Spectrum (magazine)

Infobox Magazine
title = Spectrum


image_size =
image_caption =
editor = Bonnie Dwyer
editor_title = Editor
frequency = Quarterly (every 3 months)
circulation = 3000
category = Christian magazine
company = Adventist Forums (Roseville, CA)
publisher =
firstdate = Winter (northern hemisphere), 1969
country = flag|United States
language = English
website = [http://www.spectrummagazine.org/ spectrummagazine.org]
issn = 0890-0264

"Spectrum" is the official publication of Adventist Forums, published four times a year. It aims to discuss issues relating to Seventh-day Adventist theology in a more open manner than is possible in official church periodicals, generally representing a "progressive Adventist" perspective. Most contributors have been academics teaching in Adventist colleges and universities. ["Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia", 688]

History

"Spectrum" was founded in 1969 by Molleurus Couperus, a physician in Loma Linda, California.cite web
author = Association of Adventist Forums
title = About Spectrum Magazine
work =
publisher = Spectrum magazine
date =
url = http://www.spectrummagazine.org/spectrum/about.html
accessdate = 2007-02-15] It reflects the personal ideas of major theological figures in the church on current "intellectual and social issues."cite news
title = Spectrum and Adventist Today Consider Cooperation
url = http://www.atoday.com/magazine/1998/07/spectrum-and-adventist-today-consider-cooperation
date = July/August 1998
accessdate = 2007-09-23 "Note:" Some factual details in this article have been disputed] Its library reference number is OCLC|3837502. The Association of Adventist Forums was officially recognized by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in 1968.cite web
title = Our Story
url = http://spectrummagazine.org/aaf/about.html
accessdate = 2006-11-09] [cite journal
last = Hirsch
first = Charles B.
title = Adventist Graduate Students Establish Organization
journal = Review and Herald
volume = 145
issue = 2
pages = 21
publisher =
date = 1968-01-11
url = http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/RH/RH1968-02/index.djvu
format = DjVu format
id = ISSN|0161-1119
accessdate = 2006-11-10] The magazine and the leadership of the group have been able to stay autonomous and influence the church where needed through discussion of issues in a "candid manner".cite web
title = CIRCLE: Spectrum Magazine
url = http://circle.adventist.org/browse/resource.phtml?leaf=2466
accessdate = 2006-11-09]

In 1998, "Spectrum"'s offices moved from Takoma Park, Maryland to Roseville, California.

Editors

* 1969 – 1975 Molleurus Couperus [http://www.andrews.edu/library/car/collection/C/Couperus,%20Molleurus%20Collection.pdf]
* 1975 – 1978 Roy Branson and Charles Scriven
* 1978 – 1998 Roy Branson
* 1998 – present, Bonnie Dwyer

Influence and perspective

The magazine has had significant influence in the church. Adventist scholar Alden Thompson has written,:"The influence of "Spectrum" in the church has far outweighed the number of paid subscriptions, which at one time was as high as 7000 and now [as of the year 2002] hovers around 3000." [cite web
first = Alden
last = Thompson
authorlink = Alden Thompson
title = "Review and Retrospective on the Adventist Church During the Last 30 Years"
work = 2002 West Coast Religion Teachers' Conference
publisher =
date = 2002-04-06
url = http://people.wwc.edu/staff/thomal/writings/reviewandretro.htm
accessdate = 2007-02-15] Also,:"It has been a significant force in the church for the last thirty years. It is critical, analytical, left-of-center, and often feared by more traditional forces in the church." [cite web
last = Thompson
first = Alden
authorlink = Alden Thompson
title = The Future of Adventism: Where's The Church Headed?
work = AldenThompson.com
publisher =
date =
url = http://people.wwc.edu/staff/thomal/unpub/futur_adventism.htm
doi =
accessdate = 2007-10-31]

"Adventist Today" has been considered the "Newsweek" or "Time" of Adventism, whereas "Spectrum" has been considered to play the role of "The Atlantic Monthly"; [ [http://progressiveadventism.com/2007/02/26/interlogue-20-ervin-taylor/ Interview of Ervin Taylor] , executive editor of "Adventist Today" as of 2007, by Julius Nam, assistant professor of religion at Loma Linda University] in that "Adventist Today" is more concerned with news reporting, and "Spectrum" is more focused on analysis and commentary of issues.

Blog

The Spectrum Blog is written by Alexander Carpenter.

See also

* Adventist Forums
* "Adventist Today", also a progressive Adventist magazine
* Progressive Adventist
* List of Seventh-day Adventist periodicals

References

External links

* [http://spectrummagazine.org Official website]
** "Spectrum" [http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive06-10/index10-4.html 10:4 (March 1980)] Special Section: The First Decade
** " [http://spectrummagazine.org/spectrum/archive21-25/21-1historians.pdf Historians on "Spectrum": Pioneering a Free Press] " by leading historians of Adventism

Archives:
* [http://spectrummagazine.org/spectrum_magazine_archive "Spectrum" version] (PDF format)
* [http://www.adventistarchives.org/documents.asp?CatID=170 Adventist Archives version] (DjVu format)

People:
* " [http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive26-30/27-1branson.pdf Tributes to Roy Branson] " "Spectrum" 27:1 (Winter 1999)
* " [http://spectrummagazine.org/files/archive/archive26-30/26-4branson1.pdf Molleurus Couperus' Grand Adventure] " "Spectrum" 26:3
* " [http://www.spectrummagazine.org/articles/spectrum_interview/2008/10/01/short_history_spectrum_editor A Short History of a Spectrum Editor] ", interview of Roy Branson by Alita Byrd
* [http://progressiveadventism.com/2006/12/27/quickchat-1-bonnie-dwyer/ Interview] of Bonnie Dwyer by Julius Nam, assistant professor of religion at Loma Linda University