Charisma (magazine)

==History==
The magazine was founded in 1975 as the members' magazine of Calvary [[Assembly of God]] in [[Winter Park, Florida]], with [[Stephen Strang]] as publisher.  In 1981, Strang bought the magazine for $25,000 and broadened its mission to serve the charismatic movement at large. The first year proved to be difficult, with a $100,000 loss, but the magazine later emerged as the "main magazine of the Christian charismatic movement".<ref name="Davis2000-08-17">{{cite news|author=James D. Davis|date=August 17, 2000|title=25 Years Reporting 'What God is Doing'|work=Sun Sentinel|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida|page=1.E}}</ref>  Strang continues to run the magazine today through his company, Charisma Media (formerly Strang Communications).

In 1986, ''Charisma'' merged with Robert Walker's ''Christian Life'' magazine, which had been established in 1948, and ''Christian Life'' moved from [[Du Page County]] to ''Charisma's'' base in [[Altamonte Springs, Florida]].<ref name="Buursma1986-08-15">{{cite news|last=Buursma|first=Bruce|date=August 15, 1986|title=Magazine gets new home, revitalized approach to youth|work=Chicago Tribune|page=5}}</ref><ref name="Kates2008-03-14">{{cite news|last=Kates|first=Joan Giangrasse|date=March 14, 2008|title= Robert Walker: 1912 - 2008 - Trailblazing Christian journalist - Magazine founder guided by spirituality|work=Chicago Tribune|page=11}}</ref> The merger, after which Walker served as a mentor to Strang, was described "a step towards bridging the gap between [[evangelical]] and [[charismatic]] Christians."<ref name="Lawson-Young2008-03-17">{{cite news|last=Lawson-Young|first=Liz|date=17 March 2008|title=Robert Walker: Beyond Paper and Ink|work=Christianity Today|url= http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/marchweb-only/112-13.0.html|access-date=January 7, 2010}}</ref> ''Charisma'' became ''Charisma + Christian Life'', and served as the flagship for Strang's organization.<ref name="Lawson-Young2008-03-17"/> The magazine continued to grow over the subsequent years, and by 1997 it had a circulation of 250,000.<ref name="Warren1997-04-12">{{cite news|last=Warren|first=Mindy|date=April 12, 1997|title=Spreading the gospel - Couple believe time is right for African-American Christian magazine|work=Arlington Morning News|page=8A}}</ref> With the growth of the magazine and Strang Communications, Strang's influence grew as well, to the point where he was listed by ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' in 2005 as one of "The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America".<ref name="StrangTime">{{cite magazine|date=2005|title= Stephen Strang|magazine=Time|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1993235_1993243_1993319,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611083345/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1993235_1993243_1993319,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 11, 2010|access-date=January 16, 2012}}</ref>

The content of the magazine is a mixture of [[news]], [[interviews]], "Christian living" features, [[Bible]] teaching, and essays by columnists. Regular columnists include [[Joyce Meyer]] and Don Colbert.<ref>{{cite news|work=Charisma|url=http://www.charismamag.com/columnistbio/index.php|title=Columnist Bio|access-date=January 7, 2010|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223130836/http://www.charismamag.com/columnistbio/index.php |archive-date=February 23, 2009}}</ref>

===Controversy===

''Charisma News'' has drawn criticism for politically charged articles. One article called for violence against Arabs and Muslims on biblical grounds, and was taken down after criticism.<ref name="salon">{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Adam |title=Why right-wing Christians are actively promoting genocide |url=https://www.salon.com/2014/10/07/why_right_wing_christians_are_actively_promoting_genocide_partner/ |work=Salon |access-date=17 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mosbergen |first1=Dominique |title=Christian News Site Publishes Op-Ed Calling For Violence Against Muslims |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/charisma-news-islamophobic_n_5786942?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGvuBdNAOVypBsGfHV-Hv5C4OoNHb3iu3gE2qDu-G96BvLIXpfR8xeY1PvAgpE3PcDVGX-fqD5Ww7zPt3lzd-B11o0lNOLdj3ZE8huOj_VArc_gGgY7auRYC5nMyojCz49SNNFs7tWNqkJxtjQ5b3zBuS1ft_BZpCBgNgan-IK2o |website=HuffPost |access-date=6 May 2020 |language=en |date=8 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Belt |first1=David D. |title=Anti-Islam Discourse in the United States in the Decade after 9/11: The Role of Social Conservatives and Cultural Politics |journal=Journal of Ecumenical Studies |date=28 July 2016 |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=210–223 |doi=10.1353/ecu.2016.0016 |s2cid=151790690 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/627332 |access-date=6 May 2020 |language=en |issn=2162-3937}}</ref> Another article claimed that Democratic presidential candidate [[Pete Buttigieg]] is "deserving of death" for being gay.<ref name="newsweek">{{cite web |last1=Palmer |first1=Ewan |title=TOP EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN WEBSITE SAYS PETE BUTTGIEG'S HOMOSEXUALITY MAKES HIM 'DESERVING OF DEATH' |url=https://www.newsweek.com/pete-buttigieg-christian-death-bert-farias-charisma-1487477 |publisher=Newsweek |access-date=17 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Buncombe |first1=Andrew |title=Pete Buttigieg 'deserving of death' for being gay, says top evangelical Christian website |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/pete-buttigieg-evangelical-website-gay-death-charisma-news-bible-a9337651.html |access-date=6 May 2020 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=15 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>