Open Christian Press (OCP) - Confidentiality & Conflict of Interest

Confidentiality & Conflict of Interest Policy

At Open Christian Press, we take the integrity of the peer review process seriously. Every manuscript submitted to our journals is treated with the utmost care, and we are committed to preserving both the confidentiality and impartiality of the editorial journey.

This policy outlines the responsibilities of editors, reviewers, and authors in upholding blind review norms and managing potential conflicts of interest.

Confidentiality

All submissions to Open Christian Press journals are reviewed through a blind peer review process, meaning that authors and reviewers are not disclosed to one another during the review phase. Editors and reviewers are expected to:

Treat all manuscripts as confidential documents.
Avoid sharing, discussing, or distributing manuscripts in any form with anyone not directly involved in the review process.
Use manuscript content strictly for review purposes and never for personal advantage or academic gain.
Refrain from attempting to identify the author(s) during review, unless the nature of the submission makes anonymity impossible.

Review materials should be deleted once the review is complete unless otherwise instructed by the editorial team.

Editors must also maintain confidentiality in all editorial communications, including reviewer identities, unless transparency has been explicitly agreed upon by both parties after acceptance.

Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when a person’s objectivity is—or could reasonably be perceived to be—compromised by personal, professional, or financial relationships.

Reviewers and editors must declare a conflict of interest and recuse themselves from handling a manuscript if they:

Have a close personal or professional relationship with the author(s);
Are affiliated with the same institution or research project as the author(s);
Have a financial, ideological, or theological stake in the outcome or topic of the manuscript.

Authors are also expected to disclose any potential conflicts of interest when submitting their work. This includes:

Financial support from organizations that could be perceived to influence the findings;
Personal relationships that may affect the presentation of the work;
Dual submission to journals with overlapping editorial teams or review boards.

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in editorial delays, retraction, or disqualification from future submissions.

Commitment to Integrity

We ask all participants in the publishing process—authors, reviewers, and editors—to act with humility, discernment, and integrity. If you are uncertain whether a situation constitutes a conflict or breach of confidentiality, we encourage you to reach out discreetly to editor@openchristian.education for guidance.

Together, we seek not only academic excellence but spiritual and ethical integrity in every step of the publication process.

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Confidentiality & Conflict of Interest Policy

Confidentiality

Conflict of Interest

Commitment to Integrity

Submit at editor@openchristian.education