Editorial Standards

Purpose of Editorial Standards

 

Teleion Books is a Christian publishing house dedicated to developing books that honor God and edify readers. The following editorial standards help us achieve this goal by serving as writing criterion for our authors. These standards also comprise part of Teleion Books’ brand promise by defining the type of material readers can expect from our books.  

 

Author’s Profession of the Christian Faith

 

Teleion Books seeks to publish the works of authors who personally believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and for His free gift of eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10). This commitment enables Teleion Books to offer readers access to the words of those who believe and embrace the essential tenets of the faith.  

 

Author’s Life of Faith

 

Teleion Books seeks authors whose personal conduct is consistent with essential principles of the faith. Paul acknowledged that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), so this is not a standard of perfection for authors’ personal history or present lives. Teleion Books wants to offer readers the works of authors who actively live by the Christian faith and whose lives reflect the faith.   

 

Presentation of Biblical Truths and Principles

 

Readers should expect to purchase works by authors who, like Timothy, have been called to “do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). We ask that authors:

  1. Be uncompromising where the message of Scripture is clear; and
  2. Show wisdom and grace where Scripture or biblical principles are less specific

Our Statement of Faith lists essential principles of the faith which Teleion Books believes.

 

Expressions of Faith

 

Fiction and non-fiction works can reflect faith at three levels of expression. Teleion Books welcomes and promotes all three levels.

  1. Safe reading
    1. Content is safe in terms of what it feeds to readers’ hearts & minds.
    2. Content does not promote or honor negative or dark messages.
    3. Story lines may examine and affirm biblical principles even if these principles are not overtly described or discussed (e.g., a story shows a fictional character learning that he reaps what he sows, or wrestling with the choice between integrity and quick financial gain).
    4. Characters may be admirable or aspirational.
  2. Every-day expressions of faith
    1. Faith is represented as it is naturally expressed in daily life (e.g., a couple says grace at a meal, a family piles into the car for church, a man or woman feels tension due to compromise).
  3. Ministerial or evangelistic messages
    1. This category includes studies of biblical passages, discussions about issues of faith and the practical application of biblical principles and teachings, and evangelistic presentations of the gospel.

 

Material Teleion Books Will Not Publish

 

Teleion Books declines manuscripts which contain any of the following:

  1. Vain use of God’s name.
  2. Affirmations or detailed representations of immoral, illegal, unsafe, or violent acts, thoughts, or words.  
  3. Affirmations or detailed representations of acts which may be accepted or approved within secular society, but which are inconsistent with biblical teachings and principles.
  4. Explicit details of sexual acts for entertainment or shock value. While Teleion Books affirms the blessing of sex and sexuality as designed by God, we elect to provide readers with books which do not contain gratuitous or illicit sexual content.
  5. Affirmations or detailed representations of activities such as receiving psychic readings, following horoscopes or astrology, practicing witchcraft or voodoo, or consulting mediums.
  6. Horror or the paranormal.
  7. Obscene or foul language.
  8. Works containing plagiarized, libelous, or obscene material.

 

Edifying and Uplifting Content

 

A goal of Teleion Books is to help readers become mature, strong, whole persons. To accomplish this goal, we seek to publish content which fulfills one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Affirms and encourages readers.
  2. Edifies (builds-up) readers in their Christian faith and in the quality of their daily lives.
  3. Entertains readers with content that ultimately enriches hearts & minds, as opposed to encumbering hearts & minds.
  4. Enables readers to grow in living as God designed.
  5. Informs readers.

 

Teleion Books reserves the right to decline or cancel publication of manuscripts which are inconsistent with these standards or the essence of these standards.  

 

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™