Category Archives: Books and publishing

CRT in the textbooks! (not)

Notes on the struggle with false accusations (CRT!) in one West Michigan community’s conversation about social studies curriculum.

Allen C. Myers (1945–2020), longtime Eerdmans editor

Longtime Eerdmans biblical studies editor Allen C. Myers died early on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 2020, following numerous months of declining health. A private (because of COVID-19 restrictions) memorial service was held Friday, December 4, at Trinity United Methodist Church of Grand Rapids, MI. A native of Ohio, Allen earned degrees at Otterbein University and United Theological Seminary beforeContinue reading “Allen C. Myers (1945–2020), longtime Eerdmans editor”

Editor James Ernest (Eerdmans): The Editors behind the Great Books in New Testament Studies (Crux Sola)

(This post, which consists of my responses to questions from Nijay Gupta, originally appeared on his Crux Sola blog at Patheos on August 4, 2020.) We continue with the second profile in our new series: The Editors behind the Great Books in New Testament studies. I am pleased to introduce you to Dr. James ErnestContinue reading “Editor James Ernest (Eerdmans): The Editors behind the Great Books in New Testament Studies (Crux Sola)”

Let the reader understand; or, Take heed to your(my)selves(self)

Most of the little essays that I write here are responses to something I have read. That normally means one of three things: a book I am reading, or something from the news, or something from the Bible. As for that first category: I’m never just reading one book. I usually have at least aContinue reading “Let the reader understand; or, Take heed to your(my)selves(self)”

In Memoriam: James D. G. Dunn (Eerdword)

“Everyone enjoyed the evening with you. We are growing accustomed to your face, a custom which grows by what it’s fed on.” So wrote Bill Eerdmans Jr. to “Dear Jimmy” Dunn on December 4, 1996, following up on a dinner at the SBL meeting at New Orleans a couple of weeks earlier. Bill had written toContinue reading “In Memoriam: James D. G. Dunn (Eerdword)”

In memoriam: Vinson Synan (EerdWord)

James Ernest, vice president and editor-in-chief of Eerdmans, eulogizes the late Vinson Synan in this blog post. In 1958 my parents brought their new baby boy home to a little house in a small city in central Virginia where most of the men worked either in the chemical plants or on a nearby Army base. On warm evenings my parents couldContinue reading “In memoriam: Vinson Synan (EerdWord)”

On publishing books in a world in turmoil

“When the foundations are thrown down,” asked the psalmist, “what can the righteous person do?” (Psalm 11:3). This question resonates for many in our own setting, when the props and stays of the old normal in so many areas—political, social, ecclesial, environmental—seem to be under assault and crumbling. Voltaire’s Candide rejected explanations that all theContinue reading “On publishing books in a world in turmoil”

In memoriam: Gabe Fackre (Eerdword)

 The Chapel at Andover-Newton Theological Seminary where Dr. Fackre taught for over 30 years. James Ernest is vice president and editor-in-chief at Eerdmans. * * * Perhaps many Eerdmans readers will have heard by now of the passing of Gabe Fackre. Just three months later than his beloved life partner and sometime coauthor, the Rev. DorothyContinue reading “In memoriam: Gabe Fackre (Eerdword)”

A response to Swaim’s “Stott Bowdlerized” (Eerdword)

In the Internet era, incomplete research and careless retweeting can lead to false accusations and damaging digital gossip. * * * Through the course of my publishing career I have not usually bothered authors for autographs, but as a high-school senior attending the 1976 Urbana convention with my central Virginia youth group, I was eagerContinue reading “A response to Swaim’s “Stott Bowdlerized” (Eerdword)”