B. J. Stiles (born February 6, 1933, in Maypearl, Texas) is an American activist who has made award-winning contributions in several arenas: publishing and communications, civil and human rights, and philanthropy.
He brought such nationally recognized authors, artists, and ecumenical leaders as David Halberstam, Corita Kent, Ross Terrill, William Stringfellow, Harvey Cox, and Michael Novak to the pages of the magazine.
Among his readers as college students were Hillary Clinton,[4] Richard Celeste, and hundreds of others whose achievements as academics, politicians and public officials, and faith-based leaders attribute their readership of motive as a life-shaping experience.
In spring 1966, Stiles published an issue of motive,[5] the back cover of which included a satirical obituary written by Anthony Towne playing off of the then-raging theological controversy, Is God Dead?.
LBJ orders flags at half staff.The "obituary" announced that "God, creator of the universe, principal deity of the world's Jews, ultimate reality of Christians, and most eminent of all divinities died late yesterday during major surgery undertaken to correct a massive diminishing influence".
In November 1965, an issue of motive published a debate between Playboy editor Hugh Hefner and theologian Harvey Cox entitled "Sex: Myths and Realities".
Stiles responded to the crisis by reminding supporters and detractors of the magazine that: "If churches don't take notice of what students have on their mind and help them think it through, they are missing the boat.
As awareness of AIDS dramatically exploded in the early 1980s, Stiles became a consultant and freelance writer and was widely cited in news accounts of the impact of the epidemic on business and labor.