Geez (magazine)

Religious quarterly magazine

Geez is an independent quarterly magazine dealing with issues of spirituality, social justice, religion, and progressive cultural politics. The byline of Geez was "holy mischief in an age of fast faith". In 2015 the byline was changed to "contemplative cultural resistance". Geez is based in Detroit and distributes in Canada, the U. S., and abroad. Geez was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 2005 by Aiden Enns and Will Braun. Geez looks at religion, spirituality, and politics through the eyes of its readers. Geez is known for its pointed illustrations, graphics and unique combination of satire, critique, social consciousness, and quirkiness. The magazine says it's for "people at the fringes of faith".

The founder of Geez magazine, Aiden Enns, originally had the idea of the magazine in 2003 while he was working as managing editor at Adbusters in Vancouver. Enns then moved to Winnipeg and recruited writer and activist Will Braun who came on board as co editor and co publisher. Geez has hosted annual sermon contests. He has encouraged participation in the anti consumerist movement throughout his career at Geez. The first issue of Geez was published in Fall 2005 with an initial 500 paying subscribers and no advertising revenue. In the first year, the number of subscribers climbed to 2,000. In 2009, Geez moved its hub from Enns' home to a community minded church in Winnipeg's inner city (Knox United Church). In 2010, Aiden Enns did an interview on CKUT FM discussing Geez. In 2010, Geez celebrated its 5th anniversary. At the time, Darin Barney, the Canadian Research Chair in Technology and Citizenship said, Geez is one of the "smartest kind of progressive, critical, lefty magazines." In 2012, Geez sponsored an Earth Day tent revival service with Charleswood Mennonite Church. A religious magazine for a new generation of Christians and post Christians, the up and coming magazine wanted a short, provocative name that risked offending more conservative readers. Some consider the name blasphemous because it is an expletive derived from the name of Jesus. In 2019, Geez relocated to Detroit, Michigan. Aiden Enns stepped down from his position as the editor and Lydia Wylie Kellermann filled the role. In February 2024, the Geez editorial board announced that the upcoming 73rd issue would be the final one, citing insufficient revenue.

+Awards and nominations for GeezYearCeremonyCategoryResultRef. (Reference)2007Canada's Western Magazine AwardsMagazine of the Year Award2009Canadian Church PressA. C Forrest Memorial AwardUNTE Independent Press AwardsBest Spiritual Coverage2010Associated Church PressBest in Class2011Canadian Church PressService Journalism2013Canadian Church PressBest poetryOriginal illustrationLayout and design of an issuePhotography2020Associated Church PressAward of Merit for Best in Class for National/International MagazineAward of Excellence for theme issue (Geez 54: Climate Justice)Award of Excellence for interview (with Siwatu Salama Ra in Geez 53: Mothering)Award of Merit for personal experience (article by Lucia Wylie Eggert in Geez 53: Mothering)Honourable Mention for editorial (by Lydia Wylie Kellermann in Geez 54: Climate Justice)Honourable Mention for letters to the editorHonourable mention for photography (in Geez 54: Climate Justice)Honourable Mention for podcast/audio series (Geez Out Loud)

In addition to a large feature section, Geez has several different sections: Culturosities (arts and culture), Experiments, Civil Disobedience, Reviews, Feministry, updates from Christian Peacemaker Teams, the Catholic Worker Movement, and highlights from the LGBTQ community.

In 2006, Mary Hynes from CBC Radio Tapestry did a feature interview with Aiden Enns and Will Braun. In July 2007, the National Post called the presentation of the magazine "intriguing". Geez is a "unique combination of satire, critique, social consciousness, and just plain quirkiness," Brenda Suderman, August 2007, the Winnipeg Free Press. "In each quarterly issue of Geez, people of faith are invited to challenge structures of power and embody joyful alternatives," Christina Crook, January 2008, BC Christian News. The magazine is an "exasperated exclamation derived from Jesus' name that some Christians consider to be blasphemous," Julia Duin, July 2009, The Washington Times. "Readers were so in love with the cheeky, contrarian 'post Christian' quarterly that many were paying more than the annual $35 subscription to ensure its survival," Leslie Scrivener, January 2011, the Toronto Star. "A stylish magazine in the tradition of Adbusters and Mother Jones . a surprisingly hip, bold take on Christianity," Gloria Kim, Maclean's, January 2005. "Geez is very good at opening minds to creative ways of seeing the world and pursuing social justice," Samantha Rideout, January 2011, United Church Observer.