The Christophers
Encyclopedia
The Christophers are a Christian
inspirational group that was founded in 1945 by Father James Keller. The name of the group is derived from the Greek word "christophoros", which means "Christ-bearer". Although the founders were Maryknoll
priests, and the Roman Catholic orientation is overt, The Christophers preach a doctrine of religious tolerance and intend their publications to be generally relevant to those of all faiths.
revived historical suspicion of Roman Catholic loyalty to the United States. In 1949, Time printed a debate between a Jesuit priest and Professor Walter Bowie of New York's Union Theological Seminary
. Bowie stated that there was "a clearly stated Roman Catholic purpose to make America Catholic" and to jeopardize "the religious and civil liberties which have been the glory of Protestant countries . . . ."
In response, a number of Roman Catholics began to find new ways of commending the Church and its ideal to the public, including the new medium of television. Perhaps the most notable of these men was Bishop Fulton Sheen. The most popular and influential television presentation, however, was The Christophers, a weekly half-hour program aired on ABC beginning in 1945. Keller avoided theology and philosophy, going "straight for the watcher's heart."
To espouse the aims of The Christophers, Keller wrote an article for the conservative American Ecclesiastical Review entitled "What About the Hundred Million?". In it, he addressed the needs of Americans (including those from Protestant or other non-Catholic backgrounds) who had no connection to organized religion.
Although the foundation and media presentations are overtly Roman Catholic, they are intended to be ecumenical in scope. The organization states that it is "rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition of service to God and humanity" and that "the Christophers embrace people of every nation, religion and age level."
The Christophers are based in New York City
. Their newsletter, "Christopher News Notes", is published 10 times a year. They have produced a weekly television show ("Christopher Closeup") since 1952, often featuring interviews with celebrities. Interviewees have included Bob Hope
, Jack Benny
, Ken Burns
, Daniel Rodriguez
, Andrew Weil
, and Tim Russert
. Other incarnations of the show have included dramatic features, with guest stars Don Ameche
, James Cagney
, and Ricardo Montalban
, among others. The show was originally broadcast on ABC, but has since changed its name to Christopher Closeup and has been relegated to limited syndication by local cable channels. It also syndicates a weekly radio program of the same name.
four inches in diameter, depicting a kneeling pilgrim, on whose back sits a radiant child.
The awards have seven categories. Multiple awards are given each year in four categories: Books for Adults, Books for Young People, Feature Films, and Radio & Television. Three other categories generally have a single recipient: the Christopher Leadership Award, the Christopher Life Achievement Award, and the Special Christopher Award. The stated criteria are that nominees "exhibit exceptional artistic and technical proficiency, be able to impact the widest possible audience, and, above all, they must affirm the highest values of the human spirit." Potential winners are nominated and reviewed throughout the year by panels of media professionals, members of The Christophers’ staff with expertise in film, TV and publishing, and by specially supervised children’s reading groups.
Awards are not limited to those with religious content, and adult content does not disqualify a work; "R-rated" movies, for example, are eligible for awards.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
inspirational group that was founded in 1945 by Father James Keller. The name of the group is derived from the Greek word "christophoros", which means "Christ-bearer". Although the founders were Maryknoll
Maryknoll
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States...
priests, and the Roman Catholic orientation is overt, The Christophers preach a doctrine of religious tolerance and intend their publications to be generally relevant to those of all faiths.
Founding
The early hints of the Cold warCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
revived historical suspicion of Roman Catholic loyalty to the United States. In 1949, Time printed a debate between a Jesuit priest and Professor Walter Bowie of New York's Union Theological Seminary
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
. Bowie stated that there was "a clearly stated Roman Catholic purpose to make America Catholic" and to jeopardize "the religious and civil liberties which have been the glory of Protestant countries . . . ."
In response, a number of Roman Catholics began to find new ways of commending the Church and its ideal to the public, including the new medium of television. Perhaps the most notable of these men was Bishop Fulton Sheen. The most popular and influential television presentation, however, was The Christophers, a weekly half-hour program aired on ABC beginning in 1945. Keller avoided theology and philosophy, going "straight for the watcher's heart."
To espouse the aims of The Christophers, Keller wrote an article for the conservative American Ecclesiastical Review entitled "What About the Hundred Million?". In it, he addressed the needs of Americans (including those from Protestant or other non-Catholic backgrounds) who had no connection to organized religion.
Mission and Activities
The motto of both the television show and The Christophers -- "It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness" -- comes from an ancient Chinese proverb. The saying is reflected in the television show's theme song, One Little Candle. It also reflects the philosophical orientation of the organization, which emphasizes positive action to create a better world in such various arenas as political honesty, caring for the sick and poor, and dealing with substance abuse.Although the foundation and media presentations are overtly Roman Catholic, they are intended to be ecumenical in scope. The organization states that it is "rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition of service to God and humanity" and that "the Christophers embrace people of every nation, religion and age level."
The Christophers are based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Their newsletter, "Christopher News Notes", is published 10 times a year. They have produced a weekly television show ("Christopher Closeup") since 1952, often featuring interviews with celebrities. Interviewees have included Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
, Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodriguez
Daniel Rodríguez is an American operatic tenor from New York City. He became known as "The Singing Policeman" in his former work with the New York City Police Department, due to his role as one of the department's designated National Anthem singers...
, Andrew Weil
Andrew Weil
Andrew Thomas Weil is an American author and physician, who established the field of integrative medicine which attempts to integrate alternative and conventional medicine. Weil is the author of several best-selling books and operates a website and monthly newsletter promoting general health and...
, and Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
. Other incarnations of the show have included dramatic features, with guest stars Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
, James Cagney
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
, and Ricardo Montalban
Ricardo Montalbán
Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino, KSG was a Mexican radio, television, theatre and film actor. He had a career spanning six decades and many notable roles...
, among others. The show was originally broadcast on ABC, but has since changed its name to Christopher Closeup and has been relegated to limited syndication by local cable channels. It also syndicates a weekly radio program of the same name.
The Christopher Awards
The Christopher Awards, made annually since 1949, salute media that "remind audiences and readers of their worth, individuality and power to positively impact and shape our world". Recipients receive a polished bronze medallion,four inches in diameter, depicting a kneeling pilgrim, on whose back sits a radiant child.
The awards have seven categories. Multiple awards are given each year in four categories: Books for Adults, Books for Young People, Feature Films, and Radio & Television. Three other categories generally have a single recipient: the Christopher Leadership Award, the Christopher Life Achievement Award, and the Special Christopher Award. The stated criteria are that nominees "exhibit exceptional artistic and technical proficiency, be able to impact the widest possible audience, and, above all, they must affirm the highest values of the human spirit." Potential winners are nominated and reviewed throughout the year by panels of media professionals, members of The Christophers’ staff with expertise in film, TV and publishing, and by specially supervised children’s reading groups.
Awards are not limited to those with religious content, and adult content does not disqualify a work; "R-rated" movies, for example, are eligible for awards.
Other activities
The Christophers also offer The Christopher Leadership Course, a course in public speaking and leadership. This course is held in many locations in the US, Canada and other countries.2008
- Leadership Award - John Cardinal Foley
- Life Achievement Award - David McCullogh
- Special Christopher Award - American Masters
- Keller Award - none
- Books for Adults
- Brother, I'm DyingBrother, I'm DyingBrother I'm Dying, published in 2007, is a family memoir by novelist Edwidge Danticat. In 2007, the title won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was also nominated for the National Book Award.-Book Summary:...
by Edwidge Danticat - The Florist's Daughter by Patricia Hempl
- The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers by Harry BernsteinHarry BernsteinHarry Louis Bernstein was a British-born American writer whose first published book, The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers, dealt with his long suffering mother Ada's struggles to feed her six children; an abusive, alcoholic father, Yankel; the anti-Semitism Bernstein and his Jewish...
- The Lonely Patient: How We Experience Illness by Michael Stein, M.D.
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael BeahIshmael BeahIshmael Beah is a former Sierra Leonean child soldier and the author of the published memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier.-Early years:...
- A Slave No More: Two Men Who Escaped to Freedom by David W. BlightDavid W. BlightDavid W. Blight is Class of 1954 Professor of American History at Yale University. Blight was the Class of 1959 Professor of History at Amherst College, where he taught for 13 years.-Life:...
- Brother, I'm Dying
- Books for Young People
- Taking a Bath with the Dog and Other Things That Make Me Happy by Scott Menchin
- How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamaraMargaret McNamaraMargaret Craig McNamara was the founder of the nonprofit children's literacy organization Reading is Fundamental....
, illustrated by G. Brian Karas - Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff & Dr. Paula Kahumbu; photographs by Peter Greste
- The Wild GirlsThe Wild GirlsThe Wild Girls is a children's novel written by Pat Murphy. It won the children's category of the 2008 Northern California Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Awards.-Plot:...
by Pat Murphy - Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. CooneyCaroline B. CooneyCaroline B. Cooney is an American author of suspense, romance, horror and mystery books for young adults. She currently resides in Fort Mill, South Carolina....
- Feature Films
- Amazing GraceAmazing Grace"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton , published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God,...
- The Diving Bell and the ButterflyThe Diving Bell and the ButterflyThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a translation of the French memoir Le scaphandre et le papillon by journalist Jean-Dominique Bauby. It describes what his life is like after suffering a massive stroke that left him with a condition called locked-in syndrome...
- The Great DebatersThe Great DebatersThe Great Debaters is a 2007 American biopic period drama film directed by and starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey and her production company, Harpo Productions...
- JunoJuno (film)Juno is a 2007 comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody. Ellen Page stars as the title character, an independent-minded teenager confronting an unplanned pregnancy and the subsequent events that put pressures of adult life onto her. Michael Cera, Olivia Thirlby, J. K....
- The Kite RunnerThe Kite RunnerThe Kite Runner is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, it is Hosseini's first novel, and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2007....
- RatatouilleRatatouilleRatatouille is a traditional French Provençal stewed vegetable dish, originating in Nice. The full name of the dish is ratatouille niçoise.- Origin :...
- Amazing Grace
- Radio & Television
- FlashpointFlashpoint (TV series)Flashpoint is a Canadian police drama television series that debuted on July 11, 2008, on CTV in Canada and ran on CBS in the United States for its first three and a half seasons. In 2011, Ion Television began airing new episodes of the series in the United States...
: Kimberly Dozier and the Army's 4th I.D. - A Story of Bravery, Recovery and Loss (CBS-TV) - In God's NameIn God's NameIn God's Name: An Investigation into the Murder of Pope John Paul I is a book by David A. Yallop on Pope John Paul I conspiracy theories. It was published in 1984 by Bantam Books.-Potential danger:...
(CBS-TV) - LongfordLongfordLongford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
(HBO) - Pictures of Hollis WoodsPictures of Hollis WoodsPictures of Hollis Woods is a television film that debuted on the CBS as a Hallmark Hall of Fame film on December 2, 2007. The film is directed by Tony Bill and is based on the Newbery Honor winning novel of the same name by Patricia Reilly Giff...
(CBS-TV) - The WarThe War (documentary)The War is a 2007 American seven-part documentary television mini-series about World War II from the perspective of the United States that premiered on September 23, 2007...
miniseries (PBS/WETA-TVWETA-TVWETA-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member public televisionstation for the Washington, D.C., area. Its studios are in nearby Arlington, Virginia...
Washington, DC)
- Flashpoint