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''Broadview'' is a Canadian magazine focused on national and international issues of
spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
, justice and
ethical living Ethical living is the philosophy of making decisions for daily life which take into account ethics and moral values, particularly with regard to consumerism, sustainability, environmentalism, wildlife and animal welfare. Practice and implement ...
as well as
United Church of Canada The United Church of Canada (french: link=no, Église unie du Canada) is a mainline Protestant denomination that is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in Canada and the second largest Canadian Christian denomination after the Catholi ...
news and perspectives. Formerly the United Church Observer, the magazine was rebranded as ''Broadview'' in April 2019. The publication has a paid circulation of 27,000 copies distributed by subscription and newsstand sales. ''Broadview'' and Broadview.org are owned and operated by Observer Publications Inc., a
non-profit corporation A nonprofit corporation is any legal entity which has been Incorporation (business), incorporated under the law of its jurisdiction for purposes other than making profits for its owners or shareholders. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, a ...
.


History

''Broadview'' traces its roots back almost two centuries to ''
The Christian Guardian ''The Christian Guardian'' was a Wesleyan Methodist journal founded in Upper Canada in 1829. The first editor was Egerton Ryerson. It ceased publication in 1925 when the Methodist Church of Canada merged with the Presbyterians and Congregational ...
'', founded with Methodist minister
Egerton Ryerson Adolphus Egerton Ryerson (24 March 1803 – 19 February 1882) was a Canadian educator, author, editor, and Methodist minister who was a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system. A renowned advocate against Christ ...
as the editor. The publication's long history makes it the oldest continuously published magazine in North America and the second oldest in the English-speaking world. The Christian Guardian was regarded as a major voice in the life of a growing country: it commented not only on matters of
religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...
in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
but education and political affairs. Ryerson went on to serve in government and is credited with founding the public school system in
Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...
. The
United Church of Canada The United Church of Canada (french: link=no, Église unie du Canada) is a mainline Protestant denomination that is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in Canada and the second largest Canadian Christian denomination after the Catholi ...
was formed in 1925 through the union of Methodists,
Presbyterians Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
and
Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
churches. The publications for each of those denominations, including ''The Christian Guardian'', merged to form ''The New Outlook''. In 1938, the church's General Council amalgamated ''The'' ''New Outlook'' with two other church publications, ''United Church Record'' and ''Missionary Review'', to form the ''United Church Observer''. In 1986, the publication was independently incorporated. Although the magazine maintains a healthy relationship with The United Church of Canada, it sets its own editorial policies. The United Church Observer had only five editors in its 80 years: Rev. A.J. Wilson (1939–55); Rev. Al Forrest (1955–79); Hugh McCullum (1980–90); Muriel Duncan (1990–2006); David Wilson (2006–2017) and the current editor, Jocelyn Bell (2018- ). In spring 2019, the publication was renamed ''Broadview'' with Jocelyn Bell as its editor/publisher.


Current

Observer Publications Inc. is affiliated with The United Church of Canada but was separately incorporated in 1986, and operates independently with its own policies, procedures, and editorial programs. ''Broadview''s ongoing affiliation with The United Church of Canada includes an annual grant that makes up less than six percent of ''Broadview''s total revenues. Other details of the two organizations' affiliation are documented in a 2013 legal "Covenant" agreement. ''Broadview''s editorial pillars are spirituality, ethical living and social justice issues. The publication's mission is to produce a magazine and digital platforms that serve progressive Christians, as well as those who share progressive Christianity's core values. "We understand this means being both introspective and outward-looking," editor/publisher Jocelyn Bell says. "It requires us to examine our beliefs and values, and to live and act accordingly. It calls us to engage deeply with the justice issues of our day — and to believe that hope lies in caring profoundly for one another and for our planet." Approximately a quarter of the magazine is devoted to United Church of Canada news and perspectives.


Awards

The magazine's editorial content has won international acclaim for journalistic excellence. It has garnered more awards than any other faith-based publication in Canada, and is one of the most decorated faith-based publications in North America. In 2022 ''Broadview'' was named Best Interest Magazine from the National Magazine Awards. The publication was also awarded First Place for General Excellence from the Canadian Church Press. In 2021 ''Broadview'' was named Best Special Interest Magazine from the National Magazine Awards. The publication was also awarded Best in Class from the Associated Church Press and First Place for General Excellence from the Canadian Church Press. In 2020 ''Broadview'' editor Jocelyn Bell was awarded with the Editor's Grand Prix from the National Magazine Awards.


References

{{Reflist


External links


''Broadview's'' website
* https://rrj.ca/keeping-the-faith/ ''The inside story of how The United Church Observer turned itself into Broadview, a re-invention to expand the publication's audience and mission'' *"

'". Winnipeg Free Press. March 30, 2019. *"[https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/with-a-new-name-and-an-expanded-vision-canada-s-oldest-magazine-becomes-broadview-815473712.html With a new name and an expanded vision, Canada's oldest magazine becomes Broadview]" (Press release). Toronto, Ontario: Broadview Magazine. April 2, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019. Religious magazines published in Canada Christian magazines Christian mass media in Canada Magazines established in 1925 Methodism Monthly magazines published in Canada