WESTMONT, IL—As part of its Leadership Summit in Philadelphia earlier this month, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) recognized InterVarsity Press (IVP) for seventy-five years of service to the church and Christian publishing. The gathering included one hundred forty evangelical publishers, book manufacturers, and other publishing partners for speaker sessions, workshops, and socializing.
Terumi Echols, president and publisher of IVP said, “Celebrating seventy-five years of service to the church is such a significant milestone and having ECPA honor IVP at the most recent Leadership Summit was an incredible gift. None of it would have been possible without the gifted writers that have willingly shared their experience, knowledge, and wisdom with us. We are also blessed to have staff that love the mission and vision of IVP and give their very best day in and day out. I am truly humbled by their efforts, by the legacy that has been created, and by the future that is yet to be.”
Since 1947, IVP has been publishing thoughtful Christian books that shape both the lives of readers and the cultures they inhabit. Over the past century, leading figures such as pastor-scholar John Stott, apologist James W. Sire, evangelist Rebecca Manley Pippert, and spiritual formation writer Eugene Peterson helped generations of readers to think more biblically and engage the world around them. Throughout its seventy-five years, IVP’s books and authors have established a legacy of speaking boldly into important cultural moments, providing timeless tools for spiritual growth, and equipping Christians for a vibrant life of faith.
“InterVarsity Press occupies a unique place in the Christian world—one that I believe is essential in a time when we are more divided than ever. IVP books offer diverse and sometimes intentionally contradictory positions,” said Cindy Bunch, IVP Vice President, Editorial. “Sometimes we joke that our books make everyone mad at one time or another—but we are actually quite serious about our role in maintaining a broad publishing program. We welcome a variety of readers rather than drawing hard lines that keep people inside and outside the boundaries. IVP authors encourage readers to dive deeper into Scripture, culture, science, theology, justice, and more, while always keeping our eyes on Christ. We value the life of the mind and at the same time we call readers to an ever-deepening spiritual journey. The qualities named in the tagline ‘Heart. Soul. Mind. Strength.’ capture our desire to reach readers in a holistic way.”
In honor of IVP’s seventy-fifth anniversary, senior editor Al Hsu has updated the book Heart. Soul. Mind. Strength.: A Narrative History of InterVarsity Press, 1947–2022. Originally published in 2006, the new edition includes new content, bringing the story up to 2022 and including stories about contemporary and award-winning authors such as Esau McCaulley and Tish Harrison Warren.
As part of its yearlong anniversary celebration, IVP has also been releasing special editions of select iconic and bestselling books from its history. Between fall of 2019 and fall of 2023, IVP is releasing Signature Collection editions of twenty-five books and eleven Bible studies that represent a wide range of authors, topics, and genres.
Jeff Crosby, ECPA’s president and publisher, said, “In the course of its seventy-five years of publishing, IVP has grown from an original focus on making Bible study, discipleship, and worldview resources available to a student ministry to becoming one of the most trusted sources of Christian thought and practice for people in the church, the academy, and the world. As the people who compose IVP enter the next chapter of its history, I am confident that the organization will continue to not only fulfill its unique and strategic mission in the world but will expand and refine it. The world desperately needs the kind of publishing that IVP has been committed to curating since its inception.”
To see a video and interactive timeline of IVP’s history, and to learn more about IVP’s publishing philosophy, visit ivpress.com/about.
Contact: Krista Clayton | 630.734.4013 | kclayton@ivpress.com
