Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
| Parent company | Presbyterian Church (USA) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Headquarters location | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Official website |
www |
The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation is a religious corporation, which is the publishing agency of the Presbyterian Church (USA). According to its official Web site, "The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation is one of six agencies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) but we receive no funding from the denomination, but rather contribute to the mission of the PC(USA) through our operating surpluses."[1] Its primary unit is the publisher Westminster John Knox.
Mission statement
"Building on the Reformed tradition, the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation seeks to glorify God by contributing to the spiritual and intellectual vitality of Christ's church. To that end, PPC publishes resources that advance religious scholarship, stimulate conversation about moral values, and inspire faithful living."[2]
History
The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) is the denominational publisher for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), but the materials it issues under its Westminster John Knox Press imprint cover the spectrum of modern religious thought and represent the work of scholarly and popular authors of many different religious affiliations. PPC's Geneva Press imprint is for a specifically Presbyterian audience.
PPC publishes approximately 50 new books and other resources each year and manages a backlist of more than 1,800 titles that are sold throughout the world. In addition, PPC produces These Days devotional magazine four times a year.
In 2006 PPC introduced The Thoughtful Christian, an online, ecumenical resource center located at www.TheThoughtfulChristian.com. The Thoughtful Christian contains more than 150 units for adults and more than 20 units for teenagers. The studies are designed for individuals and groups in Presbyterian churches, as well as churches of other denominations. The units for adults cover topics in the following areas: Bible and theology, Christian living, spirituality, contemporary issues, and popular culture. The units for teenagers address biblical, theological, and spiritual themes; popular culture; and issues of Christian lifestyle.
For nearly 170 years, PPC and its predecessors have served clergy, scholars, students, and laypeople. Most of its publications are used in the spiritual formation of clergy and laity, the training of seminarians, the dissemination of religious scholars' work, and the preparation for ministry of lay church leaders. One of PPC's principal aims is to help readers of its publications achieve biblical and theological literacy.
PPC is a nonprofit corporation that receives no mission dollars from the PC(USA) but sustains itself entirely through sales of its publications. It has long been known for sound business practices and excellent customer service. PPC has generated positive operating revenue in all but one year of its corporate existence. The corporation invests surplus funds in research and development, new products, and a generous Benevolence Plan that supports ministers, congregations, seminaries, and other institutions around the world.
PPC has published numerous works by world-renowned authors from across the theological spectrum including John Barton, Brian Blount, Walter Brueggemann, John Buchanan, Frederick Buechner, Cynthia Campbell, Tony Campolo, Brevard Childs, Marva Dawn, Catherine and Justo González, Tom Long, Reinhold Niebuhr, H. Richard Niebuhr, Eugene Peterson, Letty Russell, William Sloane Coffin, Barbara Brown Taylor, Marjorie Thompson, Cornel West, Will Willimon, Brian Wren, and N. T. Wright.[3]
Controversy
On 1 July 2006, the PPC published Christian Faith and the Truth Behind 9/11: A Call to Reflection and Action, a book by David Ray Griffin.[4] The book argues that "The Bush-Cheney administration... orchestrated 9/11 in order to promote this empire under the pretext of the so-called war on terror." The book echoes other 9/11 conspiracy theories in claiming that the Bush administration used explosives to destroy the World Trade Center, and adds a theological argument that the United States is an "evil, even demonic empire" comparable to the Roman Empire.[5] PPC President Davis Perkins claimed that the book's arguments "merit careful consideration by serious-minded Christians and Americans concerned with truth and the meaning of their faith."[6]
Publication of this book aroused criticism of the PPC and the PC(USA) leadership by church members and clergy.[7][8][9]
References
- ↑ "Presbyterian Publishing Corporation: About Us". Retrieved 2006-09-11.
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- ↑ Presbyterian Publishing Corporation
- ↑ Tooley, Mark (23 August 2006). "The Truth Behind 9/11: According to a new book from the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, Bush brought down the towers". The Weekly Standard.
- ↑ "A note from President and Publisher Davis Perkins about our rationale for publication" (Press release). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Retrieved 2006-09-11.
- ↑ "9/11 Conspiracy Book by Presbyterian Publisher Stirs Controversy". Associated Press. 15 August 2006.
- ↑ Duin, Julia (18 August 2006). "9/11 book rankles Presbyterian faith". The Washington Times.
- ↑ Wilhelm, Heather (8 September 2006). "Anything Goes: The Presbyterian Church gets into the 9/11 conspiracy theory business". The Wall Street Journal.