Joel Belz (born 1941) is the founder of God's World Publications in 1977, which includes the World Journalism Institute started in 1999 and WORLD magazine, a biweekly Christian newsmagazine, in 1986. Personal life Belz was raised in the grain and lumber business, but learned the importance of the print media when his parents opened up a printing business out of their home. In 1946 his father entered the Presbyterian ministry and in 1951 his parents opened Cono Christian School. He earned a BA in English from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA in 1962 and an MA in communications from the University of Iowa in 1971. He is a member and elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. Belz and his wife, Carol Esther, have five children and sixteen grandchildren. They currently live in North Carolina. In November 2009, Belz signed an ecumenical statement known as the Manhattan Declaration calling on evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox not to comply with rules and laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage and other matters that go against their religious consciences. References External links List of Joel Belz' columns God's World News World Magazine 1941 births Living people Presbyterian Church in America members Covenant College alumni University of Iowa alumni American columnists American magazine publishers (people)