Time’s “Is God Dead?” Cover
April 8, 1966
In the twentieth century, Time magazine covers frequently framed what many Americans knew about the news. On April 8, 1966, as the magazine approached its peak circulation of more than four million, Time ran a stark, text-only cover, a three-word question in fiery red letters on a black field: “Is God Dead?” It was the first text-only cover in the magazine’s history.
Nothing on the world stage had prompted the cover story. By Time’s own account, church membership was growing. Gallup polling at the time reported that 97 percent of Americans professed belief in God, and 44 percent attended church weekly.
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J. Douglas Johnson is the executive editor of Touchstone and the executive director of the Fellowship of St. James.
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