View source for Marvin Olasky

{{Short description|American journalist}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{POV|talk=NPOV dispute (April 2023)|date=April 2023}}
{{COI|talk=NPOV dispute (April 2023)|date=April 2023}}
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{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix          = 
| name                      = Marvin Olasky
| honorific_suffix          = 
| image                     = <!-- just the name, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing [[brackets]] -->
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| birth_date                = {{Birth date and age|1950|6|12}} 
| birth_place               = [[Malden, Massachusetts]], U.S.
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| education                 = {{Ubl
  | B.A. in American Studies, [[Yale University]], 1971
  | Ph.D. in American Culture, [[University of Michigan]], 1976
  }}
| alma_mater                = 
| occupation                = Editor, author, academic
| years_active              = 1971-
| employer                  = [[Christianity Today]]
| organization              = [[Zenger House]]
| known_for                 = writing
| notable_works             = {{Ubl
  | ''The Tragedy of American Compassion''
  | ''Reforming Journalism''
  }}
| style                     = 
| title                     = Executive editor for news and global
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| spouse                    = {{marriage|[[Susan Olasky]]|1976}}
| children                  = 4
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}}
''' Marvin Olasky''' (born June 12, 1950) is Christianity Today's Editor-in-Chief, a senior fellow of the [[Discovery Institute]], and an affiliate scholar at the [[Acton Institute]]. He also chairs the [[Zenger House]] Foundation and is the author of 29 books. From 1992 through 2021, he edited ''[[World (magazine)|World.]]''<ref>Olasky, Marvin  (June 22, 2022) "The Sixty Years' War:  Evangelical Christianity in the Age of Trump," ''National Review'', [https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2022/06/27/the-sixty-years-war-evangelical-christianity-in-the-age-of-trump/ p. 25.]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/2021/11/15/his-reasons-for-opposing-trump-were-biblical.-now-a-top-christian-editor-is-out|title=His reasons for opposing Trump were biblical. Now a top Christian editor is out}}</ref> On September 24, 2025, [[Russell D. Moore]], Editor-in-Chief at ''[[Christianity Today]]'', announced that he was stepping down as Editor-in-Chief, to be replaced by Olasky.<ref>https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/09/mission-of-christianity-today-continues-russell-moore/</ref>

==Education and career==
Olasky was born in the city of [[Malden, Massachusetts]], to a [[Russian-Jewish]] family. He graduated from Newton High School (now [[Newton North High School]]) in 1968 and from [[Yale University]] in 1971 with a B.A. in American studies.<ref name="olasky">Olasky, Marvin. [https://wng.org/olasky-bio-series ''Unmerited Mercy''.] ''WORLD Magazine''. Retrieved 21 August 2018.</ref> In 1976, he earned his Ph.D. in American Culture at the [[University of Michigan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Member |first=Acton Staff |date=2023-01-31 |title=Marvin Olasky |url=https://www.acton.org/about/staff/marvin-olasky |access-date=2023-01-31 |website=Acton Institute |language=en}}</ref> He became an [[atheist]] in adolescence and a [[Marxist]] in college, ultimately joining the [[Communist Party USA]] in 1972.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grann |first=David |date=1999-09-12 |title=Where W. Got Compassion |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/12/magazine/where-w-got-compassion.html |access-date=2023-01-31 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Olasky married and divorced during this period and, according to Olasky, broke each of the [[Ten Commandments]] except "[[Thou shalt not kill]]". He left the Communist Party late in 1973 and, in 1976, became a [[Christians|Christian]] after reading the [[New Testament]] and several Christian authors.<ref name="olasky" />

Olasky was a professor at the [[University of Texas at Austin]] from 1983 to 2007, provost of [[The King's College (New York)|The King's College]] in New York City from 2007 to 2011, and Patrick Henry College's distinguished chair in journalism and public policy from 2011 to 2019.<ref>[http://www.worldji.com/staff], "World Journalism Institute," Retrieved 26 June 2011</ref><ref name="action">[http://www.acton.org/about/staff/marvin-olasky], The Acton Institute, Marvin Olasky Staff Profile, Retrieved September 1, 2011,</ref> He joined [[World (magazine)|'' World'' Magazine]] in 1990 and became its editor in 1994 and its [[editor-in-chief]] in 2001. Earlier, he was a reporter at the ''Boston Globe'' and a speechwriter at the Du Pont Company. Since 1996 he has been a [[ruling elder]] within the [[Presbyterian Church in America]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Marvin Olasky|url=http://www.colsoncenter.org/speakers/sort/entry/22/22289|publisher=Chuck Colson Center|accessdate=10 January 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140110223655/http://www.colsoncenter.org/speakers/sort/entry/22/22289|archive-date=10 January 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Olasky has chaired the boards of the City School of Austin and the Austin Crisis Pregnancy Center. His writings have been translated into Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese, Russian, and other languages, and he has lectured and given interviews around the world.<ref name="c-span video.org">[http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/id/174016#] "In Depth with Marvin Olasky," C-SPAN, 6 May 2007</ref>

==Writings and reception==
{{external media| float = right| video1 = [https://www.c-span.org/video/?62813-1/the-tragedy-american-compassion ''Booknotes'' interview with Olasky on ''The Tragedy of American Compassion'', January 22, 1995], [[C-SPAN]]}} 
Olasky's most famous book is ''The Tragedy of American Compassion'', which in 1995 [[Newt Gingrich]] distributed to incoming [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] representatives of the [[104th United States Congress|104th Congress]].<ref name="grann">Grann, David. [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/12/magazine/where-w-got-compassion.html?pagewanted=all "Where W. Got Compassion."] ''The New York Times Magazine'', 12 September 1999.</ref> The book, an overview of poverty-fighting in America from colonial times to the 1990s, argues that private individuals and organizations, particularly [[Christianity|Christian]] churches, have a responsibility to care for the poor and contends that challenging personal and spiritual help, common until the 1930s, was more effective than the government [[Social welfare|welfare]] programs of recent decades.<ref name ="tragedy">"The Tragedy of American Compassion" Regenery, 1992.</ref> Olasky argues that government programs are ineffective because they are disconnected from the poor, while private charity has the power to change lives because it allows for a personal connection between giver and recipient.<ref name="tragedy"/>

The book eventually helped to define "[[compassionate conservatism]]" about welfare and social policy. In 1995, Olasky became an occasional advisor to [[Texas]] [[gubernatorial]] candidate [[George W. Bush]]. Bush made faith-based programs a significant component of his [[George W. Bush presidential campaign, 2000|2000 presidential campaign]], and Olasky's academic work helped form the basis for Bush's "compassionate conservatism."<ref name="grann" />  In 2001 and after that, Olasky and ''WORLD'' criticized the Bush administration for not following through on school choice or on ideas for tax credits to encourage more individual giving to poverty-fighting groups. [http://www.worldmag.com/2001/08/rolling_the_dice] In an interview with [[Mike Huckabee]] on October 10, 2009, Olasky denied that the [[Presidency of George W. Bush|Bush administration]] had implemented compassionate conservatism, remarking that "it was never tried."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tkc.edu/media/archives2.asp?id%3D159 |title=The King's College |accessdate=2012-04-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617173307/http://www.tkc.edu/media/archives2.asp?id=159 |archivedate=2012-06-17 }}</ref>

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Olasky edited the 16-book ''Turning Point: A Christian Worldview Declaration'' series with [[Herbert Schlossberg]], director of [[Howard Ahmanson Jr.]]'s Fieldstead Institute, which privately funded the series.<ref>Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement That Shattered The Party. "Marching Through The Institutions." p.40, {{ISBN|978-1-56858-398-3}}</ref> Ahmanson has funded four of Olasky's 28 books, and in 2006 [[Michelle Goldberg]], author of the book ''Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism,'' placed Olasky in a crucial role in the [[Christian reconstructionism]] movement. Olasky points out that in 2003 he published a book, ''Standing for Christ in a Modern Babylon'', that criticized reconstructionist ideas. Olasky has described himself as a Christian who believes in God's sovereignty and man's liberty.

Olasky argues in his 1996 book ''Telling the Truth'' that God created the world, knows more about it than anyone else, and explains its nature in the Bible, so "biblical objectivity" accurately depicts the world as it is. In contrast, conventional journalistic objectivity shows blind materialism or a balancing of subjectivities.<ref name="moll">Moll, Rob (2004). [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/123/51.0.html "World Journalism Institute Changes Its Focus"]. ''Christianity Today''. Retrieved 2006-08-08.</ref><ref>Olasky, Marvin. ''Telling the Truth: How to Revitalize Christian Journalism'' (1996). [http://www.worldmag.com/world/olasky/truth1.html Available online.]</ref> He has emphasized the Christian origins of freedom of the press and investigative journalism,<ref name="moll" /> and teaches in a 2019 book how to advance biblical principles through street-level rather than suite-level reporting.

Olasky was prominent in the 1995–1996 welfare reform debate and came under attack when he contrasted [[George W. Bush]]'s first presidential campaign in 2000 with that of [[John McCain]]: "It would be pushing it too far to talk of the religion of Zeus trumping the religion of Christ. McCain's no polytheist. But a lot of liberal journalists have holes in their souls. Some of them grew up in nominally Christian homes but never really heard the Gospel; now, they look for a purpose in their lives but do not understand God's grace. Others know more but don't want to repent. So, McCain's emphasis on the classical virtues gives them a post-Clinton glow without pushing them to confront their own lives."<ref name = "Zeus">"McCain and the Religion of Zeus," [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AASB&p_theme=aasb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&s_hidethis=no&p_field_label-0=Author&p_text_label-0=olasky&p_field_label-1=title&p_bool_label-1=AND&s_dispstring=zeus%20AND%20byline(Olasky)%20AND%20date(all)&p_field_advanced-0=&p_text_advanced-0=(Zeus)&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date: D&xcal_useweights=no Austin American Statesman], Austin American Statesman Feb. 16, 2000.</ref>

[[Jonah Goldberg]], who took exception to Olasky's descriptions of both candidates, nonetheless recognized what Olasky was trying to say:
<blockquote>The [[Zeus]] reference seems to be derived from the ending of [[Tom Wolfe]]'s novel, ''[[A Man in Full]]'', in which two of the characters decide to convert to Zeus worship. And what Olasky meant by it was that McCain supporters generally, and Brooks specifically, are attracted to "Zeus-like strength" rather than Christ-like compassion. McCain is all about honor and duty, and Bush is about charity and love. Zeus versus Christ. There you have it.<ref>Goldberg, Jonah (2000). [http://www.nationalreview.com/goldberg/goldbergprint030300.html "McCain's Still My Guy"].  National Review.  Retrieved 2006-08-08.</ref></blockquote>

In her 2004 book ''Bushwomen'', [[Laura Flanders]] writes, "Olasky is not a fan of high-achieving women. Women joining the workforce have had 'dire consequences for society,' he told a Christian magazine in 1998." Olasky later said in response to this book that he was praising the high achievements of women in major philanthropic organizations: "From my study of the history of poverty-fighting in America, I found that it was women who ran the charitable enterprises. Men were involved, but it was essentially women who had the time to volunteer."<ref>"Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood," 1998.</ref><ref>"Austin American-Statesman", 13 April 2000</ref><ref>World Magazine, 20 May 2000</ref>

== Editing philosophy and practice ==
{{BLP self-published|section|date=April 2023}}
Olasky described ''World'' as a magazine that "tries to be salt, not sugar. We like to report good news but don't make it sticky-sweet. We also report bad news because Christ’s grace becomes most meaningful when we're most aware of sin. We want to be tough-minded but warmhearted." In practice, that meant criticizing liberal policies but also [[corporate welfare]] and supporting challenging, personal, and spiritual help to the poor.<ref>Olasky, Marvin (2019). ''World'' Policy Guide. Retrieved 29 January 2021.</ref>

Olasky instituted a Daniel of the Year award for individuals who stood up to persecution. He furthered "compassionate conservatism" by creating Hope Awards for Effective Compassion, given to Christian organizations that helped people rise from poverty. ''World'' also became known for reporting flash points in Sudan, Iraq, and China. In 2007, Olasky gave up his tenured position at The University of Texas to try to keep alive a struggling Christian college in New York City.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Olasky|first=Marvin|date=18 April 2014|title=College financial miseries: We are not to serve both God and Mammon, but in higher education, the pressure is intense|work=World Magazine|url=https://world.wng.org/2014/04/college_financial_miseries|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref>

In 2014, ''The New York Times'' reported that "evangelical Protestant journalism is generally more public relations than reporting; ''World'' stands out as an exception. 'We're a Christian publication but not a movement organ,' Olasky said."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Oppenheimer|first=Mark|date=7 November 2014|title=A muckraking magazine creates a stir among evangelical Christians|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/08/us/a-muckraking-magazine-creates-a-stir-among-evangelical-christians.html|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref> That became even more evident in October 2016, after Donald Trump had consolidated his support among evangelicals. Olasky received about 1,500 critical letters when he wrote a cover story called Trump "unfit for power" and proposed that he step aside because "we set the stage for even worse behavior when we ignore blatant offenses."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Olasky|first=Marvin|date=11 October 2016|title=Unfit for power: It's time for Donald Trump to step aside and make room for another candidate|work=WORLD Magazine|url=https://world.wng.org/2016/10/unfit_for_power|access-date=29 January 2021|archive-date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012225241/https://world.wng.org/2016/10/unfit_for_power|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2019, Olasky wrote a book laying out his journalistic philosophy and emphasis on God's objective sovereignty and man's liberty. He explained biblical objectivity through the use of a whitewater rapids analogy that he says will help Christians avoid overusing the Bible (claiming "God saith" when He has not) or underusing it (ignoring God's wisdom when it does not conform to our biases). He emphasized the importance of careful reporting rather than opinionating and noted that reporters do not have to be Christians to be biblically objective.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Olasky|first=Marvin|title=Reforming Journalism|publisher=P&R Publishing|year=2019|isbn=978-1-62995-667-1|location=Phillipsburg, New Jersey|pages=}}</ref>

In 2021, after ''World''<nowiki/>'s editorial leader hired Al Mohler to edit the new World Opinions platform, Olasky resigned, as did WORLD Magazine's seven other senior editors and reporters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olasky |first=Marvin |date=2022-09-14 |title=LONG FORM: A Wrinkle in Journalism History |url=https://currentpub.com/2022/09/14/long-form-a-wrinkle-in-journalism-history/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Current |language=en-US}}</ref> The entire non-magazine editorial staff remained. In 2022, the Zenger House Foundation gave the first "Zenger Prizes" to eight journalists who emphasized "street-level" reporting rather than "suite level" opining. Prize winners included writers for secular as well as Bible-based publications.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ZENGER PRIZE WINNERS |url=https://www.zengerhouse.com/winners |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Zenger House |language=en}}</ref> Olasky now writes a weekly column about homelessness.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fix Homelessness {{!}} How To Rebuild Human Lives |url=https://fixhomelessness.org/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Fix Homelessness |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2019, The Gospel Coalition reported Olasky saying, {{" '}}The heavens declare the glory of God, and the streets declare the sinfulness of man.'... Olasky expresses intense awareness of his own story of sin and Christ's glory. Olasky, writing in 2008 soon after he had double-bypass surgery, said, 'Christ changed my life a third of a century ago. Every year since then has been a gift.{{' "}}<ref>TGC Blog. 28 July 2019. ''The Gospel Coalition.''</ref>

== Personal life ==
Olasky has been married since 1976 to writer [[Susan Olasky]], and they have four sons and six grandchildren. His book ''Lament for a Father'' tells the story of his parents, grandparents, and early life. Olasky has served as a [[Parent–teacher association|PTA]] president and a [[Little League Baseball]] assistant coach, and has partaken in [[cross-country cycling]].<ref name="c-span video.org" />

==Notable publications==
* ''Corporate Public Relations: A New Historical Perspective'' (1987)
* ''Turning Point: A Christian Worldview Declaration'' (1987, with [[Herbert Schlossberg]])
* ''Patterns of Corporate Philanthropy: Public Affairs Giving and the Forbes 100'' (1987)
* ''Freedom, Justice, and Hope: Toward a Strategy for the Poor and the Oppressed'' (1988, with Clark Pinnock, Herbert Schlossberg, and Pierre Berthoud)
* ''Prodigal Press: The Anti-Christian Bias of American News Media'' (1988)
* ''The Press and Abortion, 1838–1988'' (1988)
* ''Central Ideas in the Development of American Journalism'' (1991)
* ''Patterns of Corporate Philanthropy: Funding False Compassion'' (1991, with Daniel T. Oliver and Robert V. Pambianco)
* More Than Kindness: A Compassionate Approach to Crisis Childbearing (1992, with Susan Olasky)
* The Tragedy of American Compassion (1992, republished in 1995 and 2007)
* Abortion Rites: A Social History of Abortion in America (1992)
* Patterns of Corporate Philanthropy: The Progressive Deception (1992, with Daniel T. Oliver and Stuart Nolan)
* Philanthropically Correct: The Story of the Council on Foundations (1993)
* Fighting for Liberty and Virtue: Political and Cultural Wars in Eighteenth-Century America (1995).'
* Loving Your Neighbor: A Principled Guide to Personal Charity (1995, with others)
* Telling the Truth: How to Revitalize Christian Journalism (1996)
* Renewing American Compassion: How Compassion for the Needy Can Turn Ordinary Citizens into Heroes (1996)
* Whirled Views: Tracking Today's Culture Storms (1997, with Joel Belz)
* The American Leadership Tradition: Moral Vision from Washington to Clinton (1999)
* Compassionate Conservatism: What it is, What it Does, and How it Can Transform America (2000, introduction by George W. Bush)
* Standing for Christ in a Modern Babylon (2003)
* The Religions Next Door: What We Need To Know About Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, And Islam - and What Reporters Are Missing (2004)
* Monkey Business (2005, with John Perry)
* Scimitar's Edge (2006)
* The Politics of Disaster: Katrina, Big Government, and A New Strategy for Future Crises (2006)
* Unmerited Mercy: A Memoir, 1968-1996 (2010)
* Echoes of Eden (2011)
* 2048, A Story of America's Future (2011)
* World View: Seeking Grace and Truth in Our Common Life (2017)
* Reforming Journalism (2019)
* Abortion at the Crossroads (2021)
* Lament for a Father (2021)
* The Story of Abortion in America (2023, with Leah Savas)
* Moral Vision (2024)
* Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (2024)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{C-SPAN|38631}}
**[https://www.c-span.org/video/?196600-1/depth-marvin-olasky ''In Depth'' interview with Olasky, May 6, 2007]
*[https://omeka.binghamton.edu/omeka/items/show/1160 Interview with Marvin Olasky] by Stephen McKiernan, Binghamton University Libraries Center for the Study of the 1960s, November 23, 2010
*[https://wng.org/books-by-marvin-olasky] has 16 Olasky books available for free downloading
*[https://wng.org/olasky-bio-series] is an autobiographical series that ran in World from 2008 to 2016
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olasky, Marvin}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Presbyterians]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Presbyterians]]
[[Category:Acton Institute]]
[[Category:American columnists]]
[[Category:American magazine editors]]
[[Category:American male journalists]]
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent]]
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[[Category:Converts to Protestantism from atheism or agnosticism]]
[[Category:Newton North High School alumni]]
[[Category:Patrick Henry College faculty]]
[[Category:Presbyterian writers]]
[[Category:University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Journalists from Boston]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]
[[Category:Discovery Institute fellows and advisors]]