The Presbyterian Guardian was a monthly conservative Presbyterian magazine. Founded by conservative theologian John Gresham Machen in 1935, it acted as the de facto publication of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, whose members made up most of its readership, despite being officially unaffiliated with any one denomination. In 1979, it merged with The Presbyterian Journal, which had a significantly larger circulation and similar conservative theological stances.
History On 7 October 1935, Rev. John Gresham Machen established The Presbyterian Guardian to serve as the voice of conservative Presbyterianism in the United States, the main denomination of which, the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, had become fairly liberal and modernist. James T. Dennison Jr., compiler of a cumulative index to the magazine, wrote that The Presbyterian Guardian was "conceived in controversy." Machen had been encountering significant theological disagreements with Dr. Samuel G. Craig, editor of Christianity Today (1930–1949) (not to be confused with Christianity Today, the magazine founded in 1956). In response to perceived modernism in the magazine, Machen began publishing The Guardian with a small group of conservative ministers and laymen, hiring Rev. H. McAllister Griffiths as the first Editor.
The magazine saw eight more editors during its tenure, including Machen himself, as well as Revs. Ned Stonehouse, Charles Woodbridge, and Paul Woolley. Machen's name was proudly displayed on the masthead of the magazine from January 1938 until 1979, reading: "J. Gresham Machen, Editor 1936-37."
In April 1978, the Board of Trustees asked J. Cameron Fraser, a native Scot who was then a graduate student at Westminster Seminary to take the position of Managing Editor for 14 months while they contemplated the newspaper's future. On 30 August 1979, the Board voted to merge The Presbyterian Guardian with The Presbyterian Journal. Fraser's term as Managing Editor was extended into autumn and the final issue was published in October 1979. The Presbyterian Journal ceased publication in 1987, and in the same year the magazine World was created by Joel Belz. World, unlike its predecessor, is not explicitly Presbyterian, but of the same conservative Protestant slant.
List of editors EditorTenureCoeditorTenureRev. H. McAllister Griffiths1935–1936none1935–1936Rev. John Gresham Machen1936–1937Rev. Ned B. Stonehouse1936–1937Rev. Ned B. Stonehouse1937none1937–1945Rev. Charles J. Woodbridge1937Rev. Ned B. Stonehouse1937–1948Rev. Paul Woolley1945–1947none1947–1956Rev. Leslie W. Sloat1948–1958Rev. Ned B. Stonehouse1956–1958Rev. Robert E. Nicholas1958–1970none1958–1979Rev. John J. Mitchell1970–1977J. Cameron Fraser1978–1979
Board of trustees The following made up the last Board of Trustees of The Presbyterian Guardian: Rev. O. Palmer Robertson, Acting President Rev. LeRoy B. Oliver, Secretary Rev. George E. Haney, Treasurer F. Kingsley Elder Jr. Leonard Lowrey James R. Peaster Rev. John H. White Hugh Brown Rev. John P. Galbraith Rev. Robley J. Johnston Rev. Arthur W. Kuschke Jr. Rev. Paul Settle John Van Voorhis Glenn H. Andreas Rev. Edmund P. Clowney Rev. Joseph A. Pipa Jr. Rev. Robert L. Reymond Rev. A. Michael Schneider III
See also John Gresham Machen Orthodox Presbyterian Church World (magazine)
References
External links The Presbyterian Guardian archives