On the eve of not only a massive snow storm which will be hitting the Great Lakes later this evening, but more importantly the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, I thought it would be a great time to have a contest giveaway.
Prize:
Brand new copies of Edward Sri’s The Bible Compass: A Catholic Guide to Navigating the Scriptures and Revelation: A Devotional Commentary from the Word Among Us Press.
Here are the rules:
1) If you have a blog, please advertise this contest on your site. (If you don't, you can still enter the contest.)
2) This contest is only for people who are in the United States or Canada. (Again, overseas shipping costs are a bit too high for me right now. Sorry.)
3) The question you need to answer in the comment box:
In one sentence, what is your Bible translation of choice and why?
Remember, I will only accept one sentence, so be concise. (Humor is also something I look for, but is not necessary.)
4) The contest ends on Saturday at 11:59PM EST.
5) One entry per person.
I will announce the winner in the comment section on Sunday.
17 comments:
The Ignatius Bible (RSV-CE2) is the one for me as it offers familiar, traditional phraseology coupled with modern English and is present in a manner that is not thereatening to Protestants and chock full of orthodox footnotes.
I also like the RSV-2CE, because it is a revision of the translation that Jesus used, Amen!
The NAB, St. Joseph edition, because the wording feels right as I'm praying and just as importantly it's what I've got (and is what my mother read every day, right up to her death)... but I am researching to learn if I "need" to change.
The Douay-Rheims because it is the only translation that uses "supersubstantial bread" instead of "daily bread" in the Our Father, giving a much clearer reference to the Holy Eucharist.
Following the advice of mark hart the Bible Geek, I use a translation that makes me want to read the Bible more (usually a choice between the RSVCE, NAB, JB, or NJB) since staying in touch with God through his word is the most important thing!
Invariably, I end up depending on my NOAB NRSV because it is simple, insightful, and consistent from book to book within the bible.
Plus, it is *complete* so I don't have to distract myself with variations of the text that will likely have no bearing on my faith or spiritual development.
I read, study, memorize and teach from the RSV-CE, except, of course, when I use the JB, REB, ESV, KJV, NKJV, RSV-2CE or OSB, and on Sundays when I also use the NAB with revised and updated this-n-that and the Grail Psalter. But the RSV-CE is definitely my favorite. Except for the 1928 BCP / KJV with Apocrypha combo wrapped in other-worldly leather and printed on perfect paper with 6 colored ribbons.
Brad
Being a recent convert to the Church from Southern Baptist circles (this Easter will be two years), I am still stubbornly clinging to my ESV while struggling to find the Catholic translation that I am most comfortable with.
Hey Dwight,
In my convert home, at night prayers I read the RSV-CE while 5 others use the RSV-2CE but one daughter stubbornly clings to her ESV. That ESV really gets in the systems, doesn't it.
Of choices there are many,
as varied as the days.
Today it's NJB, tomorrow perhaps Douay.
John
1.) Even though I am registered with a blog, I rarely use it and, trust me, no one reads it.
2.) I have always enjoyed using the Oxford Catholic Study Bible (NAB) because, in my opinion, the NAB, like the NRSV for Protestants, is the premiere Bible for being able to comprehensively and intelligently grasp the unique nuances of God's Word since it strives to be an academically sound translation for Catholics due to the fact that it preserves the "taste" of the Hebrew-Greek idiom in its word-for-word approach in as close of an English idiom as possible, transporting the reader and/or listener into a truly catholic dimension where two millenia of culture and interpretation are given new life for an even newer millenia of postmodern Christianity striving to comprehend not only the generations which produced the text itself but also the Jewish and Christian generations, acting as the first biblical scholars, which defined and interpreted that text so that its literal meaning helped to reveal the transparency of the moral and allegorical readings; thus, the historical-critical footnotes which so many people find scandalous or generally unorthodox, while truly not always spiritually edifying, offer insight into this crescendo of biblical higher learning without a layman or laywoman having to spend hours meticulously pouring over cumbersome tomes of contemporary biblical scholarship, most of which always ends in a standstill anyway.
Colleague,
very clever! ... and exactly why I treasure my (Protestant?!?) NRSV NOAB. I can at least discuss matters with non-Catholic Christians using my ecumenical (or, as Colbert says, ecu-menace-ing) NOAB without being immediately shot down!
Currently it's the RSV-2ce (in the Ignatius Study Bible NT, and the 1st edition in the Navarre tomes.)
Future: who knows? So far the pieces of NAB's revision look promising... Any chance the lectionary, divine office, catechisms, and home-study editions will EVER become one (before Judgement Day)? Seems like the great schism, revisited.
PAX!
Since I know more Cathoics in Real Estate then in Banking, I prefer the 'forgive us our trespasses' found in the NAB vs. 'forgive us our debts' found in some other versions.
I've been switching between my NAB Fireside Catholic Women's Bible (because I like the comments) and my NRSV Lectio Divina edition from Paulist Press (because I need to get better at prayer).
Apparently I've started a Bible collection searching for the "one" that I'll stick with.
I also need to find a Catholic easy-to-understand large print edition for a friend - not too pricey. Got any suggestions?
Julie,
Ignatius Press has a large print RSV and Oxford will be releasing a large print NABRE in March. Also, HarperCollins has released an XL sized NRSV as well.
Contest winner:
This was very tough! A number of very good entries, in particular the little rhyme by John and the one sentence Tome by Colleague. The winner: Colleague
Just send me an email with your address:
mccorm45 (at) yahoo dot com
Thanks to all who participated.
Post a Comment