Crossway Publishers says on it's website that it "exists solely for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel through publishing" and that it publishes "gospel-centered books." But what gospel are they promoting: the Free Grace gospel or maybe something else?
Charlie Bing's statement about Crossway Publishers is revealing and I'm going to reproduce it below. To give his statement some context, Dr. Bing is a Free Grace theologian and published author writing a review of Wayne Grudem's book "Free Grace" Theology: 5 Ways It Diminishes the Gospel (Crossway Publishers, 2016). At the end of his review, Dr. Bing shares the following information under the heading "Finally, Some Unfortunate Misstatements and Misrepresentations":
"Dr. Grudem also unfairly tries to minimize the academic credibility of Free Grace teachers. He says, rightly so, that many Free Grace authors self-publish or publish with little known publishers (p. 138). He mentions two exceptions: Zane Hodges who published with Zondervan (but he did not mention Bob Wilkin who also published with Zondervan), and myself who published with Kregel. But then he says that my book with Kregel, Simply by Grace, is out of print! [order here] I was so surprised to read this that I immediately contacted the head of Kregel to ask him if this was true. Absolutely not, he said. The fact is, there have been three printings and more than seven foreign translations of this book. I don't know where Dr. Grudem got his information or why he would even want to say this (After correspondence with Dr. Grudem, he said he would tell Crossway to correct the error). There are some other Free Grace authors who have published with major publishers too. But the argument that Free Grace authors don't have academic credibility because they do not have major publishers is akin to the argument that creationists are not credible scientists because they are not professors in our universities. The sobering truth is that evolutionists are in control of who teaches in their universities, and the Reformed Calvinists are largely in control of the publishing industry (and the academic organizations). For example, I know that Crossway, who published Dr. Grudem's book, was asked if they would publish a response by some well-qualified Free Grace scholars. They refused to do so. A couple of years ago, we heard that Dr. Grudem was going to present essentially this same critique of Free Grace theology at the Evangelical Society's Annual Meeting. I submitted a proposal that simply addressed misunderstandings about Free Grace theology (not an attack or direct response to Dr. Grudem), yet I was denied. I have reflected the Free Grace position in books and credible journal articles and presented at least four times in previous years at ETS with no problem. But it seems that all Free Grace presentation proposals were denied that year, though these people have presented before. Dr. Grudem is a recent past president of ETS, as is Thomas Schreiner. What are we to think? I'll leave you to your own conclusions."1
I don't want to imply that only Crossway Publishers discriminates against Free Grace authors. There are no doubt other publishers and organizations that try to censor Free Grace views, as Dr. Bing implies when he says that "the Reformed Calvinists are largely in control of the publishing industry (and the academic organizations)."
So what can Free Grace people do about it? Personally, I think I'm going to vote with my wallet. As my dad says, "I'll take my business elsewhere." Thank you very much. In fact, I will happily take my business elsewhere: like to some vendor on Amazon selling the same book used. That way I get the book at a better price and I'm not supporting the error of Calvinism promoted by Crossway Publishers.
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