Photo tour through Crossway Books

September 19, 2007January 16, 2014 Tony Reinke BR > Crossway, Justin Taylor

WHEATON, IL — Behind the books on our shelves are dozens of visionaries, writers, editors, graphic artists, printers, and marketers hard at work. One goal of The Shepherd’s Scrapbook is to introduce the people and organizations behind the books.

This Spring we traveled to Pennsylvania to see the American office of the Banner of Truth Trust. Another favorite publisher is the Good News Publishers or Crossway Books — or simply known as the ones who publish the English Standard Version. Look on your shelves and count how many Crossway books and Bibles you own. Likely you have a bunch. These originate in Wheaton, IL.

And 2007 looks to be a monumental publishing year for Crossway. Along with the ESV The Literary Study Bible edited by Ryken and Ryken, our friends have produced The Reformation by Stephen Nichols, Sam Storm’s two excellent books Chosen for Life and Signs of the Spirit and will soon be printing the edited version of Communion with the Triune God by John Owen. Yet this Fall and Winter we look forward to John Piper’s response to N.T. Wright on justification, and the American edition of a great book published in the U.K. earlier this year — Pierced for Our Transgressions by Steve Jeffery, Michael Ovey and Andrew Sach. Each of these volumes (and several others) are grand accomplishments.

Crossway / ESV

The Crossway office and warehouse are within walking distance from the SE corner of Wheaton College, across a set of very busy train tracks. The office and warehouse are housed in one building. In many ways, the interior of the building is reminiscent of a church building with dark brick, embroidered cloth banner, tall ceilings and many windows. The main level perimeter offices are large, bright and with open ceilings.

Last Thursday morning I had the joy of joining the Crossway staff for chapel, a time to give thanks to God, reflect on His grace, and to pray for needs (both personal and professional). The various Crossway authors at work and under deadline were prayed for specifically. The chapel service brought a surprisingly personal context for all the other publishing work and revealed a community of editors caring for their writers and one another beyond the business context.

Warehouse

Crossway books are printed off-site, but warehoused on-site. I took the camera back for a few shots of the warehouse operations. You can see the line where orders are filled. As with the Banner of Truth, all noticeably damaged and defective books are pulled from circulation. Both publishers are perfectionists.

Justin Taylor

Justin Taylor is the main reason I came over to Crossway. Justin is a busy editor, writer, and blogger. His official duties center around editing the ESV Study Bible due out late next year and his blog, Between Two Worlds, is considered one of the best on the Internet (one I check daily and highly recommend).

Justin Taylor has also edited many books, including new versions of John Owen with Dr. Kelly Kapic (Overcoming Sin and Temptation and Communion with the Triune God). Communion is due out in mid-October, so Justin’s work has been especially busy. His diligent labors are amazing, considering he works 9-5 on the ESV Study Bible and his other writing projects (like Communion) are completed in his personal time in the evenings!

A proof of Communion sits on his desk with some final edits before it’s printed.

Justin’s office is on the main level and has no ceiling. He has a modest library on hand and has minimal decorating (please leave decorating ideas for Justin in the comments).

Justin blogs, edits and emails with his John Owen coffee mug handy. His monitor is lifted with two ESV Bible boxes, a copy of The Book of Great Books and a hardcover ESV. His timeliness can be attributed to a nifty Dunder-Mifflin calendar.

All Justin’s emails and calls are screened by his personal office assistant, Dwight Schrute.

Conclusion

Obviously, I captured only a few highlights. It was great meeting Lane Dennis, the man behind Crossway (sorry, no pics). But it was also great to see Crossway behind the scenes and the humble prayerfulness of editors coming together at the throne of mercy.

Time is running short and I have one final stop. Back at Wheaton College campus I walk up to Blanchard Hall to meet Dr. Leland Ryken. …

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Related: Photo tour of Banner of Truth warehouse in Carlisle, PA (here).

Princeton Cemetery

September 18, 2007 Tony Reinke Photographs, Princeton Cemetery

Hi Tony,

My name is Ryan and I am a 33-year old pastor in Hazleton, PA. I’m writing just to say thank you for putting your Princeton Cemetery photographic tour online. Last year I stumbled onto your page (I have no idea how it happened) and enjoyed it so much that I took my family there as a day-trip last month while on vacation. Being in ministry, it was really a wonderful experience for me. I wrote three blog articles on it, the last of which I just posted today. Your pictures ‘stirred’ me, and for that I say thanks!

Sincerely in Christ,
Ryan Day
http://ryanlday.blogspot.com

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Well, thank you, Ryan for the kind comments. I appreciate the feedback. My wife and kids will be comforted knowing there are other wives and children who have endured dad’s crazy cemetery/vacation ideas. And I’m thankful you found the Warfields! Sadly, so many visitors miss them.

Blessings to you, Ryan!

Tony

Vocal, Global Atheism

September 18, 2007September 19, 2007 Tony Reinke Atheism, Atheist

Despite various names (atheists, humanists, secularists, freethinkers, rationalists or brights) the “legion of the godless” is growing more vocal and more global. In the past few years atheists have written five bestselling books and the Washington Post recently ran two articles on the sharp rise in (vocal) American atheism. One study shows that while only 6-percent of 60-year old Americans would be classified as atheists, 25-percent of those in the 18-22 year bracket would. These trends are not limited to America, the report says, and atheism (or non-theism) is gaining vocal prominence in Europe, India, Israel, Turkey, Spain and Italy. The report concludes that, while a vocal increase is evident, an atheist Presidential candidate wouldn’t have a prayer. You can read the WP reports here and here. Some interesting trends worth noting.

HT: Cranach

Wheaton museums

September 18, 2007September 18, 2007 Tony Reinke Jonathan Edwards, Photographs

WHEATON, IL — Last Thursday morning I headed out from downtown Chicago. About 30 miles West sits an old but beautiful college town made famous for Wheaton College. Before crossing the busy train tracks to the South (to meet with Justin Taylor), my first goal was to browse two local campus museums. On the NW corner of campus sits the Wade Center, and to the SW sits the Billy Graham Center.

Marion E. Wade Center

I am told the Wade Center houses personal libraries and manuscripts from several authors, including C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The center does feature a main room of various treasures including the wood desks of Lewis and Tolkien. Tolkien’s desk is very tiny and modest. Lewis’ is a bit larger, but also very plain. Perhaps most popular, the Center features Lewis’ childhood wardrobe thought to be the inspiration behind the magical doorway into Narnia. Lewis’ grandfather handcrafted the elegantly chiseled wardrobe.

I was warned by a sign on the wall that photographs were not to be taken of anything but the desks and wardrobe and none of which could be published. The receptionist pointed to the sign and the curator stopped by to make sure I saw the sign. So for a photographic tour I have nothing for you but you can see pictures on the Wade Center website.

Billy Graham Center Museum

South of the Wade Center sits the massive photo-friendly Billy Graham Center Museum. Behind the Roman column exterior, the museum is shaped with hallways connecting large and dark circular rooms of various sizes. Much of the museum is taken up with artwork. The entrance to the museum features a 10-foot tall original painting of Christ by Warner Sallman and one dark room is devoted to a large three-dimensional crystal crucifix.

Most interesting was the “History of Evangelism in America” exhibit featuring a nice display on Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening.

The exhibit included an original 1746 edition of the Religious Affections.

As expected, the museum is chiefly devoted to the life and international evangelistic ministry of Billy Graham. Various items from his life and ministry were on display including his traveling pulpit, a childhood Bible, and dozens of photographs.

The marriage of Billy and Ruth Graham was sweet. Ruth, who passed away this year, must have been a hoot.

What especially caught my attention was Graham’s personal copy of John Stott’s The Cross of Christ with underlining on the first page of the seventh chapter. This simple book illustrates the power the publishing world to impact evangelism and the preaching of God’s Word. A book well-digested by a preacher is broadcast to souls that would otherwise never read the book. This underlining illustrates an interesting dynamic.

I left the museum with a sense I had passed through a display of holy relics. I decided not to publish photographs the many paintings of Christ or the crystal crucifix. But overall the Billy Graham Center Museum was positive and the history of evangelism in America was excellent.

Conclusion

I would not make it a special trip, but if you travel to Wheaton a quick stop to both museums will be enlightening. And both museums are free.

But enough of museums. History is being written as we speak. I headed South over the nearby train tracks to the Good News Publishers and Crossway Books building surrounded by neighborhoods. It’s known as the home of the English Standard Version and home to uber blogger Justin Taylor. …

TSS on the Road

September 17, 2007September 18, 2007 Tony Reinke Justin Taylor

WHEATON, IL — Good morning everyone. The first ever TSS road trip is done and we’re headed home. Our travels took us to Wheaton, Illinois and we accomplished a number of things. We toured and photographed some local museums (like the Billy Graham Museum) then headed over to Crossway / ESV for a photographic tour through their facility. We experienced a day in the life of uber blogger Justin Taylor. And finally we traveled up to Wheaton College for an interview with Dr. Leland Ryken about the new ESV Literary Study Bible. Over the next few days we will be sharing all this and more.

For now, here is a pictorial appetizer of Justin with his beloved Dwight Schrute bobble head. Enjoy …