Publishing resources by diverse authors is “a calling for InterVarsity Press,” says the house’s president and publisher Terumi Echols. “I believe our work as a Christian publisher should reflect the beauty and breadth of God’s image through the stories and perspectives of His people.
This calling includes publishing titles such as Reading the Bible on Turtle Island, First Nations Version (FNV): Psalms & Proverbs and the forthcoming FNV Old Testament. Echols says each title carries “a spirit of reverence, healing, and hope” and reminds readers that “the gospel speaks in every culture and language.”
The strong sales of the FNV reflect that Christians also want and need fresh tellings of the biblical narrative. And, “on a deeper level,” says associate editorial director Al Hsu, “we sense that there is resonance with a biblical narrative that is more earthy and embodied.”
“Indigenous authors,” Hsu says, “share a worldview perspective closer to that of the biblical writers... more holistic, embodied, connected to land, earth, and all creation.” They reflect scriptural themes of kinship and covenant, peace and harmony, honor and wisdom, and oral storytelling. “In an era when Christianity has perhaps become abstract and distant,” he says, “readers respond positively to practical expressions of Christian faith that are more concrete about walking the good road.”
Reading the Bible on Turtle Island: An Invitation to North American Indigenous Interpretation features the work of indigenous scholars Christopher Hoklotubbe and Daniel Zacharias, who explore what it means to read Scripture from an Indigenous perspective, as well as explores the intersection of the Bible with Indigenous traditions. Associate academic editorial director Rachel Hastings says that the authors’ “deep well of wisdom and scholarly rigor” means that “readers from all backgrounds will be encouraged and challenged by the book.”
IVP’s mission and vision to publish books by diverse authors runs deep, and its leaders are eager to dig even deeper. For Hsu, it means continuing work on the FNV Old Testament and completing the full FNV Bible over the next decade, as well as searching out more books that amplify other cultural voices.
“Human cultural diversity brings manifold witness to God’s identity and work in history,” Hsu says. “Christians from every tribe and tongue give polyvocal testimony to who God is and what God has done. Together, the global body of Christ from across culture and history demonstrates there is always more to discover about God.” Hastings says that “the intersection of life experiences, expertise, and the current historical moment will always demand that we continue publishing books from diverse voices for diverse audiences,” acknowledging that there is so much nuance to be explored beyond primarily Western, white spaces. “The horizons are wide open for scholars of color to write interdisciplinary works related to biblical studies and history, the sciences, and current events,” she says.
“When we make spaces for these stories, we deepen our understanding of Scripture and discipleship and enrich the lives of believers and the church,” says Echols, guider of IVP’s publishing vision. “It is one of the ways we live out our responsibility as a good citizen within Christian publishing, modeling integrity, inclusivity, and courage."
