World Journalism Institute
Encyclopedia
The World Journalism Institute (WJI) was founded by Robert Case II in 1999. WJI is an independent journalism school whose mission is to recruit, equip, place and encourage journalists who are Christians in the mainstream newsrooms of America. In 1998, Marvin Olasky
, Nick Eicher, and Robert Case II discussed the possibility of establishing an independent school of journalism with Joel Belz
, publisher of World
magazine. The institute is currently the largest independent school of journalism for Christian journalists in the U.S. and is headquartered in New York City on the campus of The King's College.
, etc.). Week-long workshops, such as the Urbana
06 convention daily newspaper, Urbana Today, are held in various major American cities. The institute occasionally offers seminars of particular interest, such as Amity Shlaes
(Bloomberg News) and Alvin H. Rosenfeld (Indiana University
).
, Larry Woiwode
, John McCandlish Phillips, John Fountain, Joel Belz
, Karima Haynes, Bryan Chapell
, Marvin Olasky
, Robert Case II, Russell Chandler, Laura Greanias, William Proctor, Russell Pulliam, Benjamin Hoak, Mark Bergin and Robert Russell Drake. All the monographs are free from the institute.
who taught a worldview curriculum based on her book Total Truth:Liberating Christianity from its Cultural Captivity (Crossway, 2004). William Edgar, Westminster Theological Seminary
, is the FAS Scholar for the year 2007-2008. Other intellectuals who have taught the world view component at the institute include Dick Keyes (L'Abri
), Vishal Mangalwadi
, James Kurth
(Swarthmore College
), David Clyde Jones (Covenant Theological Seminary
), Jeff Myers (Bryan College
), William Dennison (Covenant College
), Jack White (Geneva College
), Guenther Haas (Redeemer University College
), and R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
(Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
).
, [...] had been scheduled to speak at an institute luncheon around the time the newspaper's investigation of Kelley's fabricated stories concluded. Soon, questions were raised about other institute guest instructors. [...] A large part of the criticism stem[med] from World magazine's directed reporting philosophy, which call[ed] on Christian journalists to "'report biblically,' not objectively." (Christianity Today 6/11/04). (Olasky distinguished "biblical objectivity" from "conventional objectivity," which he said had become a "balancing of subjectivities.") WJI did reorganize its mission and philosophy but without cutting ties with Olasky.
Marvin Olasky
Marvin Olasky is editor-in-chief of WORLD Magazine, the author of more than 20 books, including The Tragedy of American Compassion, and Distinguished Chair in Journalism and Public Policy at Patrick Henry College...
, Nick Eicher, and Robert Case II discussed the possibility of establishing an independent school of journalism with Joel Belz
Joel Belz
Joel Belz is the founder of God's World Publications in 1977, which includes the World Journalism Institute started in 1999 and WORLD Magazine, a biweekly Christian newsmagazine, in 1986.-Personal life:...
, publisher of World
World (magazine)
WORLD Magazine is a biweekly Christian news magazine, published in the United States of America by God's World Publications, a non-profit 501 organization based in Asheville, North Carolina. WORLD differs from most other news magazines in that its declared perspective is one of conservative...
magazine. The institute is currently the largest independent school of journalism for Christian journalists in the U.S. and is headquartered in New York City on the campus of The King's College.
WJI Courses, Conferences, Workshops and Seminars
WJI holds courses, conferences, workshops and seminars in the nation's media centers. Programs are offered around the country during the year. Multi-week, college-level courses are held in New York City. Week-end conferences are held in major American cities in conjunction with national journalism conventions (i.e., Associated Collegiate PressAssociated Collegiate Press
The Associated Collegiate Press is the largest and oldest national membership organization for college student media in the United States. The ACP is a division of the National Scholastic Press Association...
, etc.). Week-long workshops, such as the Urbana
Urbana
Urbana can refer to:In geography:United States*Urbana, Illinois**Urbana , a Christian convention formerly held in Urbana, Illinois*Urbana, Indiana*Urbana, Iowa*Urbana, Maryland*Urbana, Missouri*Urbana, New York*Urbana, Ohio...
06 convention daily newspaper, Urbana Today, are held in various major American cities. The institute occasionally offers seminars of particular interest, such as Amity Shlaes
Amity Shlaes
Amity Ruth Shlaes is an American author and columnist from New York, who writes about politics and economics.-Education and career:...
(Bloomberg News) and Alvin H. Rosenfeld (Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
).
WJI Internships
The institute offers multi-month internships to its most promising graduates.WJI Monographs
The institute publishes a series of monographs on the intersection of Christianity and journalism. The series includes talks given by Carl F.H. Henry, David AikmanDavid Aikman
David Aikman , is a best-selling author, journalist, and foreign policy consultant.Aikman graduated from Oxford University’s Worcester College in 1965 and gained a PhD from the University of Washington in Russian and Chinese history in 1979.He worked as a journalist for Time Magazine from 1971 to...
, Larry Woiwode
Larry Woiwode
Larry Alfred Woiwode is an American writer who lives in North Dakota, where he has been the state's Poet Laureate since 1995. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, The Atlantic Monthly, Harpers, Gentleman's Quarterly, The Partisan Review and The Paris Review...
, John McCandlish Phillips, John Fountain, Joel Belz
Joel Belz
Joel Belz is the founder of God's World Publications in 1977, which includes the World Journalism Institute started in 1999 and WORLD Magazine, a biweekly Christian newsmagazine, in 1986.-Personal life:...
, Karima Haynes, Bryan Chapell
Bryan Chapell
Bryan Chapell is the president of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America. He began teaching at Covenant in 1984 after ten years in pastoral ministry...
, Marvin Olasky
Marvin Olasky
Marvin Olasky is editor-in-chief of WORLD Magazine, the author of more than 20 books, including The Tragedy of American Compassion, and Distinguished Chair in Journalism and Public Policy at Patrick Henry College...
, Robert Case II, Russell Chandler, Laura Greanias, William Proctor, Russell Pulliam, Benjamin Hoak, Mark Bergin and Robert Russell Drake. All the monographs are free from the institute.
WJI Online Newspaper (Times Observer)
The institute posts an online newspaper for the use of its graduates (Times Observer).WJI Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar
In 2003, a teaching position was created to introduce the WJI journalism students to a coherent Christian worldview. The position was named in honor of the Christian thinker, Francis A. Schaeffer who promoted an integration of Christianity and the world of ideas and cluture. A number of intellectuals have served as the Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar at the institute, including Nancy PearceyNancy Pearcey
Nancy Randolph Pearcey is an American evangelical author on the Christian worldview.-Career:Pearcey was the Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar for several years at the World Journalism Institute. In September 2007, Pearcey was named Scholar for Worldview Studies at the Center for University Studies at...
who taught a worldview curriculum based on her book Total Truth:Liberating Christianity from its Cultural Captivity (Crossway, 2004). William Edgar, Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
, is the FAS Scholar for the year 2007-2008. Other intellectuals who have taught the world view component at the institute include Dick Keyes (L'Abri
L'Abri
L'Abri is an evangelical Christian organization founded by Francis Schaeffer and his wife Edith in Huémoz-sur-Ollon, Switzerland on June 5, 1955. They opened their alpine home as a ministry to curious travellers and as a forum to discuss philosophical and religious beliefs.- The development of...
), Vishal Mangalwadi
Vishal Mangalwadi
Vishal Mangalwadi is an international lecturer, social reformer, political columnist, and author of thirteen books. He is currently working on a historical documentary that seeks to demonstrate the Bible's role in providing the essential ideological basis for the political freedoms of the West...
, James Kurth
James Kurth
James Kurth is the Claude Smith Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College, where he teaches defense policy, foreign policy, and international politics. In 2004 Kurth also became the editor of Orbis, a professional journal on international relations and U.S...
(Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
), David Clyde Jones (Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America . It is located in St. Louis, Missouri, and its purpose is to train leaders for work in the church and the world — especially as pastors, missionaries, and counselors. It does not require all...
), Jeff Myers (Bryan College
Bryan College
Bryan College is a Christian liberal arts college in Dayton, Tennessee. It was founded in the aftermath of the 1925 Scopes Trial to establish an institution of higher education that would teach from a Christian worldview.-History:...
), William Dennison (Covenant College
Covenant College
Covenant College is a Christian liberal arts college in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, United States.-History:Founded in 1955 in Pasadena, California, Covenant College and Theological Seminary moved its campus to St. Louis, Missouri the following year, and, in 1965, separated from the seminary, moving...
), Jack White (Geneva College
Geneva College
Geneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in...
), Guenther Haas (Redeemer University College
Redeemer University College
Redeemer University College is an undergraduate Christian Liberal Arts and Science University located in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1982, Redeemer stands in the Reformed Tradition and offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, and Bachelor of Science degrees.-History:The college...
), and R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Mohler's approach to Muslims is driven by his belief in the relevance of the Christian Gospel to all people.-Media appearances:Mohler appeared on MSNBC's Donahue on August 20, 2002. The subject was Christian evangelization of Jews...
(Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
).
WJI John McCandlish Phillips Director of Mentoring
In 2006, a mentoring/teaching position was created to teach and mentor the WJI journalism students throughout the early years of their work. The position was named for the former New York Times reporter, John McCandlish Phillips. Phillips has taught for the institute.2004 Controversy
In 2004 WJI came under fire and was challenged by some critics to cut its ties with Olasky after "USA Today reporter Jack KelleyJack Kelley
Jack Kelley was a longtime USA Today reporter and nominee and finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2002.He is perhaps best known for his professional downfall in March 2004, when it came out that he had long been fabricating stories, going so far as to write up scripts so associates could pretend to...
, [...] had been scheduled to speak at an institute luncheon around the time the newspaper's investigation of Kelley's fabricated stories concluded. Soon, questions were raised about other institute guest instructors. [...] A large part of the criticism stem[med] from World magazine's directed reporting philosophy, which call[ed] on Christian journalists to "'report biblically,' not objectively." (Christianity Today 6/11/04). (Olasky distinguished "biblical objectivity" from "conventional objectivity," which he said had become a "balancing of subjectivities.") WJI did reorganize its mission and philosophy but without cutting ties with Olasky.