80 years ago — April 6, 1938 “The annexation of Austria aggravates the church problem for Hitler. When he came to power in Germany in 1933, the churches were divided and weak; in Austria … the church is strong, united and anti-Nazi. … Probably in anticipation of the Austrian coup, Hitler, has sought to create the impression … that he was discounting his war on the churches. Hundreds of clergyman have been released from concentration camps since Christmas.” So is this a change of heart for Hitler or just a clever means to an end? In Germany the first attacks on religion were felt by the Catholic Church. By censuring the religious press, he controlled what people knew about issues. Then the Nazis attacked the Protestant churches. “The problem here is to break the hold not of the church, but of its ideology. The Nazi god is a jealous god. For a Protestant to say, ‘We must obey God rather than man,’ is blasphemy in his sight. … Thousands of clerical and lay leaders have been sent to … [Read more...]

70 years ago — March 8, 1948 The executive committee of the Virginia Council of Churches recognizes that substantial advances have been made in recent years in the area of race relations … . It is believed that love for one’s neighbor and respect for every individual, made in the image of God, as inspired by the Christian gospel, as well as the principles of American democracy, require us to continue such efforts to eliminate discriminations and to remedy injustices that remain in various areas of human endeavor. …. As Christians, we recognize our failure to inculcate into our corporate life, as citizens and churchmen, the full implications of our Christian faith regarding brotherhood. We sincerely ask God’s forgiveness for this failure, and pledge ourselves to work always toward the fulfillment of these principles. From “A program of interracial cooperation.” This paper, a product of interracial cooperation, was adopted by the executive committee of the Virginia Council of … [Read more...]

60 years ago — March 24, 1958 Here’s what readers were saying about one particular article back in 1958: To the Outlook: One of the articles that makes your paper especially valuable is the one by Martin Luther King Jr. (Outlook, Feb. 10). No publication is broadminded if it limits itself to contributions by members of its own denomination. Mr. King suggested a program of statesmanship when he stood against the viciousness of mob rule, the evils of segregation, the inequalities of an economic system which discriminates against the masses in favor of privilege. … Give us more articles of this kind so that the social conscience of your readers may become prepared to resist the maladjustments of our day. — George B. Mangold, Los Angeles … [Read more...]

50 years ago —  January 29, 1968 A reader’s outlook on the Outlook’s 150th anniversary: Congratulations to the Presbyterian Outlook and on its distinguished ancestors, who together have performed a noble ministry to various areas of our denomination, and more recently through the Outlook to the entire church. The Presbyterian Outlook has absorbed the functions performed by the various papers of the long past … . A distinguished and dedicated staff of ministers … have performed a noble service to the entire church. The Outlook has undertaken, without special bias, to serve all areas … of the Presbyterian Church. In this it has rendered a unique and far reaching service. I trust that in the future, as in the past, the Outlook may keep in mind the continuing need and ministry of the independent press in the service of the church. As you have done in past years … so I trust you may continue in the years ahead. May God’s Spirit guide and bless you in the important service … [Read more...]

40 years ago — January 2, 1978 The change in our volume number with this issue to 160 is the reason for the reappearance of our genealogical chart on our cover. … We cannot trace the path from paper to paper, week by week, back to the 1819 origin in Mt. Zion, Ga. What we can do is to identify with Benjamin Gildersleeve, whose length of service has never been challenged. It is a clear line … from The Missionary to The Georgia Reporter to The Charleston Observer to the Watchman and Observer in Richmond … to his concluding service in 1860. … This Gildersleeve came from the neighborhood of Norwalk, Conn., he attended Middlebury College and Princeton Seminary.  … He went from New England to Georgia’s Mt. Zion as a teacher when he was 23. Soon he produced The Missionary, and from that time until 1860, he was the Presbyterian editor, spending his late years, until his death in 1875, as a home missionary in Southwest Virginia. … The reproduced titles of papers that have converged to form … [Read more...]

30 years ago — January 18, 1988 The Religion Newswriters Association selected the top 10 news stories of 1987 in the field of religion. First was the “PTL financial and sex scandal involving Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.” The 10-day visit of Pope John Paul II to the U.S. was second and the third was religious leader Pat Robertson’s entrance into the race for the Republican Party’s nomination for the presidency. “The fourth selection … was the scandals in business, government, politics, sports and religion which raised questions about ‘the condition of the nation’s soul.’” Fifth was the formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Sixth was television evangelist Oral Roberts’ claim to have raised people from the dead. AIDS took the seventh spot. The eighth selection was the tension between Pope John Paul II and Jewish leaders over his audience with Austrian president Kurt Waldheim, a former Nazi and officer in the German army. “The ninth selection on the list was the action … [Read more...]