The Christophers are a Christian inspirational group that was founded in 1945 by Father James Keller. The name of the group is derived from the Greek word ''christophoros'', which means "Christ-bearer". Although the founders were

Maryknoll Maryknoll is a name shared by a number of related Catholic organizations, including the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers (also known as the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America or the Maryknoll Society), the Maryknoll Sisters, and the Mary ...

priests, and the Roman Catholic orientation is overt, The Christophers preach a doctrine of

religious tolerance Religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, mistaken, or harmful". ...

and intend their publications to be generally relevant to those of all faiths.

Founding

The early hints of the Cold War revived historical suspicion of

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

loyalty to the United States. In 1949, ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...

'' printed a debate between a Jesuit priest and Professor Walter Bowie of New York's Union Theological Seminary. Bowie stated that there was "a clearly stated Roman Catholic purpose to make America Catholic" and to jeopardize "the religious and civil liberties which have been the glory of Protestant countries . . . ." In response, a number of Roman Catholics began to find new ways of commending the Church and its ideal to the public, including the new medium of television. Perhaps the most notable of these men was Bishop

Fulton Sheen Fulton John Sheen (born Peter John Sheen, May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979) was an American bishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio. Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in ...

. The most popular and influential television presentation was ''The Christophers'', a weekly half-hour program aired on ABC beginning in 1945. Keller avoided theology and philosophy, going "straight for the watcher's heart."Page 171, ''Modern American Religion, Volume 3'', by Martin E. Marty (University of Chicago Press, 1999), , . To espouse the aims of The Christophers, Keller wrote an article for the conservative '' American Ecclesiastical Review'' entitled "What About the Hundred Million?" In it, he addressed the needs of Americans (including those from Protestant or other non-Catholic backgrounds) who had no connection to organized religion.

Mission and activities

The motto of both the television show and The Christophers –
It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
. The saying is reflected in the television show's theme song, "One Little Candle". It also reflects the philosophical orientation of the organization, which emphasizes positive action to create a better world in such various arenas as political honesty, caring for the sick and poor, and dealing with substance abuse. Although the foundation and media presentations are overtly

, they are intended to be ecumenical in scope. The organization states that it is "rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition of service to God and humanity" and that "the Christophers embrace people of every nation, religion and age level." The Christophers are based in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. Their newsletter, ''Christopher News Notes'', is published 10 times a year. They have produced a weekly television show (''Christopher Closeup'') since 1952, often featuring interviews with celebrities. Interviewees have included

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in Bob Hope filmography, more than 70 short and ...

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century wit ...

, Ken Burns, Daniel Rodríguez,

Andrew Weil Andrew Thomas Weil (, born June 8, 1942) is an American celebrity doctor who advocates for alternative medicine including the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Early life and education Early years Andrew Thomas Weil was born in Philadelphia on June 8, ...

, and

Tim Russert Timothy John Russert (May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008) was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's ''Meet the Press''. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Wa ...

. Other incarnations of the show have included dramatic features, with guest stars Don Ameche, James Cagney, and

Ricardo Montalban Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese cognate of the name Richard. It derived from Proto-Germanic ''*rīks'' 'king, ruler' + ''*harduz'' 'hard, brave'. It may be a given name, or a surname. People Given name *Ricardo de Araújo Pereira, Portugu ...

, among others. The show was originally broadcast on ABC, but has since changed its name to ''Christopher Closeup'' and has been relegated to limited syndication by local cable channels. It also syndicates a weekly radio program of the same name.

The Christopher Awards

The Christopher Awards, made annually since 1949, salute media that "remind audiences and readers of their worth, individuality and power to positively impact and shape our world". Recipients receive a bronze medallion, in diameter, depicting a kneeling pilgrim, on whose back sits a radiant child.http://216.235.201.156/NETCOMMUNITY/Document.Doc?&id=4 The awards have seven categories. Multiple awards are given each year in four categories: Books for Adults, Books for Young People, Feature Films, and Radio & Television. Three other categories generally have a single recipient: the Christopher Leadership Award, the Christopher Life Achievement Award, and the Special Christopher Award. The stated criteria are that nominees "exhibit exceptional artistic and technical proficiency, be able to impact the widest possible audience, and, above all, they must affirm the highest values of the human spirit." Potential winners are nominated and reviewed throughout the year by panels of media professionals, members of The Christophers’ staff with expertise in film, TV and publishing, and by specially supervised children’s reading groups. Awards are not limited to those with religious content, and adult content does not disqualify a work; "R-rated" movies, for example, are eligible for awards.

Other activities

The Christophers also offer The Christopher Leadership Course, a course in public speaking and leadership. This course is held in many locations in the US, Canada and other countries.

Footnotes

External links

The Christophers' website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christophers, The Charities based in New York City Christian organizations established in 1945 Christian organizations based in the United States Religious broadcasting in the United States Maryknoll