HarperCollins to Remove Ravi Zacharias Titles from Print

In September, when the most-recent sexual misconduct allegations against the late Ravi Zacharias surfaced, HarperCollins Christian Publishing suspended all projects and shipments of his work. Following the findings in the independent report, the company said in a statement earlier this month, HC will immediately take all his publications out of print. The statement added: "We are deeply saddened and we mourn for the victims."

Barbour Marks 40th Anniversary With Updates, Changes

Barbour Publishing, best known for Bibles and devotionals, is now celebrating its 40th anniversary year with an updated logo, imprints rebranded to highlight the founder’s name, and discounts on bestsellers for book retailers.

Hugh Barbour established “Book Bargains,” reselling Christian publishers excess stock, in 1981. He then shifted the Ohio-based company to publishing as well, producing 1984 edition of The Pilgrim’s Progress. Their first original title, The Bible Promise Book, a reference collection of Bible verses, was published using the King James Version in 1989. Since then it has been offered in multiple formats and Bible translations, selling more than 13 million copies.

After Barbour retired in 1999, Tim Martins took the reins and expanded the company during two decades of radical shifts in sales and marketing in the book industry. In 2017, Barbour became one of the first employee-owned companies in the Christian Publishing industry, according to the release.

Mary Burns became president and CEO, in 2019 succeeding Martins, now chairman of the board, Burns dubbed the 2021 changes a “Back to Barbour” push. The intent is to highlight “what we are known for” she said, highlighting “words and phrases like ‘trustworthy,’ ‘biblically-centered,’ ‘rich in history,’ ‘value,’ and more. The Spanish imprint Casa Promesa is now Barbour Español, Shiloh Kidz is Barbour Kidz, and Shiloh Run Press has been broken down into multiple Barbour-focused categories.

Chalice to Add Children's Titles

Progressive Christian publishing house Chalice is tip-toeing into the children’s market with its first title for kids releasing in July and two titles a year beginning in 2022.

Chalice president and publisher Brad Lyons tells PW, “Obviously, there are a ton of books out there that approach faith from a conservative or evangelical point of view, and other publishers are beginning to expand into the progressive Christian market. We want to be a part of that as well. We think that’s a good sign that the market is ready to be served, and it's even better news for the kids who needs these kinds of books.”

During the pandemic when families have been unable to gather for funerals or memorials, Chalice is launching with a title on grief, Remember Me When… The book, written by Todd Williams, a hospice chaplain, and illustrated by Ciara Compton, “encourages readers to hold on to the good memories we have of those no longer with us,” says Lyons. It’s in sync with Chalice’s intent to inspire “kindness, wonder, and gratitude, and then to live those own qualities in our lives every day.”

Unlike InterVarsity Press, which this month announced a new separate imprint, “IVP Kids,” Lyons says they will keep the children’s books under the Chalice Press umbrella where the company has seen “significant growth in the parenting and family market.

Parallax Names an Associate Publisher

Parallax Press senior editor Jacob Surpin has added associate publisher to his title, the company announced. Since he joined Parallax in 2016, Surpin acquired titles on mindfulness, created Thich Nhat Hanh classics series named for the Zen master who founded the press, and served as primary editor for the Plum Blossom imprint featuring books for children and young people.

Publisher Hisae Matsuda said, “It is my wish that having the associate publisher title officially will empower Jacob further in our work with Penguin Random House, international rights, and in the publishing community at large.”