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The Christian Writer's Manual of Style
An essential tool for writers, editors, proofreaders, designers, copywriters, production managers, and marketers too.
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is an essential tool not only for writers of religious materials, but for their editors, proofreaders, designers, copywriters, production managers, and even marketers. Rather than simply repeating style information commonly available in standard references, this newly updated and expanded edition includes points of grammar, punctuation, usage, book production and design, and written style that are often overlooked in other manuals. It focuses on information relating to the unique needs and demands of religious publications, such as discussions on how to correctly quote the Bible, how to capitalize and use common religious terms, and how to abbreviate the books of the Bible and other religious words.
Also included are rarely found items such as:
• an author’s guide to obtaining permissions
• guidelines for using American, British, and Mid-Atlantic styles
• discussions of inclusive language, profanity, and ethnic sensitivities
• discussions of Internet and computer-related language style
• a list of problem words
• style issues regarding words from major world religions
• a discussion of handling brand names in text
• a list of common interjections
• issues of type design, paper, copy-fit
This edition has been completely updated since the 1988 edition and contains more than twice as much information as the previous edition. This is the most detailed and comprehensive guide of its kind.
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is an essential tool not only for writers of religious materials, but for their editors, proofreaders, designers, copywriters, production managers, and even marketers. Rather than simply repeating style information commonly available in standard references, this newly updated and expanded edition includes points of grammar, punctuation, usage, book production and design, and written style that are often overlooked in other manuals. It focuses on information relating to the unique needs and demands of religious publications, such as discussions on how to correctly quote the Bible, how to capitalize and use common religious terms, and how to abbreviate the books of the Bible and other religious words.
Also included are rarely found items such as:
• an author’s guide to obtaining permissions
• guidelines for using American, British, and Mid-Atlantic styles
• discussions of inclusive language, profanity, and ethnic sensitivities
• discussions of Internet and computer-related language style
• a list of problem words
• style issues regarding words from major world religions
• a discussion of handling brand names in text
• a list of common interjections
• issues of type design, paper, copy-fit
This edition has been completely updated since the 1988 edition and contains more than twice as much information as the previous edition. This is the most detailed and comprehensive guide of its kind.
432 pages, Paperback
Published April 11, 2004
34 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 21, 2016
An invaluable reference that I will refer to time and time again. The distinction between British and American usage with regard to punctuation and commonly misused words is an excellent section. As are the comments on ellipses and the different kinds of dashes.
August 15, 2024
Really helpful reference tool, packed with information for authors and publishers: capitalization, punctuation, abbreviations, lists of common words/phrases, US vs. UK differences, setting scripture references, Bible translations, institutional preferences, examples of typography variations, and other style conventions. Gives helpful context for certain vocabulary words, offers general guidelines to authors, describes copyeditor's marks, establishes expectations for obtaining permissions, and explains LoC copyright requirements/conventions. The writing has some wry humor in places, which made for an enjoyable read.
Much of the information can be found in other style guides, but what I most appreciated was a frame of reference for what's "usually" done, in Christian publishing. In many entries, the writer will present several different ways of doing things, but will end with some context or advice that nudges you in a certain direction--a comment like "this is how it's usually done" and such. This is really helpful for deciding how to style something that isn't "wrong" either way, but you want to know how other people tend to do it, so you can be in line with the industry.
My only critique is that, at one point, the writer describes what an "editor" does, only describing the tasks of an acquisitions/commissioning editor at a publishing house. I can think of at least 7 different types of "editing" in the industry, and (if he's going to do an entry for this anyway) he should have taken the time to name and describe all types of editors (i.e. acquisitions editing, developmental editing, content editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading, production editor, etc.).
Okay, a second critique, is that many elements which the writer pointed out as being true of Roman Catholic and Anglican worship/culture are also true of Lutheran culture. He's stronger on his knowledge of RC and American Evangelical cultures than he is of other traditions. Also, I wish more details about various Mennonite traditions had been included.
I read the 2004 edition, which has some outdated pieces. Still talks about paper manuscripts, CDs, old file requirements, and such. (I'm a millennial, and I've used a floppy disk, but what's a Zip disk?)
Much of the information can be found in other style guides, but what I most appreciated was a frame of reference for what's "usually" done, in Christian publishing. In many entries, the writer will present several different ways of doing things, but will end with some context or advice that nudges you in a certain direction--a comment like "this is how it's usually done" and such. This is really helpful for deciding how to style something that isn't "wrong" either way, but you want to know how other people tend to do it, so you can be in line with the industry.
My only critique is that, at one point, the writer describes what an "editor" does, only describing the tasks of an acquisitions/commissioning editor at a publishing house. I can think of at least 7 different types of "editing" in the industry, and (if he's going to do an entry for this anyway) he should have taken the time to name and describe all types of editors (i.e. acquisitions editing, developmental editing, content editing, line editing, copyediting, proofreading, production editor, etc.).
Okay, a second critique, is that many elements which the writer pointed out as being true of Roman Catholic and Anglican worship/culture are also true of Lutheran culture. He's stronger on his knowledge of RC and American Evangelical cultures than he is of other traditions. Also, I wish more details about various Mennonite traditions had been included.
I read the 2004 edition, which has some outdated pieces. Still talks about paper manuscripts, CDs, old file requirements, and such. (I'm a millennial, and I've used a floppy disk, but what's a Zip disk?)
April 11, 2019
What a fantastic book! It's been a while since I read straight through a style guide, and working my way through The Christian Writer's Manual of Style reminded me how enjoyable it can be. I don't know why I hadn't heard of this volume until several months ago, but I am so glad to have it in my mind and on my shelf.
Robert Hudson is an author and a veteran editor at Zondervan, and he has created this style manual to help writers and editors who are working not only in the Christian publishing industry but who are working on any content connected to Christianity. The manual covers common issues in fiction and nonfiction, also referencing digital platforms where appropriate.
The book takes The Chicago Manual of Style as its foundation, and then addresses a range of some general issues and many topics specific to writing about Christianity. The first half of the book is a style guide, covering larger topics and themes of grammar and style. The second half is called the "The Word List" and considers usage in individual words and phrases. I wasn't always sure that the two separate sections were necessary—why not put everything together?—but it's not difficult to find what I'm looking for.
I found the whole book fascinating. Hudson gives thoughtful explanations on topics I sometimes hadn't even thought about. When a colleague saw the book in my office, for example, he immediately asked, "What does it say about capitalizing 'heaven'?" (a topic on my colleague's mind because of some recent writing he's been doing). We turned to that page, and there was a helpful explanation.
One thing I'll remember about reading this book: Capitalization rules are incredibly arbitrary. For that alone, this manual is of great help to writers and editors. Do you capitalize "scripture"? In what contexts? What about other forms, such as "scriptural"? Capitalization is a frustratingly illogical topic, and I know that I will turn back to this book in making those decisions in the future.
I hope that all writers and editors working on Christian-related content and topics will pick up The Christian Writer's Manual of Style, so that we can move toward better standardization and, therefore, clearer communication.
Robert Hudson is an author and a veteran editor at Zondervan, and he has created this style manual to help writers and editors who are working not only in the Christian publishing industry but who are working on any content connected to Christianity. The manual covers common issues in fiction and nonfiction, also referencing digital platforms where appropriate.
The book takes The Chicago Manual of Style as its foundation, and then addresses a range of some general issues and many topics specific to writing about Christianity. The first half of the book is a style guide, covering larger topics and themes of grammar and style. The second half is called the "The Word List" and considers usage in individual words and phrases. I wasn't always sure that the two separate sections were necessary—why not put everything together?—but it's not difficult to find what I'm looking for.
I found the whole book fascinating. Hudson gives thoughtful explanations on topics I sometimes hadn't even thought about. When a colleague saw the book in my office, for example, he immediately asked, "What does it say about capitalizing 'heaven'?" (a topic on my colleague's mind because of some recent writing he's been doing). We turned to that page, and there was a helpful explanation.
One thing I'll remember about reading this book: Capitalization rules are incredibly arbitrary. For that alone, this manual is of great help to writers and editors. Do you capitalize "scripture"? In what contexts? What about other forms, such as "scriptural"? Capitalization is a frustratingly illogical topic, and I know that I will turn back to this book in making those decisions in the future.
I hope that all writers and editors working on Christian-related content and topics will pick up The Christian Writer's Manual of Style, so that we can move toward better standardization and, therefore, clearer communication.
July 10, 2025
As a writer and editor, a good style manual is an indispensable piece of equipment, and as a Christian writer and editor, The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is what I’d describe as equally indispensable. Robert Hudson put this reference book together in 2004, so of course some of the information is outdated and obsolete. Still, Hudson’s all-inclusive manual of the mechanics of Christian writing is still an excellent tool, especially in a digital age where you have to make informed decisions based on the many variations of rules out there.
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style covers an enormous amount of information related to Christian writing and editing, whether it be commentaries, devotionals, expositions, bibliographies, blogs, sermons, biographies, or nonfictional accounts. Hudson relates extraordinarily detailed, practical advice on a huge number of topics — grammar, punctuation, alternate spellings, capitalization, word usage, abbreviations, acronyms, vocabulary words, Scripture references, endnotes, footnotes, typography, book design, getting permissions, using Bible translations, stylistic versus standardized choices, and so much more. Hudson also provides extensive examples and detailed explanations for every topic, mixed with the occasional hint of humor and a vast amount of practical experience.
The book is organized with topics listed in alphabetical order, with a detailed index to direct you to whatever you need to find. Having the book organized alphabetically instead of in sections can be a little confusing, but once you get the hang of it, this style guide is excellent for any question you might have about the technicalities of Christian writing. As Hudson says in his wonderful preface, The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is not intended to replace other works like Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and The SBL Handbook of Style, but it does serve as a companion to those works and specifically addresses Christian writing, which can be a hard topic to research online at times. As I mentioned, some of the information in this book is a bit dated (floppy disks and paper filing systems still ruled the world in 2004), but the vast majority of Hudson’s manual is still relevant and will remain so.
Utilizing a personable and knowledgeable tone, Hudson’s specificity is highly welcome in a field like mine, where I’m always having to ask questions like, “Should I capitalize this epithet of Jesus? Should I use a hyphen or an en dash to indicate multiple verses? Is it okay to shorten the name of this publishing company in my endnote?” In many cases, the world of writing and editing is not standardized, so Hudson provides enough information for readers to make their own decisions about things that have multiple answers. Every entry has multiple examples so the reader can easily follow along, and the book is filled with helpful tables, lists, and charts of information. The entire book is comprehensive, readable, and practical, especially coming from a man like Hudson who has spent his entire career steeped in Christian writing. He writes in clear, simple language about technical matters that confuse the best of us, and he achieves an excellent balance of acknowledging the arbitrary nature of language’s many rules while highlighting the importance of being precise and accurate in spiritual matters.
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is actually the updated and revised version of Hudson’s original 1988 reference book A Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, and while it is dated in some ways, it’s still a book I use every day for my questions about specifics of style from a Christian perspective. Google has a lot of answers, but it’s nice to have a single, comprehensive compendium that is literally packed with useful information from a purely Christian perspective.
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style covers an enormous amount of information related to Christian writing and editing, whether it be commentaries, devotionals, expositions, bibliographies, blogs, sermons, biographies, or nonfictional accounts. Hudson relates extraordinarily detailed, practical advice on a huge number of topics — grammar, punctuation, alternate spellings, capitalization, word usage, abbreviations, acronyms, vocabulary words, Scripture references, endnotes, footnotes, typography, book design, getting permissions, using Bible translations, stylistic versus standardized choices, and so much more. Hudson also provides extensive examples and detailed explanations for every topic, mixed with the occasional hint of humor and a vast amount of practical experience.
“This manual is not a rule book. It can be thought of as a travel guide to a wondrous and often baffling country called Religious Writing and Publishing.”
The book is organized with topics listed in alphabetical order, with a detailed index to direct you to whatever you need to find. Having the book organized alphabetically instead of in sections can be a little confusing, but once you get the hang of it, this style guide is excellent for any question you might have about the technicalities of Christian writing. As Hudson says in his wonderful preface, The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is not intended to replace other works like Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and The SBL Handbook of Style, but it does serve as a companion to those works and specifically addresses Christian writing, which can be a hard topic to research online at times. As I mentioned, some of the information in this book is a bit dated (floppy disks and paper filing systems still ruled the world in 2004), but the vast majority of Hudson’s manual is still relevant and will remain so.
Utilizing a personable and knowledgeable tone, Hudson’s specificity is highly welcome in a field like mine, where I’m always having to ask questions like, “Should I capitalize this epithet of Jesus? Should I use a hyphen or an en dash to indicate multiple verses? Is it okay to shorten the name of this publishing company in my endnote?” In many cases, the world of writing and editing is not standardized, so Hudson provides enough information for readers to make their own decisions about things that have multiple answers. Every entry has multiple examples so the reader can easily follow along, and the book is filled with helpful tables, lists, and charts of information. The entire book is comprehensive, readable, and practical, especially coming from a man like Hudson who has spent his entire career steeped in Christian writing. He writes in clear, simple language about technical matters that confuse the best of us, and he achieves an excellent balance of acknowledging the arbitrary nature of language’s many rules while highlighting the importance of being precise and accurate in spiritual matters.
“Authors, editors, and proofreaders are not the final arbiters of style, as much as we might like to think so, nor are the grammarians, professors, linguists, and lexicographers. Rather, the final authority on written English is the reader. Our language, whether we acknowledge it or not, is an elegant anarchy, a sort of democratic gumbo. If any spelling option, punctuation mark, or word choice — even the “correct” ones — causes the average reader to stumble, then it is wrong.”
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is actually the updated and revised version of Hudson’s original 1988 reference book A Christian Writer’s Manual of Style, and while it is dated in some ways, it’s still a book I use every day for my questions about specifics of style from a Christian perspective. Google has a lot of answers, but it’s nice to have a single, comprehensive compendium that is literally packed with useful information from a purely Christian perspective.
August 17, 2020
This book is detailed and full of easy to understand guidance for writers who wish to dive deep into this genre of book. I would not know what I would do without it. I have it on my writing desk all the time and I employ you to do the same. There is nothing better than this book.
February 1, 2022
I don't typically read style manuals, but this work has proved far more helpful than I originally thought it might be - clear, even conversational in parts, and relatable for writers in Christian contexts. Definitely one to have on the shelf!
August 24, 2020
Exactly What It Says on the Tin.
Those writing on a secular topic may find its specificity unnecessary, but it is very comprehensive and I appreciated the layout and tables of words.
Those writing on a secular topic may find its specificity unnecessary, but it is very comprehensive and I appreciated the layout and tables of words.
September 8, 2021
A great reference to write well. I refer to it frequently!
May 20, 2022
An informative and handy reference guide for any editor or writer, especially those that work with Christian content.
October 9, 2016
Robert Hudson is no stranger to the world of Christian publication. Hudson is currently a senior editor-at-large at Zondervan and a longtime voice of reason in the writer’s community. Most recently, Hudson has released an updated and revised, fourth edition of his widely enjoyed and immensely useful handbook The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style.
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is an indispensable tool for anyone engaged in the discipline of reading or writing within Christian and religious studies. This includes the seasoned academics, frequent bloggers, and diligent readers. Hudson’s work is divided into two major sections: (1) the style guide and (2) the word list.
The style guide contains a broad swath of appropriate topics, including both guidelines and stylistic recommendations. The entries are organized alphabetically and cover both common and obscure topics, everything from abbreviations to garwlixes. The word list is likewise organized alphabetically and discusses specific words and phrases common within Christian and religious writings. Hudson also makes recommendation concerning proper usage within various contexts. The entries include anything from the proper usage of “ABC’s, ABCs” to the appropriate spelling and use of the tetragrammaton (“YHWH, JHWH”).
Hudson is very clear that his work is not to be used as a substitute for standard reference works such as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and The SBL Handbook of Style. Rather, Hudson has provided a niche reference work that supplements such titles—and that it does extremely well. The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style (4th edition) is both cognizant of, and sensitive to the established position of these works, and Hudson does an excellent job providing users with a tool that compliments their existence on the reader’s shelf.
The usability and comprehensive nature of The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is impressive. I have used numerous style handbooks and reference works to improve my writing, including all the reference works mentioned above. However, apart from The SBL Handbook of Style, none have been more immediately useful than Hudson’s work. It is overflowing with beneficial information and seasoned guidance that only the most naïve of writers would overlook. There is much to be absorbed here, and Hudson has almost guaranteed that users of all backgrounds will benefit with the first crack of the cover.
If you read, write, or do both in the arena of Christian or religious studies The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style by Robert Hudson is a book that should be within an arm’s reach at any moment. It comes highly recommended and will used often!
The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is an indispensable tool for anyone engaged in the discipline of reading or writing within Christian and religious studies. This includes the seasoned academics, frequent bloggers, and diligent readers. Hudson’s work is divided into two major sections: (1) the style guide and (2) the word list.
The style guide contains a broad swath of appropriate topics, including both guidelines and stylistic recommendations. The entries are organized alphabetically and cover both common and obscure topics, everything from abbreviations to garwlixes. The word list is likewise organized alphabetically and discusses specific words and phrases common within Christian and religious writings. Hudson also makes recommendation concerning proper usage within various contexts. The entries include anything from the proper usage of “ABC’s, ABCs” to the appropriate spelling and use of the tetragrammaton (“YHWH, JHWH”).
Hudson is very clear that his work is not to be used as a substitute for standard reference works such as Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, The Chicago Manual of Style, and The SBL Handbook of Style. Rather, Hudson has provided a niche reference work that supplements such titles—and that it does extremely well. The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style (4th edition) is both cognizant of, and sensitive to the established position of these works, and Hudson does an excellent job providing users with a tool that compliments their existence on the reader’s shelf.
The usability and comprehensive nature of The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style is impressive. I have used numerous style handbooks and reference works to improve my writing, including all the reference works mentioned above. However, apart from The SBL Handbook of Style, none have been more immediately useful than Hudson’s work. It is overflowing with beneficial information and seasoned guidance that only the most naïve of writers would overlook. There is much to be absorbed here, and Hudson has almost guaranteed that users of all backgrounds will benefit with the first crack of the cover.
If you read, write, or do both in the arena of Christian or religious studies The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style by Robert Hudson is a book that should be within an arm’s reach at any moment. It comes highly recommended and will used often!
December 27, 2009
I did not like the older version of Christian Writer's Manual after reviewing other manual of styles. I purchased a copy of the newer version, and they have revised to other manual of styles: Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed.; Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed. of which are other writing resources we should have in our library. I do have the Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and another version. I prefer the Kate L. Turabian Manual of Style, 7th ed. in which also refers to the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed.
I am reading and highlighting this book with book mark tags to get me to the main pages that I need to reference when writing and editing. This book is highly recommended for Christian writers both nonfiction and fiction, primarily nonfiction.
There are also some useful tools on writing, researching, and other methods that are highly recommended since some writers feel if they got the message from God, this is the only source. I would advise to also review other writing manuals and styles to be a writer of excellence while plugged in God's Source. I know, I would not have written "The Day Begins with Christ" and "Desire at Will". I used MLA and Turabian style for those books, now with "Unleashing the Spirit" and "God is in the Equation" upcoming books, I am using both Turabian Manual of Style and Christian Writer's Manual of Style.
Let your day begin in 2010. Great Writing Resource tool especially for Christian writers/authors.
I am reading and highlighting this book with book mark tags to get me to the main pages that I need to reference when writing and editing. This book is highly recommended for Christian writers both nonfiction and fiction, primarily nonfiction.
There are also some useful tools on writing, researching, and other methods that are highly recommended since some writers feel if they got the message from God, this is the only source. I would advise to also review other writing manuals and styles to be a writer of excellence while plugged in God's Source. I know, I would not have written "The Day Begins with Christ" and "Desire at Will". I used MLA and Turabian style for those books, now with "Unleashing the Spirit" and "God is in the Equation" upcoming books, I am using both Turabian Manual of Style and Christian Writer's Manual of Style.
Let your day begin in 2010. Great Writing Resource tool especially for Christian writers/authors.
May 10, 2013
This was a very helpful book, especially for its treatment of some words mainly used in Christendom. It is arranged alphabetically, so coming from CMS it was hard to get in the groove how this was laid out. But now it is simple to find what I'm looking for. The only thing I didn't like about it, is that with some non-Christian stuff, they flat out disagreed with both Webster's and CMS.
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May 11, 2022It had a lot of information (some unnecessary, some interesting, some useful) but it was not made to be read straight through. It's definitely more of a reference resource and pretty general in terms of that. It definitely wasn't what I was expecting: an A to Z index.
July 22, 2015
Very useful tool that one should look over repeatedly when writing. included are punctuation, grammar, writing styles and more!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews