam — unbroken by wars or pandemics, recessions or other disasters — has connected the many thousands of people who shared their words with the many generations who engaged with their journalism and perspectives.
How have we all been so lucky to take part in this radiant idea? For me, it was being raised by United Church minister parents, faithful Observer readers both, and pairing the values of my upbringing with a passion for journalism. How did you get here? What inspired you to connect in this unique space?
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The early Canadian Methodists started The Christian Guardian because they had a feud on their hands with the Church of England and needed a tool to fight for religious equality in the young colony. They delivered their weekly newspaper to Upper Canadian readers by horse over treacherous roads and ultimately accomplished their goal of separating church from state. (You can read Shelley Page’s incredible feature about our history on page 16.)
I love the courage and grit of those early editors. And I see their legacy reflected throughout the many iterations of the publication that followed, including across Broadview’s multiplatform offerings today.
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Whether our stories are about 2SLGBTQ+ rights, welcoming refugees, becoming anti-racist, reconciling with Indigenous Peoples, fighting the climate crisis, exploring the intersections of faith and science, or calling for a just peace in the Middle East, our progressive Christian ethos continues to shape our drive toward equality and justice. We want to share stories that inspire deep caring for each other, for diverse communities and for our planet.
Today, no other publication in Canada can say that it has captured and reflected the light of this land without pause for as long as we have. And no other fully independent media organization exists in Canada to share a progressive Christian lens on the country we have become.
Where will our beam of light shine next? All of us at Broadview are making thoughtful plans for our future. Like our predecessor publications, we want to create spaces where you not only experience great storytelling, but also come away feeling more informed, empathetic and courageous. Celebrating a 195th anniversary is a remarkable milestone for any organization. I hope you feel as much a part of the starlight as we do.
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Jocelyn Bell is the editor and publisher of Broadview.
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Jocelyn Bell, Editor/Publisher, CEO and Trisha Elliott, Executive Director
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