Cold Type

Today, a Banquet; Tomorrow, a Theocracy

One C-SPAN viewer blogs about watching the Spence banquet. He was "spellbound":

What did I learn? I learned that Spence Publishing exists, that Tertio Millennio is an ultra-Catholic group that worships the teachings of John Paul II, and that, at age 80, Phyllis Schlafly shows no signs of slowing down.

Our panelists, he concludes, are "intent on establishing a Christian theocracy in America." Alas, our secret is out! I knew it was a mistake to invite C-SPAN.

Spence Banquet on DVD and VHS

We've had a few inquiries about the recording of our tenth anniversary banquet. C-SPAN offers it on DVD and video tape here.

Spence Banquet Re-aired

If you missed watching the Spence Banquet and Fundraiser for the Tertio Millennio Seminar, you can catch it again this weekend: twice. C-Span will air the event this Saturday at 1:30 pm ET and 10 pm ET. 

Spence's Birthday on C-Span

As you know, we celebrated ten years of publishing in May. This Sunday, July 9, at 8:15 a.m, you can watch the celebration and fund-raiser for the Tertio Millennio Seminar, featuring George Weigel and a panel of Spence authors, on C-Span's Book TV. And you don't even have to buy a ticket.   

Am I a Crunchy Con?

I'll leave it to others to decide.

Regardless, beginning today, I will be guest-blogging on National Review Online’s “Crunchy Cons” blog. The blog will present a discussion of a new book of the same title by Rod Dreher, assistant editorial page editor of the Dallas Morning News.

Several perceptive scholars and commentators, whose sandals I’m not worthy to unstrap, as it were, will also participate, and the initial posts are already up. I recommend putting the blog’s feed in your aggregator.

Celebrity Endorsement

Well, not exactly. From Eric Alterman on his MSNBC blog:

"Where conservatives go when it's not good enough for Regnery."

Hiatus

COLD TYPE is on hiatus for the week of January 30.

Stay Out of Journalism School

A degree in journalism is, alas, not an asset if you're applying for a job at Spence Publishing. Fr. Richard John Neuhaus' experience this week answering questions about Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical is the sort of thing that hardens our attitude on this matter:

I’m just off the phone with a reporter from a national paper. He’s doing a story on Pope Benedict’s new encyclical. In the course of discussing the pontificate, I referred to the pope as the bishop of Rome. “That raises an interesting point,” he said. “Is it unusual that this pope is also the bishop of Rome?” He obviously thought he was on to a new angle. I tried to be gentle. Toward the end of our talk, he said with manifest sincerity, “My job is not only to get the story right but to explain what it means.” Ah yes, he is just the fellow to explain what this pontificate and the encyclical really mean. It is poignant.

Read more.

First Client

Spence Media is pleased to announce the signing of its first client, Catholic World News.

Catholic World News (CWN) is an independent Catholic news service, staffed by lay Catholic journalists, dedicated to providing accurate world news written from a distinctively Catholic perspective. With correspondents all around the world, CWN seeks to provide Catholics and other interested readers with all the daily news that affects their Church and their faith.

Catholic World News is the only English-language service that is not owned, administered, subsidized, or controlled by any ecclesiastical body. CWN thus maintains its freedom to report candidly on Church news.

The Meaning of Marriage

We are pleased to announce the publication of The Meaning of Marriage: Family, State, Market, and Morals, edited by Robert P. George and Jean Bethke Elshtain, two of the most distinguished scholars that it has been our privilege to publish.

This volume brings together the best of contemporary scholarship on marriage from a variety of disciplines—history, ethics, economics, law and public policy, philosophy, sociology, psychiatry, political science—to inform, and reform, public debate. Rigorous yet accessible, these studies aim to rethink and re-present the case for marriage as a positive institution and ideal that is in the public interest and serves the common good.

The essays in this volume were presented to an audience of scholars, journalists, public policy experts, and other professionals, at a conference sponsored by the Witherspoon Institute. The contributors are among the most eminent authorities on marriage and public policy in the English-speaking world.

An excerpt from the book is available here. As always, our own books are available at SpencePublishing.com for at least 40% off, and shipping on orders over $30 is free.