Being a Christian in Journalism

As a journalist and a Christian, I would choose to refrain from directly addressing my beliefs in my writing or allowing my personal biases to leak through my stories.  I think that being a Christian and a journalist doesn’t mean I have to be labeled as a “Christian journalist.”  I can write about other people and their stories or happenings around the world that doesn’t force me to reveal my religious beliefs.  For me personally, I want people to perceive that I am different not because I blatantly say so, but because they see it in my character.  I would speak of my beliefs if they asked, since no one should judge me based on my beliefs just like I wouldn’t judge them on theirs.

I think that Christians can aim to be objective in news reporting just like anyone else tries to aim for objectivity. People who aren’t religious can’t say their reporting is more objective than mine because everyone has their biases.  Even if they don’t believe in a God, they believe in something. If I were writing a news story, I’d try to report facts of the occurrence as much as possible and refrain from allowing my beliefs to affect it.

            I liked Colman McCarthy and Wesley Pippert’s idea of multivocal bridging in journalism.  Both talk about focusing on writing about the marginalized and the oppressed in the society in hopes of bringing social reform and justice and peace. I want to be able to use my journalism skills to help people, whether it is by telling the story of the people who are not heard or bringing awareness to social issues. I may not be physically feeding the hungry when I write an article, but I can write about those who are hungry and let people know of how they can use their resources to help.

I don’t want to include Bible verses or discuss theology in my writing; I’d rather try to live out Biblical teachings by pursuing certain stories as a journalist. I want to write about people who can inspire others or issues that people could care about even if they aren’t religious, such as protecting the environment or feeding the hungry.  I can work as a journalist without blatantly stating or referring to my Christian views.  People have stereotypes of what Christians are like, and many times their ideas of Christians are negative because of what the media has spotlighted. I know that the way I live as a Christian and my beliefs may be slightly different from the beliefs of a Christian they know, so I do not want them to categorize me with that person and not listen to what I have to say. I want to be able to reach and interact with people of all beliefs and backgrounds.  I don’t want to impose my Christian beliefs as a journalist; I simply want my work and character to reflect the morals, values and priorities I have as a Christian. 

Patrick James is the associate editor of GOOD magazine, a publication that aims to raise awareness of social issues and the benefits of sustainable living.  He regularly writes posts on GOOD’s website on matters that range from thought-provoking issues and controversial headlines to interesting videos or noteworthy interviews. Here James shares a few thoughts on working as a journalist and his philosophy of the profession.

Ruth: Would you say you had a calling to be a journalist?

Patrick James: I believe in engaging with the world in different ways and constantly learning and not being satisfied with certain answers. It’s finding what’s meaningful in some small ways, but I wouldn’t attribute it to anything grandiose.  I am totally focused on it right now and feel competent.  I’m really happy with my job, but I always want to try new things.

R: Do you think what you do matters?

PJ: We want it to matter and that’s why it’s important to self-evaluate. Every once in a while we get comments on our website and we see that people are engaging in discussions. At GOOD we are mostly celebrating people who are making changes and their creative ideas. Many times we can’t measure the impact, but we give people agency, let people write a story, and we ask readers, “Now what?”

R: How do you think what you do connects you with others in your profession?

PJ: I think that committed journalists share a desire to find truth in the world. I know I'm pretty skeptical of, well, just about everything, but I'm also really eager to listen to new perspectives. I think that anyone who wants to work in journalism should have a lifelong desire to learn.

R: Do you think people of all faiths and backgrounds can remain objective in journalism?

PJ: It’s important for people to know what they believe. I don’t think people should ever compromise for the sake of journalism.  Open-mindedness is what’s important.

R: Would you describe yourself as a person of faith? What does it mean to you and how do you perceive those of faith in your profession?

The faith question is difficult. I was raised Presbyterian, and did consider myself faithful in that sense when I was younger.  I was very eager to learn, and I took Bible study very seriously. However, I've always struggled with the language of Christianity, and get squeamish at the thought of positioning myself within or alongside any large institution. But regardless of whether morality is ordained from above or produced from within, I take it very seriously—the same goes for ethics. Any good journalist ought to be both tirelessly ethical and unfailingly honest. I know and respect some journalists whose faith is grounded in religion, and I know and respect some who actively seek to distance themselves from any sort of church. But what I respect most is a commitment to finding all of the tricky, sometimes contradictory little truths we encounter on a daily basis.