Christian Retailing

Jim Hoover to retire from InterVarsity Press Print Email
Written by Jeremy Burns   
Monday, 30 December 2013 05:16 PM America/New_York

JimHoover-webAfter more than 35 years in the editorial department at InterVarsity Press (IVP), Jim Hoover will be laying down his editorial pen Dec. 31.

“I could try to measure the contribution Jim has made in number of books edited or pages published in his more than 35years with IVP, but that would be wholly inadequate,” said Andy Le Peau, associate publisher for editorial at InterVarsity Press. “He has been a workhorse, but much more. He has been our sheet anchor of wisdom as we have faced innumerable decisions and quandaries over the years.”

Hoover is retiring from his role as the associate editorial director and senior editor for IVP Academic. Since 1999 he has served as in-house editor in the area of patristic studies, overseeing editorial work on all 29 volumes of the “Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture” series, the five-volume “Ancient Christian Doctrine” series, the 15-volume “Ancient Christian Texts” series and, most recently, the Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity.

“In over 60 years of writing I have had many editors, but none so thorough and helpful as Jim Hoover,” said General Editor Tom Odin. “For over two decades I worked closely with Jim on the huge task of editing the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. The outcomes of those efforts have been gratifying to everyone.

“I will always be thankful for his patience, generosity, and his special expertise in meticulous line-by-line editing,” Odin added. “His exceptional gift has been to help the author express his deepest intention.” 

“I am proud to proclaim Jim Hoover as one of my very best friends and theological counselors,” said Jim Sire, a retired IVP editor. “I used to say this to people who wanted to know what I thought about a particular theological issue: ‘Ask Jim Hoover. He thinks all of my theological thoughts before me.’”

Hoover was also with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s campus ministry for seven years prior to joining the press.

“I have known Jim Hoover from his days as an InterVarsity staff member at Yale University 40 years ago,” said InterVarsity Press publisher Bob Fryling. “In all of this time he has been a man of great intellectual curiosity, personal integrity and deep spiritual wisdom.”

“He is a highly competent scholar, an astute editor, a gifted musician and a major contributor of excellence to all we do at IVP,” Fryling added. “We will miss his warm persistent influence of doing the right things and doing things right. We will also miss his genuine friendship and presence at IVP. Congratulations to Jim for a job very well done!”