Life and Work (magazine)

Life and Work is the editorially independent monthly magazine of the Church of Scotland.

History

It was founded in 1879 by Archibald Hamilton Charteris. Life and Work was an initiative of the Church's Committee of Christian Life and Work, which was led by Charteris, a professor of biblical criticism at Edinburgh University who was also founder of the Woman's Guild.^[1]

In its early years, Life and Work ran various supplements, including the Guild supplement and the Young Men's Supplement. Of these, only the Gaelic supplement is still running.^[1]

It incorporated the Mission Record of the Church of Scotland from 1900, and at the 1929 union of the Church, it merged with United Free Church's The Record as Life and Work: The Record of the Church of Scotland.

At its height, the magazine was read by around a quarter of the Scottish population, reflecting the high point of membership within the denomination, and broader allegiance to the Christian faith within Scotland.

The Present Day

Though the magazine is rooted within the life and work of the Church of Scotland, it also aims to cover a broad range of subjects that may interest others within the denomination, and other interested people. These include stories and articles about international affairs and British political and social issues, as well as other topical and ethical issues. In addition, there are book reviews, features representing the worldwide church, and reflections and devotional elements.^[2]

The magazine was voted best Member Magazine of the Year at the PPA Scottish magazine awards in 2004. In addition, it has been nominated numerous times since. It has also been awarded a prestigious Andrew Cross award in 2005 by the UK wide Churches Media Council.^[1]

In January 2006 the magazine reverted, at a relaunch in full colour, to its older title Life and Work, instead of Life & Work. In addition, it dropped the subtitle of "The Record of the Church of Scotland."^[1]

In April 2013 a Life and Work website was launched, including extracts from the magazine as well as additional news and features.

At the 2025 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, it was decided to end the publication of Life and Work magazine by the end of 2025.^[3][4] Until 2020, the magazine had produced a surplus, but with falling readership, and subsequently reduced advertising revenue, the magazine was making losses each year since. At the Assembly, it was suggested that proposals should be brought to the 2026 Assembly to create a future publication.^[5] And, it was also proposed that a future Church of Scotland magazine should also remain editorially independent.^[3]

Gaelic Supplement

Life and Work has a 4-page Gaelic supplement, Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig, established in January 1880, which is included on request, and is also available online. No Gaelic periodical has lasted as long as the Life and Work's Gaelic edition. In those 145 years, there has only been four editors from different parts of the Gaelic Highlands.^[6]

Gaelic supplement editors

• (1880-1887) Rev Archibald Clerk, from Lorn, who was minister of Kilmallie.
• (1887 - 1907) Rev John MacRury, minister of Snizort and Uig in Skye, a native of Benbecula
• (1907-1951) Rev Donald Lamont, minister of Glen Urquhart, then Blair Atholl. A native of Tiree
• (1951-1980) Rev T M Murchison, minister of St Columba-Copland Road Church, later St Columba-Summerton Church, Glasgow. A native of Glasgow, but grew up in Skye.
• (1980-2017), Rev Dr Roderick MacLeod, minister of Bernera, and later minister of Cumlodden, Lochfyneside and Lochgair. A native of North Uist.
• Since 2017, the title is edited by a volunteer team, led by Duncan Sneddon.

List of editors

The magazine has had 14 editors in its history. Its current, and longest serving, editor is Lynne McNeil.^[1]

• 1879: Archibald Hamilton Charteris
• 1880–98: Rev John McMurtrie
• 1898–1902: Rev Archibald Fleming
• 1902–25: Rev Robert Howie Fisher
• 1925–30: Rev Harry Smith
• 1929–34: William Pringle Livingstone
• 1935–45: Rev George Carstairs
• 1945–65: Rev John Wright Stevenson
• 1965–72: Rev Leonard John Armstrong Bell
• 1972–91: Robert Deans Kernohan
• 1991–94: Peter B. Macdonald
• 1994–99: Dr Robin Hill (later Reverend)
• 2000–02: Rosemary Goring
• since 2002: Lynne McNeil

See also

• Church of Scotland Yearbook