Signs of the Times
Signs of the Times is an Australian and New Zealand monthly magazine presenting contemporary issues through a biblical perspective and promoting holistic Christian living.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Signs of the Times is an Australian religious magazine published by Signs Publishing Company, a Seventh-day Adventist publishing house serving Australia and New Zealand. The publication is aimed at a general readership rather than only at members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its editorial approach combines accessible discussion of current affairs, social questions, personal values and faith with practical guidance about health and whole-person wellbeing. The magazine traces its origins to Melbourne, where it began publication on 2 November 1885 under the title Bible Echo and Signs of the Times. It subsequently developed through title and regional changes, including the Australasian Signs of the Times name used from the early twentieth century. This long publishing history places it among Australia's longest-running periodicals. The magazine's continuity is notable within the Australian religious press, with the Salvation Army's The War Cry identified as one of the few Australian periodicals with an older history. Editorially, Signs of the Times seeks to interpret public life from a biblical point of view while maintaining an easy-to-read format. Its subject matter has included current events, religion, ethics, personal relationships, health, lifestyle and reflections on major events. The publication's positioning reflects the Adventist emphasis on both Christian faith and holistic health, but its stated audience and accessible format extend beyond a narrowly denominational readership. Signs of the Times is related to, but distinct from, the North American magazine of the same name published by Pacific Press. The shared title reflects a broader Adventist publishing tradition rather than a single global edition. The Australian publication is produced within the Signs Publishing Company structure and has historically circulated in the Australasian market through subscription and magazine distribution. The brand has received recognition from the Australasian Religious Press Association for editorial, design, illustration and feature work. Awards and commendations recorded for the magazine include recognition for layout, article writing, reviews, humorous writing, illustration and originality. These honors indicate that the publication has been evaluated not only as a denominational periodical but also within the wider religious-press sector. Examples of recognized work addressed topics such as faith in everyday life, major public events, liberty, apology and imaginative editorial writing. The available reference material does not identify a founder, individual owner, circulation figure, revenue, current editor or other current executive. The magazine's exact present-day publishing schedule and operating details should therefore be verified directly with Signs Publishing Company or through its current website. Its historical identity, however, is clear: Signs of the Times is a long-running Australian Adventist magazine with a public-facing editorial mission, a focus on biblical interpretation and healthy living, and a market spanning Australia and New Zealand.
History
Signs of the Times began in Melbourne on 2 November 1885 as Bible Echo and Signs of the Times. Its creation formed part of the early development of Seventh-day Adventist publishing in Australia and provided a periodical intended to communicate Adventist religious ideas to a broad public. Rather than functioning solely as an internal church bulletin, the magazine was designed as an accessible publication addressing religion, public questions and practical life. The publication's historical identity changed as its regional role developed. Archive references identify material under the Australasian Signs of the Times title from 1903 onward, although the surviving archive is incomplete. Over time, the shorter Signs of the Times name became the principal public identity. The magazine's longevity has made it one of Australia's oldest continuing periodical traditions, with the Salvation Army's The War Cry cited as an older Australian publication by a small margin. Signs is published by Signs Publishing Company, a Seventh-day Adventist publishing house. Its editorial purpose is to explain contemporary issues through a biblical framework while also presenting the Adventist concept of holistic health. Articles have addressed matters such as faith in daily life, social and ethical questions, health, lifestyle, personal experience and major events. The publication's easy-to-read style supports its effort to reach readers beyond the formal membership of the church. The Australian magazine is related by name and religious publishing tradition to the North American Signs of the Times published by Pacific Press. They are separate regional publications rather than a single edition of one international magazine. The Australian title has been associated with the Australia and New Zealand market and has been distributed as a monthly subscription publication. In the twenty-first century, the magazine's work received recognition from the Australasian Religious Press Association. Awards and commendations covered layout, feature writing, reviews, humorous material, illustration and originality. Recognized pieces dealt with subjects including the application of faith to personal experience, the aftermath of fire, public apologies, liberty, the September 11 attacks and speculative editorial writing. These awards show that Signs participated in the wider Australasian religious-press community and was assessed for both editorial quality and visual presentation. Publicly available reference material does not establish the name of the founding editor, a current editor, circulation, revenue or detailed corporate ownership beyond the publishing relationship with Signs Publishing Company. The magazine's current website and publisher records should be consulted for present operational information. Historically, however, the brand represents a continuous Australian Adventist magazine tradition that began in the nineteenth century and continues to address general readers in Australia and New Zealand.
- 2010
Multiple Australasian Religious Press Association honors
[1]Signs receives recognition for layout, a review and an article applying faith to life.
- 2009
Layout and editorial honors
[1]The magazine is highly commended for layout and receives recognition for humorous editorial work.
- 2005
Illustration award
[1]A Signs illustration receives an Australasian Religious Press Association award.
- 2003
Religious press recognition
[1]Signs receives awards or commendations for features, layout and originality from the Australasian Religious Press Association.
- 1903
Australasian title period begins
[1]Archive records identify the publication as Australasian Signs of the Times from 1903, reflecting its regional Australasian role.
- 1885
Launch in Melbourne
[1]The periodical begins publication on 2 November under the name Bible Echo and Signs of the Times.
Products and positioning
An accessible Seventh-day Adventist magazine for general readers in Australia and New Zealand, combining biblical perspectives on current issues with practical content about faith, health and holistic living.
Monthly religious magazine · 1885
Signs of the Times
The core monthly magazine published by Signs Publishing Company for readers in Australia and New Zealand. It explains current issues and public concerns through a biblical perspective, while also covering Christian faith, personal experience, health and holistic living. The publication uses accessible language and is positioned for the general public as well as Seventh-day Adventist readers.
Historical magazine title · 1885
Bible Echo and Signs of the Times
The original title under which the Australian periodical began publication in Melbourne in 1885. It represents the founding phase of the publication before later Australasian and Signs of the Times naming conventions developed.
Recent events
- 2010
Signs receives 2010 awards and commendations[1]
Other
The publication received recognition for layout, a review and an article applying faith to life. The cited article concerned recovery from the aftermath of a fire, while the review and layout honors reflected the breadth of the magazine's editorial and presentation work.
- 2009
Signs receives 2009 Australasian Religious Press Association honors[1]
Other
The magazine was highly commended for layout and received recognition for a humorous item, demonstrating continued acknowledgment of its design and editorial work.
- 2005
Signs earns further religious-press awards[1]
Other
An illustration published in Signs was recognized by the Australasian Religious Press Association, adding to the magazine's record of editorial and design honors.
- 2003
Signs receives multiple Australasian Religious Press Association recognitions[1]
Other
The magazine and its contributors received recognition in categories including best features, magazine layout and originality. The cited work included coverage of the first anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks and an imaginative letter-from-the-future feature.
- 1903
The magazine adopts the Australasian Signs of the Times title[1]
Other
Archive records identify an Australasian Signs of the Times run beginning in 1903, reflecting the publication's development as an Australasian religious periodical.
- 1885
Signs of the Times begins publication as Bible Echo and Signs of the Times[1]
Other
The periodical was launched in Melbourne on 2 November 1885 under the title Bible Echo and Signs of the Times, establishing the publication tradition from which the later Signs of the Times brand developed.
Sources2 sources
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