Calvin's commentaries are still to be found on Eerdmans' list in 2001 as well as Calvin's Institutes and a number of books about John Calvin. Eerdmans' reputation gradually spread through philanthropic book awards, through generous financial backing of Christian organizations, and through William Eerdmans' propensity for publishing only those books which lived up to his standards of excellence. Although much of Eerdmans' initial success was predicated on theological and reference works, the company also concerned itself with other genres. There are good books in all the various phases of life and human experience. We should feed our minds with a variety of thoughts, as we do our stomachs with a variety of foods. . . .
Great books are like mountain tops.
They take us toward the skies, a new realm, and a new vision of the world and creation . . . . The greatest of all books are those that bring us near Divine truth, with a message of righteousness to all mankind. N.T. Wright, James D. G. Dunn, Marva Dawn, Eugene Peterson, Philip Yancey, Martin Marty, and Jean Bethke Elshtain. William B. Eerdmans, Sr., died in 1966 and was succeeded by his son, William B. Eerdmans, Jr., who maintains the high literary and intellectual standards the company has always known. The social ferment of the 1960s introduced a new sphere of books to the company.