Christianity and the secular newsroom: Not conflicting, but complementary

Most people are shocked — or at the very least, perplexed — when I say I want to work at a secular publication after graduation.

A typical response is something along the lines of, “Why not work at a nice magazine like Christianity Today, or even Brio Magazine? Those other publications are so secular.”

For me, the latter portion of that response is my answer.

It's precisely because the press is so secular that there is such a desperate need for diligent, thoughtful, trustworthy Christian journalists.

While I in no way wish to trivialize the importance of those religious publications, I feel particularly called to work in a distinctly secular environment. It's something God has placed on my heart, and it's where my passion lies.

First off, I sharply disagree with those who think their careers and their faith should be divorced, something one woman reporter in the text prizes (47). A Christian, by definition, is someone who integrates his or her dependence upon and love for God into every facet of life.

It should come naturally.

Also, a Christian shouldn't be dismayed or concerned when coworkers pinpoint their faith, as that same reporter in the text was (47).

Christ, I think, makes it clear that we should not camouflage or cover up our faith; it isn't something to be ashamed of, but treasured. On the other hand, a Christian journalist shouldn't go about flaunting his or her faith. Neither should be necessary.

Rather, those common threads between journalism and Christianity of truth and justice, of accuracy and ethics, should go hand in hand.

As my concept of the role of a Christian journalist develops, I find myself aligning more and more with philosophies like those of Coleman McCarthy, a Washington Post columnist. As journalists, we have the opportunity to share the stories of the impoverished, the hurting and the marginalized to the masses. I don't want to “just be an entertainer,” as McCarthy said, when I can actually make a difference in this world with my words (54).

Essentially, it is the task first of a Christian journalist to gain the complete respect of coworkers. Only once one gains credibility as a good journalist will that person be able to slowly alter the perception of religion in the media from the inside out.

At my internship in a secular newsroom this summer, my coworkers knew I was a Christian student at Biola University. Twice, when Scripture-related questions arose in the newsroom — one of which was a source's reference to Lazarus — they directed their questions to me. Hopefully, they saw that my faith didn't conflict with my professional work, but if anything, complemented it.

Coworkers were much more candid with me when I was candid with them on questions of my own faith and completed my tasks with diligence.

I want more than almost anything to be a Christian of intelligence and integrity in my future profession, that I might chip away at the negative perception of Christians in the media.

Christian Century and Christianity Today

The Christian Century generally ascribes a little more of a liberal slant to its writings than Christianity Today.

An article in the Oct. 6 issue, for example, commended President Obama for acknowledging the importance of “rugged individualism” and making a moral case for health-care reform.

Century also includes a half-page ad for emergence workshopping sessions in its Oct. 6 edition. Traditional, conservative Christians often perceive emergence as a threat to the faith. 

The entire back page of the Century's Oct. 6 issue is devoted to an ad from IVP Books on social injustice, something many consider a liberal-leaning philosophy.

The words “evangelism” and “evangelical” appear far more frequently in Today than in Century. 

Today does use one of President Obama's quotes, however, in its October “Quotation Marks” section. The publication can't be too conservative.

Today  published a rather shocking article in its October issue entitled, “More evangelical therapists move from changing orientation to embracing faith identity for gays.” The article quoted those in favor of the method more than those opposed.

Neither magazine is extremely liberal or conservative, and the majority of Christians would probably digest their content without too many objections one way or the other. 

A sobering experience: My interview with a homicide reporter from the L.A. Times

Interview with Ruben Vives, L.A. Times reporter who covered multiple homicide cases. 

Me: How does your job fit into the ever-changing trends of journalism in the 21st century? 

Vives: Blogging is the big thing. I mean, part of my life as a reporter is dedicated to this blog that we have at the Times, the L.A. NOW blog. ... Another thing that's been introduced to journalism is the idea of Facebook, Myspace ... this floodgate of information that is out there for you ...

Me: Do you feel called or prompted to the field of journalism?  

Vives: At work, I've had this discussion with a few reporters where we stand around and it's surreal to be where we are, thinking, 'I don't know what I'd do without this job.' Sometimes, it's stress and it's long hours. The pay isn't that great. ... Sometimes, when you write stories that actually make a difference in someone's life, I think that is what kind of makes you think, 'Wow, I love this job. This is really what I want to do.'

Me: How does what you do make a difference in the world?

Vives: I've always had an issue with homeless people. ... bodies that were being found that were never identified. There were no families to claim the bodies. ... They [thousands of bodies] were [cremated and] put in this little slot in the ground at the county cemetery with a little plaque that had the year that they all had died. ... And the only family they have are investigators. ... Last year, we had a fire up in the San Fernando Valley area. ... A homeless man died here. No one really did followup. ... I've been following the investigation. ... Hopefully, it will get people to realize, 'You know, I should really get to at least know the name of that homeless guy I always see in the corner all the time.' ... I've been able to manage to find a name and now we're trying to track the family. ... I really do wish that he is not part of that group that gets buried at the county cemetery unknown.

Me: How did you cope when you were dealing with tragedy after tragedy, day in and day out?

Vives: I have an understanding with these families in when I was around 11, I think, 1992, my uncle was killed by gang members. ... My family was destroyed by that. I saw the effects of what a homicide, a murder, does to a family because I lived through it. ... I always had that in mind. ... But the coping part, it's not very easy.

Me: Do you ever see God show up in your profession, or do you work with people who do?

Vives: I've never really actually heard about that from reporters. Reporters are people. We all have our own beliefs. We all have our own religions. But I think when it comes to journalism, we've come to understand that you're putting all that aside and you're there to do a job.