Awake! is an illustrated religious magazine published every four months by Jehovah's Witnesses via the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. It is considered to be a companion magazine of The Watchtower, and is distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses in their door-to-door ministry, with a total worldwide circulation of over 93 million copies in 225 languages per issue.
History
The magazine was originally published bimonthly under the name The Golden Age on October 1, 1919, by the International Bible Students Association. On October 6, 1937, it was renamed Consolation and continued to be published biweekly until July 31, 1946. On August 22, 1946, the magazine was renamed Awake! and until 2005 was published semimonthly in major languages, monthly in many languages, and quarterly in a few languages. As of January 2006, the magazine was published monthly, and as of 2016 it was published every second month. As of early 2018, it is published every four months, in March, July, and November of each year.
Purpose
The stated purpose of the magazine has changed over time. From 1982 to 1995, each issue of the magazine included a mission statement which stated, "this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new order before the generation that saw 1914 passes away". When Jehovah's Witnesses' belief regarding the "generation" of 1914 was changed to a less literal sense, the aim was restated as, "this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new worldthat is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things".
Content
Awake! contains articles about general-interest topics such as nature, geography, family life, and also the Bible and biblical history, from the Watchtower Bible And Tract Society's perspective. It has also presented medical opinions of various medical conditions. Conditions that have been featured in Awake! include dementia, stroke, infectious diseases, bipolar disorder, and postpartum depression. Many issues claim that mankind is living in the end times.
Authorship
The magazine's editor under the titles of The Golden Age and Consolation was Clayton J. Woodworth, who later served on the boards of several corporations of Jehovah's Witnesses. When the magazine was renamed Awake!, the journal's editorship became anonymous. Publication is overseen by the Writing Committee of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Distribution
The magazine is printed in nineteen countries; about 25% of the total is printed at one of the organization's printeries in Toronto, Canada. Awake! is considered to be the most widely distributed magazine in the world, with a worldwide circulation of 93,354,000 each issue. The magazine is distributed by Jehovah's Witnesses in the course of their house-to-house ministry. They are also distributed by approaching people in public places, given informally to acquaintances and professionals, or left as reading material in places such as bus terminals and laundromats. Awake! is available, in selected languages, on audio compact disc and online in various digital formats.
Cost
Until March 1990, Awake! was available for a small charge that varied over time and in different countries. For example, in the United States, the suggested donation per issue was $0.05 in 1950, gradually increasing to $0.25 in 1989. On January 17, 1990, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against Jimmy Swaggart that sales of religious literature were subject to taxation, which introduced ambiguity into the formerly tax-free practice of suggesting a particular donation in exchange for the magazines. The Watch Tower Society supported Swaggart in the case, arguing that the perceived sale of religious literature should be exempt from taxation. From March 1, 1990, the journals were made available at no cost, on a freewill donation basis in the United States, with the stated purpose of simplifying their Bible educational work and distinguishing themselves from those who commercialize religion. An article in the May 1990 issue of Our Kingdom Ministry—a newsletter provided to members—stated that "there are growing pressures against all religious elements" and went on to say that their main concern was to move ahead in the worldwide preaching work, "without hindrance." The sale of Jehovah's Witnesses' literature was gradually phased out in other countries, and Awake! has been distributed free of charge worldwide since early 2000, its printing being funded by voluntary donations from Jehovah's Witnesses and members of the public.
