It is getting serious up in here.
Last night on Twitter, John Piper posted a series of tweets apparently in response to an op-ed by Andy Crouch at Christianity Today on the Mark Driscoll plagiarism (now ghostwriting) controversy. Â Crouch’s op-ed builds to this crescendo:
The real danger here is not plagiarism—it is idolatry.
I think both are a problem and as it turns out another related problem appears to be ghostwriting.
Piper doesn’t think highly of taking credit for the work of others. To wit:
Yes. Andy Crouch on the idolatry of ghost writing. http://t.co/vzb8xc98yX
— John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013
If lying is the "industry standard" reject it. Come on, famous guys, if someone writes for you, put the plebe's name on it.
— John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013
This applies to you too, presidents, ministry leaders, fund raisers. If someone writes a letter for you, put the name on it.
— John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013
Just in case you want to hear my emotion about this ghost writing thing, here's groaning last July. http://t.co/nzmh57jTCW
— John Piper (@JohnPiper) December 11, 2013
As Crouch and Piper suggest, this controversy is turning toward ghostwriting and less than honest assignment of credit for scholarly work. In the last tweet posted above, Piper links to an audio where he addresses ghostwriting. In it he says, “I think to put your name on a book you didn’t write is a lie.” Piper leaves no doubt as to his dim view of misrepresenting one’s work to the public.