Life and Work was the editorially independent monthly magazine of the Church of Scotland. Beginning in January 1879, its last publication was in August 2025.[1]
In its early years, Life and Work ran various supplements, including the Guild supplement and the Young Men's Supplement. Of these, only the Gaelic supplement is still running.[2]
It incorporated the Mission Record of the Church of Scotland from 1900, and at the 1929 union of the Church, it merged with United Free Church's The Record as Life and Work: The Record of the Church of Scotland.
At its height, the magazine was read by around a quarter of the Scottish population, reflecting the high point of membership within the denomination, and broader allegiance to the Christian faith within Scotland.
Recent developments
Though the magazine was rooted within the life and work of the Church of Scotland, it also aimed to cover a broad range of subjects that might interest others within the denomination, and other interested people. These included articles about international affairs and British political and social issues, as well as other topical and ethical subjects. In addition, there were book reviews, features representing the worldwide church, and reflections and devotional elements.[3]
Life and Work was voted best Member Magazine of the Year at the PPA Scottish magazine awards in 2004, and nominated numerous times subsequently. It also received a prestigious Andrew Cross award in 2005 from the UK-wide Churches Media Council.[2]
In January 2006 the magazine reverted, during a full colour relaunch, to 1940s’ title Life and Work, compared with its original title Life & Work. In addition, it dropped the subtitle of "The Record of the Church of Scotland."[2]
In April 2013 a Life and Work website was launched, including extracts from the magazine as well as additional news and features. A digital version of the magazine became available online from 2017.
Closure
Between 2008 and 2020, Life and Work contributed surpluses of more than £979,000 to the wider finances of the Church of Scotland.
However, these profits rapidly dried up after 2020; remarkably quickly, according to a Joint Supplementary Report (produced by the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team and the Assembly Trustees), the magazine switched from being “a standalone business generating surplus income” into an operation that “now requires significant investment year on year from central funds to underwrite its production”.
The overall circulation of Life and Work in December 2024 was 6,328: this consisted of 5,162 print and 554 digital sales, along with 612 "promotional" digital copies sent to parish ministers and parish magazine editors. Comparing this to an overall Church membership of 245,000, this meant its "members magazine” attracted the attention of barely 2.6% of its membership.
It was agreed that proposals should be brought to the 2026 Assembly regarding the creation of a new successor publication [6] which would remain “editorially independent”.[4] However, in an article about her experience as the first permanent female editor of the magazine (2000-02), the journalist Rosemary Goring suggested that this much-talked about editorial independence was “meaningless”, given that her final issue was pulped in its entirety because of concerns about a single article in contained. [7]
The final issue of Life and Work was a commemorative edition, published in August 2025.[8] It included retrospective articles on the history of the publication, as well as featuring as much unused material as possible.
Gaelic supplement
Life and Work had a 4-page Gaelic supplement, Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig, established in January 1880, which was included on request, and is available online. No Gaelic periodical has lasted as long as the Life and Work's Gaelic edition. In its first 100 years, there were only four editors.[9]
Gaelic supplement editors
(1880-1887) Rev Archibald Clerk, from Lorn, who was minister of Kilmallie.
(1887-1907) Rev John MacRury, minister of Snizort and Uig in Skye, a native of Benbecula
(1907-1951) Rev Donald Lamont, minister of Glen Urquhart, then Blair Atholl. A native of Tiree
(1951-1980) Rev T M Murchison, minister of St Columba-Copland Road Church, later St Columba-Summerton Church, Glasgow. A native of Glasgow, but grew up in Skye.
(1980-2017), Rev Dr Roderick MacLeod, minister of Bernera, and later minister of Cumlodden, Lochfyneside and Lochgair. A native of North Uist.
From 2017, the title was edited by a volunteer team, led by Duncan Sneddon.
List of editors
The magazine has had 14 editors in its history, as well as two Acting editors.[2]
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