Openings

The quarterly “little magazine” Openings was founded in 1998 by Charles Strohmer to offer alternative ways of thinking about our life, our work, and our play from a Christian point of view that was not bound to the ideas and interests of any institution, organization, or religious denomination. National and international in scope, Openings carries columns, articles, and features on a wide variety of subjects. It recognizes the remarkable, diverse, and usually unheralded initiatives begun by people whose passions have led them to work outside of or across traditional boundaries of all sorts. Almost every issue includes an in-depth conversation with someone who has developed an uncommonly wise way of engaging his or her field.

“Christians often sound like broken records stuck cursing the darkness,” Charles has written. “This doesn’t follow the example of Jesus. It merely entrenches us more deeply into our own positions, making us feel good about ourselves at the expense of the other. It diminishes us. It stops creativity, newness, and the unity-in-diversity of which Jesus spoke dead in their tracks.”

Openings is to date available only in print but is currently on sabbatical. Some articles from past issues, however, and several of the Openings interviews, are published on this site. These interviews cover topics important to the performing arts, the visual arts, education among tribal peoples, Christian-Muslim reconciliation in the Middle East, the intelligent design controversy, improving Arab-Muslim relations with the West, and religion and politics in Lebanon. Others will be available in due course.

Readers’ Comments

“Thank you for Openings. At last something in print to provoke thought rather than guilt, reflection rather than the latest experience, and challenge convention rather than simply cherish it or trash it.” Mike Thomas, author, South Wales

“I enjoyed the Openings interview with Elaine Storkey [public Christian communicating]. Keep up the good work.” Dr. Mark Noll, Wheaton College, Illinois

“The interview with Romanian theologian Alexandru Nadaban was a profound revelation of the reality of faith trying to cope with frightful tyranny. His honesty touched me deeply.” Chris Bourne, designer, England

“The latest issue of Openings is excellent. In the business group I run with another person, we have taken up some of your ideas.” Paul Lambert, consultant, England

“Thanks for the gutsy column ‘Darkness & Ambiguity’. It really spoke to me. I think many of us live here but are afraid to talk about it.” Jim Deanda, computer specialist, Tennessee

“The latest issue of Openings arrived yesterday, and just today in the paper I read about two large food companies here in the UK who have been embroiled in controversy about genetically modified foods, so I sent them copies of your article on the subject.” Anne Sanderson, author, Scotland

“It was with a mixture of unbridled delight and mild irritation that I accepted six back issues of Openings from a friend—gleeful to find such a stimulating publication and a little miffed because I had not know about it before.” John Clarke, communications specialist, Georgia

“I really appreciate the intellectual dimension of Openings and the realism with which issues of church-world-culture are dealt with.” Pastor Cornel Unc, Romania

“If I could keep only two artifacts of 9/11, they would be that photo of United Flight 175 just before it hit the South Tower and the September 11 ‘Special Edition’ of Openings.” Dr. Paul Patton, communication and theater, Spring Arbor University, Michigan

“The 9/11 edition of Openings has just come, and I found myself saying Amen again and again. It deserves to be widely read.” Dr John Shortt, educator, England

“Thank you for helping to tell the story of injustice to the Palestinian people, for adding a voice of sanity in the mash of war mongering.” Calvin Seerveld, author, Canada

“I was challenged in my thinking by your article about the Palestinian plight. Thank you for pulling my thoughts along a little further.” Harold Edington, educator, Missouri

“Amidst the usual diet of readings that arrives, Openings is a blessing indeed, with its thoughtful and stimulating material.” Arthur Jones, Education Consultant, England

“Openings is great reading material for me here in the Philippines. It’s relevancy is what I really like. I file it in my library for others to read.” Pastor Ramon Plaza, Philippines

“I always have a stack of periodicals to read. Many of them I never read, but Openings always makes it to the top of the stack. Your articles provide viewpoints that are not readily available.” Jeff Galley, president of Nexlead, Texas