Baptist Times of British Baptists to cease publication

DIDCOT, England — The Baptist Times, an award-winning newspaper published weekly for British Baptists for 156 years, will cease both print and digital editions at the end of the year.

Bill Johnston, chairman of the Baptist Times board of directors, said due to declining circulation and advertising sales, the newspaper has increasingly had to depend on subsidies from the Baptist Union of Great Britain to operate. In July the Baptist union’s trustees voted to end financial support for the newspaper next spring.

Amanda Allchorn, head of communications at the Baptist Union of Great Britain, said the Baptist Times brand would continue in a new online service to be launched next spring. The resource, www.baptisttimes.co.uk, will offer news, commentary, features and a digest of weekly news for churches to download and print out.