(Nashville, Tenn.) December 3, 2020—HarperCollins Christian Publishing today announced its acquisition of the Thompson® Chain-Reference® Bible product assets from Kirkbride Bible Company, Inc. The Bible brand will be stewarded by the Zondervan publishing group, under the direction of v-p and publisher, Melinda Bouma. This acquisition supports the company’s initiative to grow its Bible business through innovative products and a multi-translation publishing strategy.
The Thompson Chain-Reference Bible is a well-recognized topical study Bible that has been in publication for more than 100 years, and has editions in five Bible translations: King James Version (KJV); New King James Version (NKJV); New International Version (NIV); New American Study Bible (NASB); and the English Standard Version (ESV). At present, Zondervan publishes Bibles in four of these translations, making the Thompson Chain-Reference edition a perfect complement to its portfolio.
In 1890, creator of the Thompson Chain-Reference system, Dr. Frank Charles Thompson began working on the “chain-links” that became the foundation of the unique Thompson referencing system that is used by millions of Bible readers across the world. It was first published in 1908 and now contains over 100,000 references, archeological study, journey maps, and over 100 helpful features to enhance personal or group Bible study.
Melinda Bouma commented, “Zondervan is honored to uphold the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible’s legacy. It’s a timeless resource that brings us new opportunities to reach Bible readers who are interested in the study of topics linked throughout God’s Word. With this Bible, the Kirkbride Bible Company has helped people from around the world to have a more engaged and enriched relationship with our Creator and we are thrilled to now carry that work forward. We are committed to invest and revive this innovative reference Bible and expand its distribution.”
“On behalf of my family and in honoring the legacy of Dr. Thompson, I’m grateful for the missional alignment with Zondervan Bibles in reaching more people with the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible, now and in the future,” said Michael Gage, president and CEO of Kirkbride Bible Company.
The first new editions of the Thompson Chain-Reference Bibles under the Zondervan brand will be released in May 2021. Thompson Chain-Reference Bibles that will feature the Comfort Print® fonts, as part of the company’s Beautiful Bibles initiative, will begin releasing in May 2022.
For more information on the Comfort Print Bibles initiative, please visit http://www.comfortprintbibles.com.
For more information on Zondervan, please visit www.zondervan.com.
About HarperCollins Christian Publishing: The world’s leading Christian publisher, HarperCollins Christian Publishing Inc., comprises the Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publishing groups, BibleGateway.com, FaithGateway.com and ChurchSource.com. The Company produces bestselling Bibles, inspirational books, academic resources, curriculum, audio and digital content for the Christian market space. Bible Gateway is the world’s largest Christian website with more than 20 million unique monthly visitors. HarperCollins Christian Publishing is headquartered in Nashville, TN with additional offices in Grand Rapids, Mich. and Mexico City, Mexico. For more information visit www.HarperCollinsChristian.com
Contact: Casey Harrell, Senior Director, Corporate Communications,
615-902-1109 casey.harrell@harpercollins.com
