Ep. 143: A Conversation with Mark Galli

Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective.  Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today we have on the program former Christianity Today editor Mark Galli. Mark Galli was a part of the evangelical elite for more than 20 years, first as the editor of Christian History magazine, and for seven years as editor in chief of Christianity Today. But on December 19, 2019, a day after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to file two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, Galli wrote an editorial entitled, "Trump Should Be Removed from Office."  The publication noted that the criticisms of Trump were consistent with the magazine's approach to the impeachment proceedings of presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Maybe so, but the editorial created a firestorm.  A few weeks later, Galli retired from Christianity Today, and in 2020 he announced that he had departed evangelicalism and become a Roman Catholic. However, Galli’s voice is still being heard in the evangelical world.  He has continued his popular article “The Galli Report,” and over the past few weeks he has struck a chord again, with a series of articles about what it means to be an “Elite Evangelical.”  Who are the evangelical elite?  What do they stand for?  Is it a good thing or a bad thing to have evangelical elites defining issues and setting agendas for the church? A quick reminder that this show exists because of the generosity of our readers and listeners.  We take no money from the ministries we cover.  There’s no advertising on our website.  We are completely listener and reader funded.  If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page. If money is a little tight now…hey, I get it.  Been there a time or two myself.  You can still help the program.  Just rate us on your podcast app.  The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily.  Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime.  It’s a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.