The Archive is often asked whether Pink’s writings are in the Public Domain as there is some ambiguity around the copyright of Pink’s writings, which is unsurprising. Despite the sheer amount of Pink’s writings circulated widely on the internet and in print over the last few decades, the known copyright status of his works is complicated due to the variety of publications, Pink’s geographical movements, and the multiple publishers involved.

Early Stand-Alone Works and Bible Truth Depot

Several of A.W. Pink’s early and most influential works were first published as stand-alone books before the commencement of his well-known periodical, Studies in the Scriptures. These books were typically published under Bible Truth Depot, owned by I.C. Herendeen, who held the copyrights. Notable works published by Bible Truth Depot include:

• 1917 – The Divine Inspiration of the Bible
• 1918 – The Redeemer’s Return
• 1918 – The Sovereignty of God
• 1919 – The Seven Sayings on the Cross
• 1921 – Why Four Gospels?

These works were published under U.S. copyright law, specifically the Copyright Act of 1909, which granted an initial term of 28 years from publication. If the copyright was properly renewed, an additional 28 years of protection was possible, for a total of 56 years.

In the case of The Sovereignty of God, the book went through several editions, including a 1922 revision and a final revision in 1929, for which Herendeen claimed copyright in 1930. As a result, the 1930 edition of The Sovereignty of God would have received a new copyright term starting from that year.

If Bible Truth Depot or the copyright holder renewed the copyright for these works, the total copyright term would have been extended to 95 years under the 1976 Copyright Act and the 1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. For example, if the 1930 copyright of The Sovereignty of God was renewed, it would have been protected until 2025.

However, given that 95 years have passed for most of these early works, many have entered the public domain. Even if the copyrights were renewed, they would have expired by 2023, meaning these works can now be freely used, distributed, and reproduced without restriction. This applies, at least, to the original text of The Sovereignty of God. Later editions, such as those revised in 1922 and 1929, may still have had copyright protection for the revised content, but the version has likely entered the public domain.

Gleanings in Genesis and Moody Bible Press

Unlike Pink’s other works, published through Bible Truth Depot, Gleanings in Genesis originated as a series of articles written for the periodical Our Hope and later compiled into a book. Moody Bible Press first published the book in 1922, claiming the copyright. This makes Gleanings in Genesis unique in terms of its publication history.

Under U.S. copyright law, Gleanings in Genesis would have been granted the standard 28 years of protection from its publication in 1922, with the possibility of a 28-year renewal. If the copyright was renewed, it would have remained protected until 1978. However, with the extension of copyright terms under the 1976 Copyright Act, this would have been extended further, granting Gleanings in Genesis a total copyright term of 95 years, lasting until 2017.

As of 2018, Gleanings in Genesis will now be in the public domain, meaning it can be freely reproduced and distributed.

Articles in Studies in the Scriptures

A.W. Pink’s periodical, Studies in the Scriptures, was published continuously between 1922 and 1952. I.C. Herendeen initially served as the editor and publisher from 1922 to 1923 and likely held copyright for these years. From 1924 onwards, Pink was to take full responsibility for writing, editing, and publishing the periodical, having the initial copyright for all articles published in Studies in the Scriptures, which were produced during his movements between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

The copyright laws that applied to the articles depended on where and when they were published, as Pink moved between countries with differing copyright statutes. This is because, before the 1970s, international copyright conventions were less harmonised than today; the laws of the country where the work was first published were generally the determining factor for copyright protection. For articles published during his time in the United States, the Copyright Act of 1909 governed, granting 28 years of protection from the publication date, with a renewal option for another 28 years.

For articles published while Pink was in Australia (between 1925 and 1928), Australian copyright law applied, specifically the provisions of the Copyright Act of 1911, which was inherited from the United Kingdom and was in force in Australia then. This law protected the author’s life plus 50 years, not a fixed term like the U.S. system. This would also be true for articles written between 1934 to 1952 in the United Kingdom.

After Pink died in 1952, the copyrights for his works would likely have passed to his wife, Vera Pink, who managed his estate until she died in 1962. However, it is unlikely that Pink or his wife renewed the copyrights for many of the Studies in the Scriptures articles published in the U.S., where renewal was required. Without proper renewal, these works would have entered the public domain after their initial 28-year copyright term expired in the U.S.

For example:

• If not renewed, articles published in 1922 (in the United States) would have entered the public domain in 1950.
• If not renewed, articles published in 1930 (in the United States) would have entered the public domain in 1958.

In contrast, articles published while Pink lived in Australia and the United Kingdom would have been protected until 2002 (50 years after Pink died in 1952), as Australian copyright law did not require renewal for those works.

Given the lack of evidence that copyright renewals were filed for published articles in the U.S., it is reasonable to conclude that the majority of Pink’s articles from Studies in the Scriptures have been in the public domain for decades in the U.S. This includes articles published in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Compilations by I.C. Herendeen and Bible Truth Depot

From the 1940s to the early 1970s, I.C. Herendeen and Bible Truth Depot played a key role in reprinting Pink’s articles from Studies in the Scriptures as compilations, also making arrangements with Baker Books and Zondervan to publish these works. Herendeen claimed copyright over many of these compilations, ensuring they were protected under U.S. copyright law.

Works published between 1950 and 1963 under Herendeen would have been subject to the 28-year initial copyright term with the requirement for renewal to extend the copyright by another 67 years (as granted under the 1976 Copyright Act). If Herendeen, or later copyholders, renewed these copyrights, the works could hypothetically remain protected until 2045. However, the copyright applies to the compilation rather than the individual articles in Studies in the Scriptures.

In 1974, I.C. Herendeen transferred all remaining copyrights for Pink’s works to Edward James Kennard. This transfer included the rights to any still-active copyrights on Pink’s writings or Herendeen’s compilations. Kennard or his estate would, therefore, hold the copyright for any compilations or works that were still protected.

However, for many of Pink’s original articles, which likely entered the public domain due to non-renewal, Kennard’s copyright would only apply to the compilations or any editorial changes made to the works. In most cases, the underlying text of the original articles would remain in the public domain.

Modern Adaptations and Copyright Concerns

Many of Pink’s works have been republished online in recent years, often with tweaks or edits by modern authors or editors. These adaptations may involve updated language, added commentary, or reformatting of the original text.

While the original writings by Pink may now be in the public domain, any new editorial content or substantial changes made to the text could still be protected by copyright. If an editor or publisher has added new material that meets the threshold of originality, that new content could be subject to copyright protection, even if the underlying work is public domain.

Anyone looking to republish or distribute these modern versions should be cautious of infringing on the copyright of any new editorial contributions, even though the original works are freely available. (To give you an idea, compare the Archive’s version of Pink’s Experimental Salvation with other online versions. Note that our version is straight from Studies in the Scriptures.)

So, Are All of A.W. Pink’s Works in the Public Domain?

The majority of A.W. Pink’s works are now in the public domain, particularly those published before 1923 and the articles published in Studies in the Scriptures, which were likely not renewed after the initial copyright term.

However, compilations of Pink’s works, particularly those published or claimed copyright by I.C. Herendeen between the 1950s and early 1970s, may still be protected if adequately renewed. Additionally, modern adaptations or revisions to Pink’s works, especially those found online, could involve new copyrights on the editorial content, even if the original text is in the public domain.

In conclusion, much of A.W. Pink’s work is likely in the Public Domain. However, caution should be exercised when dealing with compilations and modern adaptations, as they may still be protected under current copyright law.