The Philadelphia Trumpet
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Trumpet is a monthly news and prophecy magazine published by the Philadelphia Church of God
(PCG). The editor-in-chief is Gerald Flurry
, who is also the leader of the PCG and characterizes the magazine as the successor to The Plain Truth
magazine when it was under the aegis of the Worldwide Church of God
when run by the late Herbert W. Armstrong
. The only advertisements in the magazine are for various pamphlets and booklets published by the PCG, for the Armstrong College Bible Correspondence Course, and a list of broadcast times for The Key of David
. The Trumpet reports on worldwide events as seen through the filter of prophecy as taught by the PCG.
After Armstrong's death in 1986 the WCG repudiated essentially all his teachings, shocking both members and observers, and driving loyal members into numerous newly forming splinter groups. The PCG is one of the larger of those many new churches. A large number of these other churches also make the claim that they are carrying on the work of Herbert Armstrong, with several, like the PCG, claiming that their magazine is the successor to The Plain Truth.
The magazine has occasional claims of political neutrality (for example, the October 2004 issue stated "Neither George W. Bush
nor John Kerry
can promise [to keep you safe from terrorism]." Occasionally the Trumpet has articles on certain issues not tied to specific current events (for example, pornography
, the weakening of the traditional family unit, or the paganism
of Easter
).
Although PCG leader Gerald Flurry emphasizes his similarities with Armstrong, even claiming to be Armstrong's spiritual successor, he has quietly made many doctrinal changes to Armstrong's teachings, particularly in the area of prophecy and the function and authority of prophets in the New Testament church. (See Gerald Flurry, and the original edition of Mystery of the Ages, p. 244-5, p. 350). Flurry claims to be "That Prophet" (Who is That Prophet?), a title that the WCG under Armstrong taught referred to Jesus Christ (A Tale of Two Prophets by Jon Hill, p. 9, Deut 18:15-19, Acts 3:22-23, Acts 7:37). Not surprisingly, the Trumpet has a strong prophecy message, even stronger than Armstrong's The Plain Truth. The message of the magazine is a mixture of prophecies taught by Armstrong along with Flurry's prophetic changes and additions.
The magazine has a claimed circulation of 294,000 worldwide in 2008. It is available in English
, French
, German
, Spanish
and Italian
language editions.
The Trumpet website is an online version of The Philadelphia Trumpet.
Philadelphia Church of God
The Philadelphia Church of God is an international church based in Edmond, Oklahoma. The Philadelphia Church of God was founded by Gerald Flurry and his assistant pastor John Amos and incorporated in the United States on December 20, 1989....
(PCG). The editor-in-chief is Gerald Flurry
Gerald Flurry
Gerald Ray Flurry is the founder and Pastor General of the Philadelphia Church of God , a small church based in Edmond, Oklahoma. He is presenter of the television program The Key of David, is editor in chief of The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine, is founder and chancellor of Herbert W...
, who is also the leader of the PCG and characterizes the magazine as the successor to The Plain Truth
The Plain Truth
The Plain Truth is a U.S.-based magazine founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, who also founded the Radio Church of God , Ambassador College, and The World Tomorrow radio and television programs. Herbert W...
magazine when it was under the aegis of the Worldwide Church of God
Worldwide Church of God
Grace Communion International , formerly the Worldwide Church of God , is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Glendora, California, United States. Since April 3, 2009, it has used the new name Grace Communion International in the US...
when run by the late Herbert W. Armstrong
Herbert W. Armstrong
Herbert W. Armstrong founded the Worldwide Church of God in the late 1930s, as well as Ambassador College in 1946, and was an early pioneer of radio and tele-evangelism, originally taking to the airwaves in the 1930s from Eugene, Oregon...
. The only advertisements in the magazine are for various pamphlets and booklets published by the PCG, for the Armstrong College Bible Correspondence Course, and a list of broadcast times for The Key of David
The Key of David
The Key of David is a weekly religious television program hosted by Gerald Flurry and supported by the Philadelphia Church of God, which Flurry founded in 1989 and is an offshoot of the Worldwide Church of God, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong...
. The Trumpet reports on worldwide events as seen through the filter of prophecy as taught by the PCG.
After Armstrong's death in 1986 the WCG repudiated essentially all his teachings, shocking both members and observers, and driving loyal members into numerous newly forming splinter groups. The PCG is one of the larger of those many new churches. A large number of these other churches also make the claim that they are carrying on the work of Herbert Armstrong, with several, like the PCG, claiming that their magazine is the successor to The Plain Truth.
The magazine has occasional claims of political neutrality (for example, the October 2004 issue stated "Neither George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
nor John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
can promise [to keep you safe from terrorism]." Occasionally the Trumpet has articles on certain issues not tied to specific current events (for example, pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, the weakening of the traditional family unit, or the paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
of Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
).
Although PCG leader Gerald Flurry emphasizes his similarities with Armstrong, even claiming to be Armstrong's spiritual successor, he has quietly made many doctrinal changes to Armstrong's teachings, particularly in the area of prophecy and the function and authority of prophets in the New Testament church. (See Gerald Flurry, and the original edition of Mystery of the Ages, p. 244-5, p. 350). Flurry claims to be "That Prophet" (Who is That Prophet?), a title that the WCG under Armstrong taught referred to Jesus Christ (A Tale of Two Prophets by Jon Hill, p. 9, Deut 18:15-19, Acts 3:22-23, Acts 7:37). Not surprisingly, the Trumpet has a strong prophecy message, even stronger than Armstrong's The Plain Truth. The message of the magazine is a mixture of prophecies taught by Armstrong along with Flurry's prophetic changes and additions.
The magazine has a claimed circulation of 294,000 worldwide in 2008. It is available in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
language editions.
The Trumpet website is an online version of The Philadelphia Trumpet.
External links
- The Philadelphia Trumpet - includes archives of back issues in PDF and HTML formats going back to April 1998 (Volume 9, No. 3)
- Armstrong's literature