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John T. Elson, Editor Who Asked ‘Is God Dead?’ at Time, Dies at 78
NY Times ^ | 09/18/09 | WILLIAM GRIMES

Posted on 09/18/2009 2:25:16 PM PDT by Borges

All journalists want to write a story that makes a big splash. John T. Elson, the religion editor at Time magazine, was no exception. But in 1966 he got more than he bargained for.

For more than a year, Mr. Elson had labored over an article examining radical new approaches to thinking about God that were gaining currency in seminaries and universities and spilling over to the public at large.

When finally completed, it became the cover story for the issue of April 8, as Easter and Passover approached. The cover itself was eye-catching, the first one in Time’s 43-year history to appear without a photograph or an illustration. Giant blood-red letters against a black background spelled out the question “Is God Dead?”

The issue caused an uproar, equaled only by John Lennon’s offhand remark, published in a magazine for teenagers a few months later, that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus. The “Is God Dead?” issue gave Time its biggest newsstand sales in more than 20 years and elicited 3,500 letters to the editor, the most in its history to that point. It remains a signpost of the 1960s, testimony to the wrenching social changes transforming the United States.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: irony; liberalmedia; obituary; timemag
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1 posted on 09/18/2009 2:25:17 PM PDT by Borges
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To: Borges

2 posted on 09/18/2009 2:25:30 PM PDT by Borges
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To: Borges

Now he knows.


3 posted on 09/18/2009 2:26:08 PM PDT by Truth is a Weapon (Truth, it hurts soooo good!)
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To: Borges

I guess he got the answer to his question.


4 posted on 09/18/2009 2:26:14 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (ECOMCON)
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To: Borges

Well we sure know the answer to “Is John T. Elson dead?”


5 posted on 09/18/2009 2:26:41 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Borges

I’ll bet he crapped a brick when he heard God was alive and well and that he instructed that “God is Dead” boy will be bunking with Ded Kennedy...


6 posted on 09/18/2009 2:27:49 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: dfwgator

I wonder if hell is hot? Think he might write a story about it? ;-)


7 posted on 09/18/2009 2:27:52 PM PDT by Kartographer (".. we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.")
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To: Borges

God-1>p>
John Elson-0


8 posted on 09/18/2009 2:28:17 PM PDT by jslade (People that are easily offended OFFEND ME!)
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To: jessduntno
A little overzealous? It was a rhetorical statement meant to comment on a facts...there was indeed a change in religious attitudes in the U.S. at that time.
9 posted on 09/18/2009 2:29:29 PM PDT by Borges
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To: Borges

Man I hate to be in his shoes right about now.


10 posted on 09/18/2009 2:29:42 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist ("It (Gov't) can't make you happier, healthier, wealthier, and wise" - Sarah Palin 07/26)
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To: Borges

“A little overzealous?”

No...are you?


11 posted on 09/18/2009 2:31:02 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: jessduntno
Well I'm not consigning someone to hell for writing an article. Is John Lennon in Hell? Nietzsche?
12 posted on 09/18/2009 2:31:55 PM PDT by Borges
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To: Kartographer

Hope he packed some asbestos undies.


13 posted on 09/18/2009 2:32:16 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (I am Legend)
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To: Borges

“Well I’m not consigning someone to hell for writing an article. Is John Lennon in Hell? Nietzsche?”

I dunno...do you?


14 posted on 09/18/2009 2:35:43 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: Borges

Nietzsche is pietzsche.


15 posted on 09/18/2009 2:35:50 PM PDT by Maceman
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To: jessduntno

I have no idea and think it’s presumptuous to guess.


16 posted on 09/18/2009 2:36:56 PM PDT by Borges
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To: Borges

He sold a lot of magazines. That was his job. RIP.


17 posted on 09/18/2009 2:38:35 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Kartographer

If he’s where I think he might be, he can write an article about the reality of Underground Warming, a corollary of Global Warming.


18 posted on 09/18/2009 2:39:52 PM PDT by reaganbooster (The democrat party symbol should be the grim reaper instead of the donkey.)
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To: Borges

“I have no idea and think it’s presumptuous to guess.”

I think so too...those two boys are on the guessed list.


19 posted on 09/18/2009 2:39:53 PM PDT by jessduntno ("Integrity is the lifeblood of democracy. Deceit is a poison in it." - Ted Kennedy (D-HELL)
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To: Borges

“God is dead”—Elson “Elson is dead”—God


20 posted on 09/18/2009 2:40:23 PM PDT by RanGreHad
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