Study of publishing house restructuring ends without merger recommendation

Jul 31, 2013 Silver Spring, Maryland, United States…Mark A. Kellner, Adventist Review

A commission announced June 19 to consider a merger of the Pacific Press Publishing Association in Nampa, Idaho, and the Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, Maryland, will cease its work immediately, officials of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and North American Division said today. The General Conference owns the two organizations.

Mark Thomas, president of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, addresses employees July 31 at the Review’s campus in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. Both of the Adventist Church’s publishing houses in North America will continue operating as separate institutions. Kim Peckham/RHPA

Citing “differing perspectives as to the interpretation” of Spirit of Prophecy writings about the independences of the two units, a statement issued by church leaders said: “It is felt in the best interest of the publishing work of the church at this time for there to be no change to the governance of the two institutions.”

However, the statement noted that leaders of the General Conference and its North American Division have “requested that the two publishing houses continue to operate under their current structures but that they try to find ways to realize economies through closer cooperation and possible shared services.”

Additionally, “The publishing houses are also encouraged to work very closely with and respond to the North American Division’s mission-driven publishing needs and cooperate in developing more division-oriented and efficient delivery and distribution systems,” the statement indicated.

As noted in an earlier report, “Review and Herald Publishing Association is the successor to the first publishing house, The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association, incorporated in 1861. The Pacific Adventist Publishing Association, established in California, was organized in 1875. It was renamed as the Pacific Press Publishing Association in 1904. A third General Conference-sponsored publishing house, Southern Publishing Association, merged with the Review and Herald Publishing Association in 1980.”

In the July 31 announcement, church leaders asked Seventh-day Adventists to “please pray for the public sharing and personal use of printed and electronic materials as we lift up Christ, proclaim His three angels messages of Revelation 14 and announce His soon second coming.”