BJU Press
Encyclopedia
BJU Press founded in 1973, publishes textbooks for the Christian school
and home school movements as well as trade and children's books.
published its first trade book, A History of Fundamentalism in America by George W. Dollar
in 1973, BJU Press originated in the need for textbooks in the burgeoning Christian school
movement. Walter Fremont
, Dean of the School of Education, was an "enthusiastic supporter," and much of the early academic direction of the Press was provided by the University's provost, Philip D. Smith.The Press also published the University's magazine, Faith for the Family from 1973 until publication was discontinued in 1986.
The first textbook
published by BJU Press was George Mulfinger and Emmet Williams, Physical Science for Christian Schools
in 1974. Initially the Press had planned to publish only a few texts in areas where philosophical disagreement with secular texts was substantial, but shortly the Press developed a full range of K-12 texts and materials. An early decision was that the BJU Press would not simply repackage secular texts, as its competitors had done, but would create new books from a Christian viewpoint.
As the home school
movement began to grow in the 1980s, the Press decided to accommodate to the difficulties of selling small quantities of its publications to home school families. This marketing strategy proved so successful that by 1988, the BJU Press was the largest textbook supplier to home school families in the nation. Together with A Beka Books, BJU "dominates the Christian school and home market." It also provides testing, record-keeping and consulting services.
, produces Christian musical arrangements and recordings in more traditional styles than do most contemporary music sources. The Press also publishes trade books for adults and biographies and fiction for children and young adults, including wholesome books with no specific Christian references. Besides SoundForth music, the imprints of BJU Press are JourneyForth Books and ShowForth Videos. The Press has approximately 2,500 titles in print and operates a distance learning program.
BJU Press "controls every aspect of publication with in-house authors, editors, compositors, computer and board artists, photo editors, page designers and its own presses," and many of the one hundred press authors worked for BJU Press for more than twenty years. In 2009, the chief publication officer, William Appelian, said, "The cornerstone of our philosophy is a Christian world view, call it Bible integration. That's why we have control of the entire process."
filed suit against the University of California
(Association of Christian Schools International et al. v. Roman Stearns et al.
) for refusing to grant high school credits for courses taken using certain BJU Press texts. U. S. District Court judge S. James Otero
accepted the argument of two University of California professors that the text United States History for Christian Schools was inadequate because it claimed that the Bible was "the unerring source for analysis of historical events," attributed "historical events to divine providence rather than analyzing human action," and provided "inadequate treatment of several major ethnic groups, women and non-Christian religious groups." The judge also ruled that the book did not "encourage critical thinking skills and failed to cover 'major topics, themes and components' of U.S. history."
Christian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures...
and home school movements as well as trade and children's books.
History
Although Bob Jones UniversityBob Jones University
Bob Jones University is a private, for-profit, non-denominational Protestant university in Greenville, South Carolina.The university was founded in 1927 by Bob Jones, Sr. , an evangelist and contemporary of Billy Sunday...
published its first trade book, A History of Fundamentalism in America by George W. Dollar
George W. Dollar
Dr. George W. Dollar was a prominent preacher, teacher and author in Independent Fundamental Baptist circles. He is most famous as of co-founder of the Southwide Baptist Fellowship, author of 3 books including A History of Fundamentalism in America and a militant defender of his faith.-Early...
in 1973, BJU Press originated in the need for textbooks in the burgeoning Christian school
Christian school
A Christian school is a school run on Christian principles or by a Christian organization.The nature of Christian schools varies enormously from country to country, according to the religious, educational, and political cultures...
movement. Walter Fremont
Walter Fremont
Walter Gilbert Fremont, Jr. was dean of the School of Education, Bob Jones University and “a seminal force in the inauguration and development of the Christian school movement.”-Youth and Education:...
, Dean of the School of Education, was an "enthusiastic supporter," and much of the early academic direction of the Press was provided by the University's provost, Philip D. Smith.The Press also published the University's magazine, Faith for the Family from 1973 until publication was discontinued in 1986.
The first textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
published by BJU Press was George Mulfinger and Emmet Williams, Physical Science for Christian Schools
Physical Science for Christian Schools
Physical Science for Christian Schools is written by Emmett L. Williams and George Mulfinger, Jr. and was the first text book published by Bob Jones University Press. This book has been described as follows "[in 1974] a full-scale, Bible-science textbook rolls off the Bob Jones University...
in 1974. Initially the Press had planned to publish only a few texts in areas where philosophical disagreement with secular texts was substantial, but shortly the Press developed a full range of K-12 texts and materials. An early decision was that the BJU Press would not simply repackage secular texts, as its competitors had done, but would create new books from a Christian viewpoint.
As the home school
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
movement began to grow in the 1980s, the Press decided to accommodate to the difficulties of selling small quantities of its publications to home school families. This marketing strategy proved so successful that by 1988, the BJU Press was the largest textbook supplier to home school families in the nation. Together with A Beka Books, BJU "dominates the Christian school and home market." It also provides testing, record-keeping and consulting services.
Current status and divisions
BJU Press is the largest book publisher in South Carolina, and more than a million pre-college students around the world use BJU textbooks. The Press music division, SoundForthSoundForth
SoundForth is a division of the Bob Jones University Press. SoundForth produces and markets religious music recordings through a music download website, as well as a mailing catalog...
, produces Christian musical arrangements and recordings in more traditional styles than do most contemporary music sources. The Press also publishes trade books for adults and biographies and fiction for children and young adults, including wholesome books with no specific Christian references. Besides SoundForth music, the imprints of BJU Press are JourneyForth Books and ShowForth Videos. The Press has approximately 2,500 titles in print and operates a distance learning program.
BJU Press "controls every aspect of publication with in-house authors, editors, compositors, computer and board artists, photo editors, page designers and its own presses," and many of the one hundred press authors worked for BJU Press for more than twenty years. In 2009, the chief publication officer, William Appelian, said, "The cornerstone of our philosophy is a Christian world view, call it Bible integration. That's why we have control of the entire process."
Association of Christian Schools International et al. v. Roman Stearns et al.
In August 2008, the Association of Christian Schools InternationalAssociation of Christian Schools International
The Association of Christian Schools International is an association of evangelical Protestant Christian schools.-Purposes:ACSI, a protestant association for Christian schools, impacts nearly 23,000 schools and transforms the lives of more than 3.9 million students worldwide...
filed suit against the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
(Association of Christian Schools International et al. v. Roman Stearns et al.
Association of Christian Schools International et al. v. Roman Stearns et al.
Association of Christian Schools International v. Roman Stearns was filed in spring 2006 by Association of Christian Schools International against the University of California claiming religious discrimination over the rejection of five courses as college preparatory instruction. On August 8, 2008,...
) for refusing to grant high school credits for courses taken using certain BJU Press texts. U. S. District Court judge S. James Otero
S. James Otero
S. James Otero is a judge on the United States District Court for the Central District of California.-Early life and education:...
accepted the argument of two University of California professors that the text United States History for Christian Schools was inadequate because it claimed that the Bible was "the unerring source for analysis of historical events," attributed "historical events to divine providence rather than analyzing human action," and provided "inadequate treatment of several major ethnic groups, women and non-Christian religious groups." The judge also ruled that the book did not "encourage critical thinking skills and failed to cover 'major topics, themes and components' of U.S. history."