We started Updated Works because we believe that modern Christianity has lost its way, becoming a watered-down version of the past. Rich and deep orthodoxy and orthopraxy has been replaced with weak self-help books masquerading as Christian thought. We believe this is wrong and must change.
The big question is...how can this change?
Using 2 Kings 22:8-13 as a guidepost, we believe that exposing people to God's Word is the key that picks the lock. Our view is that we must unshackle ourselves from the present moment, zooming out to identity and discover the best Christian thinkers throughout history.
Instead of rejecting two thousand years of Christian history, we should lean into it. We should mine the scriptures like the Bereans did (Acts 17:11).
While we are Protestant, Reformed, and have a strong bias towards these authors, we also will publish early Church fathers, Josephus, and others. We want to expose you to a variety of thinkers.
How we produce our works
We use a combination of human review and computer algorithms to update these timeless classics. Our process has three main steps:
Step 1: Selection and formatting
We begin by selecting an outdated work worthy of preservation and wider readership. Once selected, we carefully format the original text, preparing it for the modernization process. This includes cleaning up any OCR artifacts from older scans and establishing a consistent structure throughout the work.
Step 2: Modernization
Next, we modernize the language, translating archaic expressions and obsolete vocabulary into contemporary English. Our goal is to make the text accessible to today's readers while faithfully preserving the author's original meaning and voice. We may update chapter names for clarity and break up lengthy paragraphs to improve readability, but we do not annotate the works or add our own commentary.
Step 3: Review
Finally, we review the work paragraph by paragraph using both humans and computer algorithms. We pay particular attention to three areas: structural accuracy (ensuring the modernized text follows the original's logic and flow), simplicity (making sure the language is clear and approachable), and theological accuracy (verifying that doctrinal content remains faithful to the author's intent).
If you ever have feedback on an updated work, please contact us. For any issues flagged, we aim to correct them and re-submit to Amazon within 48 hours. We hope you enjoy this resource!