Thomas Nelson's President and CEO Michael Hyatt has dismissed “silly and extreme” reports that his company is requiring authors to sign confessional agreements.

Writing today on his blog, Michael Hyatt refuted recent national media claims that editorial standards had been written into Nelson's contracts. “As far as I know it has never even been discussed,” he said.

The company's new editorial standards, announced at the same time as Nelson's decision to scrap its many imprints in favor of one common name, were intended to help ensure all books are written from a Christian worldview, he wrote.

Hyatt acknowledged that during recent years' growth, some projects had “not always had alignment internally with our mission and values” and that “in straying from our mission, we have sometimes confused the market.”

Hyatt outlined the eight criteria the publisher will use to evaluate future projects, drawing from Philippians 4:8. While content may be implicitly or explicitly Christian, the publisher wants to work with authors who profess a personal faith in Christ, embrace the central truths of historic Christianity and seek to live according to standards of biblical morality.

“We want people to have confidence that our books will be written from a Christian worldview, by people who profess to be Christians and are striving to walk the talk, regardless of the subject matter they may be addressing,” Hyatt said.