The Plain Truth is a U.S.-based magazine founded by Herbert W. Armstrong who also founded the Radio Church of God (later renamed the Worldwide Church of God), Ambassador College and The World Tomorrow radio and television programs. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Magazines, periodicals or serials are Publications generally published on a regular schedule containing a variety of articles, generally Herbert W Armstrong ( 31 July 1892 - 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. Ambassador College was a four-year Liberal arts College established in 1947 in Pasadena, California by radio evangelist Herbert W The World Tomorrow is a now-defunct Radio and Television half-hour program which had been sponsored by the Radio Church of God (later renamed Herbert W. Armstrong began his ministry headquarters in Eugene, Oregon and later moved to Pasadena, California. The city of Eugene ( "yoo-JEEN") is the County seat of Lane County, Oregon, Pasadena ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The history of the magazine can be divided into two distinctive eras: the years before the death of Herbert W. Armstrong in 1986 and the years following his death. In 1996 The Plain Truth ceased publication by the Worldwide Church of God and began publication by the non-denominational Plain Truth Ministries. The new Plain Truth has radically different editorial content, and mainstream Christian teaching, featuring a variety of Christian authors.
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Herbert W. Armstrong
In the latter years of his life Herbert W. Armstrong was portrayed as "God's Apostle" on Earth, having similar status in his church to that of the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church. Herbert W Armstrong ( 31 July 1892 - 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and However, when he was first ordained in the 1930s as a minister by an existing church, he became an ordinary minister of that church. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs The changes in the life and ministry of Herbert W. Armstrong were first manifest through his own magazine which became known as The Plain Truth magazine.
As his ministry began to develop and as his own doctrines moved further away from the denomination which ordained him, Herbert W. Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the Armstrong took to the airwaves under the name of the Radio Church of God. Later still he broke away entirely from his original denomination and moved from Oregon to California where he incorporated a church using the name of his radio program. Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.
Publishing content
The Plain Truth magazine began to evolve into a standard size monthly publication which eventually gained the outside look and feel of a high-quality magazine which appeared similar to both TIME, Newsweek and US News and World Report. Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and Newsweek is an American weekly Newsmagazine published in New York City. USNews & World Report is an influential weekly American Newsmagazine published in Washington D Eventually several million copies of this magazine were distributed free of charge each year in several languages by free subscription offers over the airwaves; by double page advertisements in such publications as Reader's Digest and from street corner racks. Reader's Digest is a monthly general-interest family Magazine co-founded in 1922 by Lila Bell Wallace and DeWitt Wallace.
Meanwhile the Radio Church of God broadcast changed its name to The World Tomorrow. The World Tomorrow is a now-defunct Radio and Television half-hour program which had been sponsored by the Radio Church of God (later renamed The main speaker became Herbert Armstrong's son Garner Ted Armstrong who delivered a daily, thirty minute news/editorial format style of delivery in the manner of Paul Harvey. Garner Ted Armstrong ( February 9, 1930 - September 15, 2003) was an American evangelist and the son of Herbert W Paul Harvey Aurandt (born September 4, 1918) better known as Paul Harvey, is an American Radio broadcaster for the However, the editorial content of The Plain Truth magazine was anything but that of a mainstream news magazine, although its masthead proclaimed that it was "A magazine of understanding. " The editorial was written under the name of Herbert W. Armstrong as publisher, but the features were usually written by graduates from one of the three Ambassador Colleges (one in California, another in Texas and a third in England. Ambassador College was a four-year Liberal arts College established in 1947 in Pasadena, California by radio evangelist Herbert W California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ) Other contents included a world wide radio and later television log for The World Tomorrow program, which at its peak reflected the largest purchases of airtime on broadcasting and cable stations by any independent broadcasting organization anywhere in the world.
Editorial content
What made The Plain Truth magazine unique was its editorial content which reflected a number of ideas which individually might be found in other news and religious magazines, but when combined and refined composed a unique message that could not be read anywhere else but in the literature of the Worldwide Church of God. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. Because the church shunned mainstream Christian holy days and adopted a variation of holy days and dietary practices that were more familiar to Jews, analysts had a difficult time in trying to describe exactly where it belonged as a category. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth PLEASE TAKE NOTE************
Central to its editorial approach were three main platforms. The first was a belief that the White, Anglo-Saxon peoples of the USA, UK, Western Europe and lands to which those people had migrated were the peoples of the "Lost Ten Tribes of Israel". White People is the second album by Handsome Boy Modeling School. For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed The second was the celebration of several holy days including (but not limited to) the seventh-day Sabbath (instead of Sunday); Passover (instead of Easter) and the Feast of Tabernacles (instead of Christmas). Passover ( Hebrew, Yiddish: פֶּסַח Pesach, Tiberian: pɛsaħ Israeli: Pesah, Pesakh, Yiddish Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. Sukkot ( also known as Succoth, Sukkos, Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacles) is a Biblical Pilgrimage
The main thrust of these prophetic claims was that a timetable had been set in motion by God and it was the sole purpose of Herbert W. Armstrong and his entire church to warn the world of what was going to happen, before time ran out. The Worldwide Church of God did not seek new members but it did accept new members by a complicated recruiting process. The time frame (called time cycles by the church), was first set in motion when the church began under the leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong. The first time cycle expired in 1953 when the second time cycle began with the broadcast of The World Tomorrow program over Radio Luxembourg in Europe. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The World Tomorrow is a now-defunct Radio and Television half-hour program which had been sponsored by the Radio Church of God (later renamed Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. This event was compared to the Apostle Paul taking the Christian message to the world for the first time. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and This second time cycle of 19 years was set to expire in February of 1972. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Jerusalem central to all teachings
Unlike churches who believe in a Rapture event, the Worldwide Church of God believed that they would go to a "place of safety" which was usually identified as being Petra in Jordan. The Rapture is a prophesied event in Christian eschatology, in which Christians will be gathered together at the return of Christ; even Christians who have died Petra (from "petra" rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء Al-Batrāʾ) is an archaeological site in the Arabah Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern This physical world wide migration would take place shortly before a United States of Europe led by a new European power (referred to biblically as The Beast) and dominated by the Pope of Rome (referred to biblically as the Antichrist), launched and won World War III. A federal Europe is a proposal that much of Europe be unified in the manner of a Federation. Satan, ( Standard Hebrew Satan'el, English accuser) is a term that originates from the Abrahamic faiths, being traditionally History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 For other uses see Antichrist (disambiguation In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person office In this battle both the United States of America and the United Kingdom would be destroyed as nations and survivors would be taken into slave captivity. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another At the juncture when this new superpower attacked a combined USSR and China, then Jesus would return to Jerusalem and halt Armageddon by taking up rulership over a physical world for one thousand years. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the In Christian mythology Armageddon ( Greek Αρμαγεδδων; also spelled Har-Magedon in some modern English translations also known as Within this final scenario members of the Worldwide Church of God would then come out of hiding and assume positions of world leadership under the Messiah from the new world headquarters of the church at Jerusalem. This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions
Editorial impact
This outline warning of the "end times" had been published before the end of World War II when Herbert W. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Armstrong fully expected Hitler to become victorious. In the May/June edition of 1941, Herbert W. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Armstrong wrote (using emphasis shown) that:
Since the last issue many things have occurred, every one in accordance with prophecy! . . . War events thunder on, rapidly approaching the prophesied climax!. . . Hitler now emerges as the "BEAST" of Revelation! Bible prophecy shows the Roman Axis forces will take Egypt, Suez, Palestine, — even Gibraltar. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Suez (السويس) is a Seaport town (population ca 497000 in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez, near the southern Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar Britain will go down. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located And, unless we turn as a nation to God our beloved United States will have to go under . . . we lack TOTAL Defense, without which we shall never win. We are at the END of the present order. ARMAGEDDON is now just a short way off.
According to Armstrong there was one key element that had to occur before the return of Jesus Christ as Messiah and that was the rebuilding of the Temple by the Jews. This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Since the location of the Temple had been in that part of Jerusalem which was a part of the modern day kingdom of Jordan, Armstrong believed that Israel would eventually retake that part of Jerusalem in order for construction to commence. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern On page 4 of the October 1958 edition, The Plain Truth magazine reported that:
A temple or sanctuary is yet to be built by the Jews in Jerusalem. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It shall happen in less than 14 years from now (1972).
When Israel gained control of East Jerusalem in the Six Day War, Herbert W. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt Armstrong wrote in a 1967 editorial in The Plain Truth that:
There will be a Jewish Temple built in Jerusalem, with animal sacrifices once again being offered -- probably within about four-and-one-half years. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. It is going to take some time to build such a Temple. And I don't see how they have another month to spare. . . . There will very soon be a Temple in Jerusalem, with daily sacrifices once again being offered.
In Australia this editorial was read by Michael Dennis Rohan who decided to act upon this same information and cause the destruction of the Al Aqsa mosque which he believed was preventing the Temple from being rebuilt. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Michael Dennis Rohan is an Australian citizen who gained worldwide infamy on August 21, 1969, when he attempted to set fire to the Al-Aqsa Al-Aqsa Mosque ( Arabic:المسجد الاقصى /æl'mæsdʒɪd æl'ɑqsˁɑ/ {{Audio|ArAqsaMosque The aftereffects of his attempted arson are still being experienced today in attacks upon Israel which are carried out to avenge this act. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The cause of the arson was, of course, not the State of Israel, but a person's attempt to carry out his interpretation of the editorial policy of The Plain Truth magazine.
Worldwide distribution
At its height in the mid-1980s the Plain Truth had a monthly circulation of eight million in seven languages, including English, German from August 1961, French from June 1963, Spanish from 1968, Dutch from 1968, Italian from July 1982 and Norwegian from February 1984. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Norwegian ( norsk) is a North Germanic Language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is an official language
After 1986
Following the death of Herbert W. Armstrong a series of new leaders took over the church and began to close the remaining college campuses and embark upon selling all buildings and grounds. The church has recently announced its plans to move from Pasadena, California after the final real estate transactions are completed. Pasadena ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Previous broadcasting activities were terminated. The Plain Truth magazine was turned over to the newly formed Plain Truth Ministries.
After the vast majority of beliefs that the Worldwide Church of God taught under the administration of Herbert W. Armstrong had also been repudiated and having lost the majority of its original membership, the Worldwide Church of God sought and was granted admission to several mainstream evangelical groups.
Today
The Plain Truth magazine is now published by Plain Truth Ministries, which has no connection to Armstrongist teaching or the Worldwide Church of God. Armstrongism refers to the teachings and doctrines of Herbert W Plain Truth Ministries deliberately chose to maintain the name of the magazine, as it represents an acknowledgement of its history and its doctrinal reform. The new Plain Truth focusses on criticism of religious legalism. The organization is headed by Greg Albrecht, who conducts a weekly online church service titled Christianity Without the Religion. Albrecht is the author of two books, Bad News Religion and Revelation Revolution. Plain Truth Ministries is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and National Religious Broadcasters.
Various successor churches of Armstrongism continue to publish their messages in various magazines. The United Church of God publishes The Good News magazine, which as of March 2006 has a worldwide circulation of 412,000. The United Church of God, an International Association (UCG IA) is a Christian denomination. The Good News is a free religious magazine published bimonthly by the United Church of God. The Philadelphia Church of God sees its publication The Philadelphia Trumpet as a successor to Armstrong's The Plain Truth, which is sometimes cited by the Trumpet. The Philadelphia Church of God (PCG regards itself as an international Christian denomination and is based in Edmond Oklahoma. The Philadelphia Trumpet is a monthly news magazine published by the Philadelphia Church of God (PCG Also the Living Church of God publishes the Tomorrow's World magazine. Church of GodThe Living Church of God (LCG is one of the church groups formed by followers of the teachings of the late Herbert W While the Restored Church of God publishes The Real Truth Magazine.
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