For the World: Essays in Honor of Richard L. Pratt Jr. is reflective of Richard’s life and ministry in many ways. First, the subject matter is diverse: Biblical and Theological Studies, Ministry & Missions, Ministry Training & Theological Education. These are the diverse areas of Richard’s work and ministry. Second, the authors compiled by Holcomb and Lucke are also diverse in ways that reflect Richard’s ministry. There are seminary professors and academicians, missionaries, and a counselor. There is also ethnic and gender diversity as well. There are people I know and studied with, and those I’ve never heard of before.
I don’t know the circumstances and commitments of other people but I was disappointed to not see chapters by R.C. Sproul and Chuck DeGroat among others. This reflects the fact that I wish this was longer. For instance this book is 184 pages but the book in John Frame’s honor is over 1,000 pages. Somewhere in between would have been an improvement on an already good book. But let’s focus on what is there.
The book begins with a chapter surveying Richard’s life. I will use Richard because that is what he wanted us to call him. He is one of the two people I’ve allowed to call me “Stevie”. Richard was definitely the most popular professor on campus. As a result, I tended to talk with other professors more often. I am thankful for those relationships. Still, while reading this chapter (shortly after reading a biography of Dr. Nicole) I was struck by the great men that I have been privileged to know: Dr. Nicole, Richard, R.C. and Saul Cruz. In retrospect I wish I had pursued them more. I’m not sure why but surely my own insecurity and shame issues: why would THEY want to invest in me? These men, and others you have never heard of, have been used by God to invest in me. For this I am thankful.
The diversity of the subject matter is both a blessing and a curse. There were some subjects with which I was unfamiliar (and many other readers may be) and therefore I didn’t quite have the pegs to hang the info on yet (hey, just like the first year of seminary). It is very good to learn new things, but some people may similarly feel lost at times. Other chapters were great reminders of the things Richard taught us (particularly Monica Taffinder’s chapter) and delved into the why’s and how’s of his method (Scott Redd’s chater). Other chapters expressed an extension of Richard’s sometimes radical ideas with regard to theological education (Michael Briggs, John Frame and Gregory Perry) with which I generally agree with Richard.
The chapters that I found most helpful were the aforementioned chapters by Monica and Scott Redd, as well as those by Reggie Kidd, Justin Holcomb, David Correa and Simon Vibert. Overall the book touches on a variety of topics helpful for those in ministry and missions: prayer, hermeneutics, counseling etc. This is not just a helpful addition if you were one of his students, but particularly if you weren’t.
One (unintended?) consequence for me was regret that I didn’t take ITS (Introduction to Theological Studies) which was instituted in my middler year so I could take other electives. This may be rectified, so to speak, as I plan on watching some of the Third Millennium materials.
Cavman Considers 
The category of “Festschriften” is a bag of hurt. They generally don’t sell, so they become true dogs for publishers to take on—which some will still do, out of a sense of obligation to a long-time author who has published with them, but fewer and fewer publishing houses are building that sort of long-term relationship with authors. (And even those that are find they can’t afford to offer an honorific volume for them.)
I know for a fact that the publisher of one festschrift sold 1037 copies—1000 of which were bought by the seminary and seminary bookstore where the professor taught, and who knows how many of those actually sold (and how many were just given away—there are still cases of them in storage at that seminary)? This for a hardcover book of over 400 pages; that publisher probably did a run of 2000 copies, each costing them around $3–$4; so assume $8000 for the hard costs, not counting editing, design, and other in-house costs. Thanks to that seminary’s generous purchase, the publishing company probably broke even—barely.
You might suppose that the publisher could just do a smaller run, but most publishers can’t afford to produce a book that won’t sell more than 2000 copies. That’s just the nature of the publishing world we live in.
All of that is to say: Frame’s behemoth was a bizarre exception, and from what I’ve heard it was never intended to be more than half as thick as it became in the end. It was only Frame’s wide influence—and probably some acquiescence on the part of P&R—that allowed it to get as big as it did, and I’m sure someone declared, “Never again!” shortly thereafter. And thus, Pratt gets less than 200 pages. If he’s as savvy about publishing as he is about so many other things, I’m confident Pratt is grateful to have anything at all.
I’ve been working on co-editing a book that has a festschrift-like flavor to it, but is really more than a simple honor volume. The person whose work is at the center of this volume is beloved, known across a number of circles, and internationally recognized. And the essays we’ve collected are really good. Nevertheless, the publishers we’ve talked to have balked at the idea of anything that feels remotely like a festschrift.
I think the “festschrift” is a genre that is fading out of existence, at least for now. Maybe one day it will be something that re-emerges, but things will have to change a lot—including prevailing attitudes and sentiments about why it is important to honor the contributions of past individuals—for that to be the case.
Wow fascinating knowledge from your comment. Very insightful into the academic publishing world
Publishers must appreciate the seminaries. I got my copy of Frame’s from RTS at GA on year.
Thanks for this review. I agree that this volume was rather short for a book honoring a professor and that Frame’s work was the biggest one I’ve ever seen (brought the book). Appreciated your review. My own review of the book can be found here: https://veritasdomain.wordpress.com/2014/08/05/review-for-the-world-essays-in-honor-of-richard-l-pratt-jr-edited-by-justin-s-holcomb-and-glenn-lucke/