Justin Taylor reported the news earlier today, from a Publishers Weekly article. Some of this was confirmed to me via personal correspondence from a former Multnomah employee. On a personal level, this is sad, as the future of many good editors and managers is uncertain. On another level, I'm concerned that the future owner will likely be a secular publishing house, and hence more likely to make publication decisions based on economic driving forces rather than theological or pastoral convictions. (That is arguably already an issue in the industry.) An announcement is due Friday that … [Read more...] about Multnomah Being Sold – And Possibly Closed
Archives for July 2006
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld – Media Coverage
James Taranto delineates the significance of the 5-3 Supreme Court ruling regarding the treatment of detainees in Guantanamo Bay (Hamden v. Rumself). Not surprisingly, it is not as "significant a blow to the President" as the media has purported. Media coverage: * "The Supreme Court on Thursday repudiated the Bush administration's plan to put Guantanamo detainees on trial before military commissions, ruling broadly that the commissions were unauthorized by federal statute and violated international law. . . . The decision was . . . a sweeping and categorical defeat for the … [Read more...] about Hamdan v. Rumsfeld – Media Coverage
Thomas Sowell – Coverage of Iraq War
Thomas Sowell writes a good essay on how the media coverage of Iraq fails to grant soldiers the presumption of innocence with regard to unproven charges. The irony, of course, is that even citizens who do not sacrifice for the good of America enjoy the presumption of innocence. How much more ought courageous soldiers (seeking to secure the freedom of others) receive this fundamental privilege of democracy? Key quotes: "A recent study by the Media Research Center found that the three big broadcast news networks -- CBS, ABC, and NBC -- ran 99 stories in 3 and 1/2 hours about the … [Read more...] about Thomas Sowell – Coverage of Iraq War
PC(USA) Assembly and the Trinity
In an earlier post, I mentioned that some Presbyterians had been contributing to "...the degradation of the Trinity into trite platitudes such as 'Rock, Redeemer, and Friend.'" I was referring to the 217th General Assembly meeting of the PC(USA) last month in Birmingham, Alabama. Read more about the strange developments here. Excerpt: Pastor Parker T. Williamson, CEO of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, says the PC(USA) is showing contempt for historic church teaching with these substitutions. "The understanding of God as three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in this divine communion … [Read more...] about PC(USA) Assembly and the Trinity
Tax Cuts Put More People in Higher Tax Brackets
President Bush receives little credit for the strong US economy, yet it is indisputable that the tax cuts he instituted in 2003 have been overwhelmingly helpful. "In the nine quarters preceding that cut on dividend and capital gains rates and in marginal income-tax rates, economic growth averaged an annual 1.1%. In the 12 quarters--three full years--since the tax cut passed, growth has averaged a remarkable 4%." "In the first nine months of fiscal 2006, tax revenues have climbed by $206 billion, or nearly 13%. As the Congressional Budget Office recently noted, "That increase represents the … [Read more...] about Tax Cuts Put More People in Higher Tax Brackets
John MacArthur Books & Phil Johnson
Many of you know that John MacArthur publishes a lot of books. The man is so prolific that one wonders where to find time to read them, let alone how John writes them. He does receive assistance from an editor, Phil Johnson. Over the years, people have asked precisely how this editorial relationship works. Here is the explanation, along with a helpful introduction to MacArthur's next major book, The Truth War (due in Spring 2007). Excerpt: "The Truth War is going to be a powerful, and very controversial, book....It is without question the most provocative book John MacArthur has written … [Read more...] about John MacArthur Books & Phil Johnson