Narthex, 1981

Narthex is a topical theological journal starting in 1981 and ending publication in 1992. North Park Theological Seminary faculty conceived Narthex as a means of discussing current issues within the Evangelical Covenant Church. The editorial board chose an essayist to write on a central topic, and called on responses from Covenant members from all across the United States. The board made a conscious effort to represent a range of differing—and sometimes opposing—viewpoints within Narthex. Topics include Covenant leadership, effective ministry and youth ministry, and evangelical theology among many others. Given the broad geographical scope of the respondents, students of Covenant history and theology can use Narthex as one means of tracing larger intellectual developments of the Evangelical Covenant Church throughout the 1980s.

The name "narthex" refers to an architectural space within church design—it is traditionally the lobby between the main entrance of the church and the nave, where the congregation meets before worship. The design of the Narthex logo calls to mind a pair of doors opening inward—an image reinforcing the idea of the publication as a meeting space for dialog on timely issues between members of the Covenant.