More Kindle Talk

Today I spent some time on my Kindle just playing with a number of Biblical studies related content. I really did begin to see how the Kindle could be utilized in the class setting. Ever since I received the Kindle for Christmas, I just haven't had a chance to play with it. As of now, I have the NABRE, Ignatius Catholic Study Bible NT and Genesis, ESV Study Bible, and Easton's Bible Dictionary. The ESV Study Bible, while not a Catholic work, has a ton of useful info and high quality maps and charts. (Of course not everything found in the commentary would be termed 'Catholic-friendly'.) The NABRE also works very smoothly.

Anything else you think I should get? How has been your experiences with Kindle-like technology?

CBA and USCCB Agreement

For those of you who have been following the 3 year long dispute between the CBA and USCCB, I am happy to see that both sides have come to an agreement. For more info, follow this link.

(Thanks to reader Sharon for the link!)

Mondays with Verbum Domini

The word of God and the Liturgy of the Hours

Among the forms of prayer which emphasize sacred Scripture, the Liturgy of the Hours has an undoubted place. The Synod Fathers called it “a privileged form of hearing the word of God, inasmuch as it brings the faithful into contact with Scripture and the living Tradition of the Church”.[221] Above all, we should reflect on the profound theological and ecclesial dignity of this prayer. “In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church, exercising the priestly office of her Head, offers ‘incessantly’ (1 Th 5:17) to God the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name (cf. Heb 13:15). This prayer is ‘the voice of a bride speaking to her bridegroom, it is the very prayer that Christ himself, together with his Body, addressed to the Father’”. The Second Vatican Council stated in this regard that “all who take part in this prayer not only fulfil a duty of the Church, but also share in the high honour of the spouse of Christ; for by celebrating the praises of God, they stand before his throne in the name of the Church, their Mother”. The Liturgy of the Hours, as the public prayer of the Church, sets forth the Christian ideal of the sanctification of the entire day, marked by the rhythm of hearing the word of God and praying the Psalms; in this way every activity can find its point of reference in the praise offered to God.

Those who by virtue of their state in life are obliged to pray the Liturgy of the Hours should carry out this duty faithfully for the benefit of the whole Church. Bishops, priests and deacons aspiring to the priesthood, all of whom have been charged by the Church to celebrate this liturgy, are obliged to pray all the Hours daily. As for the obligation of celebrating this liturgy in the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, the prescriptions of their proper law are to be followed. I also encourage communities of consecrated life to be exemplary in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, and thus to become a point of reference and an inspiration for the spiritual and pastoral life of the whole Church.

The Synod asked that this prayer become more widespread among the People of God, particularly the recitation of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. This could only lead to greater familiarity with the word of God on the part of the faithful. Emphasis should also be placed on the value of the Liturgy of the Hours for the First Vespers of Sundays and Solemnities, particularly in the Eastern Catholic Churches. To this end I recommend that, wherever possible, parishes and religious communities promote this prayer with the participation of the lay faithful.
-Verbum Domini 62

Common English Bible Compared

The Common English Bible newsletter came out yesterday with the below comparison. I added the NAB.

(Reader Victor alerted me to the fact that you can get the Kindle version of the CEB w/ Apocrypha now. Thank you Victor.)

Common English Bible Acts 4:32-33
32 The community of believers was one in heart and mind. None of them would say, “This is mine!” about any of their possessions, but held everything in common. 33 The apostles continued to bear powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and an abundance of grace was at work among them all.

New American Bible
32 The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.
 
New International Version (2011) Acts 4:32-33
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.
 
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Acts 4:32-33
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
 
King James Version (KJV) Acts 4:32-33
32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.  33And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all

More Changes to RSV-2CE Edition

So, I was at my favorite Catholic bookstore in Ann Arbor yesterday and saw a stack of new bonded leather Ignatius RSV-2CE editions. Certainly not a surprise to see them at this store, but the spine looked a bit different. It wasn't much, just that the lettering was a bit more bold and the spine seemed flatter. So, I opened it up, and viola there were some differences from previous editions. This has happened before, with the elimination of the glossy paper used for the first editions of the RSV-2CE a year or so back. You can read a little about that here.

So what are the differences:

1) As you can see with the photo, the old Nelson maps have been completely replaced by the Ignatius maps. Those of you who have the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament will instantly recognize them. The previous editions included around 9 Nelson maps, while this new edition includes a total of 15 maps. These maps cover the period from the time of Abraham to the Churches of the New Testament period. The New Testament maps are identical to those of the ICSBNT, and the Old Testament ones are of the same style. There are even maps for the Maccabean period of the 2nd Century BC. Overall, a wonderful upgrade to the previous set.

2) The next change is that the color of the paper is basically white. The last edition, which followed the glossy paper mistake, was more cream colored. The paper in these new editions are clearly white. Again, I think this is a great improvement.

3) Finally, while the previous editions mentioned that they were published through Thomas Nelson Publishing, there is no indication of this in this edition. The Bible seems to be published directly by Ignatius Press and printed in the USA.

At this point, I don't see any changes in the text itself. If anyone is familiar with any typos in previous editions, I would be happy to check them out for you. I will keep reading through to see if there is anything different with the text. Overall, I think the changes, while perhaps minor, improve the readability and usefulness of this edition. Who knows, perhaps one day I will find a 4th edition of the RSV-2CE with a concordance.

NABRE on Kindle

The NABRE is now available on Kindle. You can read about the details here.

A tip of the hat to reader Rolf for alerting me to this.

Mondays with Verbum Domini

The word of God, Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick

Though the Eucharist certainly remains central to the relationship between God’s word and the sacraments, we must also stress the importance of sacred Scripture in the other sacraments, especially the sacraments of healing, namely the sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance, and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The role of sacred Scripture in these sacraments is often overlooked, yet it needs to be assured its proper place. We ought never to forget that “the word of God is a word of reconciliation, for in it God has reconciled all things to himself (cf. 2 Cor 5:18-20; Eph 1:10). The loving forgiveness of God, made flesh in Jesus, raises up the sinner”. “Through the word of God the Christian receives light to recognize his sins and is called to conversion and to confidence in God’s mercy”. To have a deeper experience of the reconciling power of God’s word, the individual penitent should be encouraged to prepare for confession by meditating on a suitable text of sacred Scripture and to begin confession by reading or listening to a biblical exhortation such as those provided in the rite. When expressing contrition it would be good if the penitent were to use “a prayer based on the words of Scripture”, such as those indicated in the rite. When possible, it would be good that at particular times of the year, or whenever the opportunity presents itself, individual confession by a number of penitents should take place within penitential celebrations as provided for by the ritual, with due respect for the different liturgical traditions; here greater time can be devoted to the celebration of the word through the use of suitable readings.

In the case of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick too, it must not be forgotten that “the healing power of the word of God is a constant call to the listener’s personal conversion”. Sacred Scripture contains countless pages which speak of the consolation, support and healing which God brings. We can think particularly of Jesus’ own closeness to those who suffer, and how he, God’s incarnate Word, shouldered our pain and suffered out of love for us, thus giving meaning to sickness and death. It is good that in parishes and in hospitals, according to circumstances, community celebrations of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick should be held. On these occasions greater space should be given to the celebration of the word, and the sick helped to endure their sufferings in faith, in union with the redemptive sacrifice of Christ who delivers us from evil.
-Verbum Domini 61

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Recently I began praying again The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Baronius Press. I purchased this about a year ago, I think, and was impressed with the quality of the product. It is a very compact, yet elegant prayer book. Having prayed the Liturgy of the Hours at various points over the past 7 years, this little office is in many ways refreshing. This edition is the 1961 edition, which follows the older organization of the hours, before the post-conciliar reforms. Although I am Novus Ordo guy, I must say that over the past week I have been really drawn to praying this office. Perhaps it is the simplicity of this little office or maybe the dual English-Latin prayers on the same page. I also like the almost 1000 year history and tradition that is a part of this office. I am planning to stick with this for the next few months. I have been able to pray most of the hours, except for the matins. Although I am sure there will be some late nights in the future with her, so that might change! ;)

How about you? Anything along with Scripture reading in your daily prayer routine?

(BTW: I do recognize the irony of praying with archaic language coming after the previous post on archaic language in the RSV.)

School is Out!

Well, year two of teaching high school theology has come to an end. A lot of good things occured this past year, but of course there is still a lot to be done. We implimented a new curriculum this year, the Didache Series by Midwest Theological Forum. All in all, a great series of textbooks for both students and teachers. I highly recommend it!

So, now it is time to breathe easy for a few months. Blogging may be light over the next couple of days, as I transition to being at home with my daughter. Should be a great summer.

Thanks to all of you who stop by this blog. This little site has become a wonderful part of my life.

Praise be to Jesus Christ!

Psalm 139 in the RSV

Recently, while I was doing an introductory talk on Scripture in front of a group of adults, in the middle of the talk I was inspired to refer and quote from Psalm 139. Of course, Psalm 139 is a fairly well-known Psalm, and I decided to quote from the middle portion of the Psalm, consisting of verses 13-18. I had my NOAB RSV with me at the time, so when I began to quote from it, I quickly had to choose whether or not to use the archaic language or translate on the fly. I decided to translate on the fly, and I must say that I fumbled through the verses. It didn't come off the way I had hoped.

Psalm 139: 13-18 (RSV):
"For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well; my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. When I awake, I am still with thee."

Ultimately, in my attempt to make something, which I figured would be difficult for the audience to understand, more clear, I actually made it a lot worse. While this is hardly one of the more difficult passages in regards to archaic language, a few thoughts came to mind as I reflected on this incident:

1) Perhaps translating archaic language on the fly isn't the best idea. I always make sure that I am prepared when I give a talk, but I also try to be docile to the promptings of the Spirit as well.

2) Is having archaic language in my primary Bible a problem? Not sure. Certainly the RSV-2CE or NRSV are legitimate alternatives. (I should point out that this isn't an issue at my day job at the high school, since the Bibles we use with the students don't have archaic language in them.)

3) Is there any value to using a Bible that contains archaic language for the typical parish Bible study or introductory Scripture course? The audience matters, right?

Mondays with Verbum Domini

The importance of the homily

Each member of the People of God “has different duties and responsibilities with respect to the word of God. Accordingly, the faithful listen to God’s word and meditate on it, but those who have the office of teaching by virtue of sacred ordination or have been entrusted with exercising that ministry”, namely, bishops, priests and deacons, “expound the word of God”. Hence we can understand the attention paid to the homily throughout the Synod. In the Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis, I pointed out that “given the importance of the word of God, the quality of homilies needs to be improved. The homily ‘is part of the liturgical action’ and is meant to foster a deeper understanding of the word of God, so that it can bear fruit in the lives of the faithful”. The homily is a means of bringing the scriptural message to life in a way that helps the faithful to realize that God’s word is present and at work in their everyday lives. It should lead to an understanding of the mystery being celebrated, serve as a summons to mission, and prepare the assembly for the profession of faith, the universal prayer and the Eucharistic liturgy. Consequently, those who have been charged with preaching by virtue of a specific ministry ought to take this task to heart. Generic and abstract homilies which obscure the directness of God’s word should be avoided, as well as useless digressions which risk drawing greater attention to the preacher than to the heart of the Gospel message. The faithful should be able to perceive clearly that the preacher has a compelling desire to present Christ, who must stand at the centre of every homily. For this reason preachers need to be in close and constant contact with the sacred text; they should prepare for the homily by meditation and prayer, so as to preach with conviction and passion. The synodal assembly asked that the following questions be kept in mind: “What are the Scriptures being proclaimed saying? What do they say to me personally? What should I say to the community in the light of its concrete situation? The preacher “should be the first to hear the word of God which he proclaims”, since, as Saint Augustine says: “He is undoubtedly barren who preaches outwardly the word of God without hearing it inwardly”.[213] The homily for Sundays and solemnities should be prepared carefully, without neglecting, whenever possible, to offer at weekday Masses cum populo brief and timely reflections which can help the faithful to welcome the word which was proclaimed and to let it bear fruit in their lives.
-Verbum Domini 59

Guest Review: CTS Bible

Many thanks to reader Geoffrey for the following review of the CTS Bible:

The Jerusalem Bible, literarily speaking, is perhaps one of the best English translations available (and the fact that Tolkien worked on it adds bonus epic-awesome-points). Obtaining its text is worth any deficiencies a certain printing has, especially if said printing contains the Grail Psalter. And make no mistake, the Catholic Truth Society edition has many deficiencies.

Rather than presenting the full document of Dei Verbum, this Bible contains only a resume which at certain points raises the reader's concern that biases of the editor are seeping through. Even though I tend to share the editor's views on a more limited inerrancy pertaining to Scripture, it is improper to force such an opinion on the common faithful or project it onto Vatican II documents, which are at best ambiguous concerning the subject.

Matters degrade even faster when it comes to the historical commentaries and book introductions. Often, the editor (or commentator, or whatever you wish to call him) dates books by assuming their prophecies were always made after the fact. Especially annoying is his continual insistence that the historical basis of the Bible may be unreliable in the most basic sense. In the introduction to the books of Samuel he suggests Saul might have been an "important innovator" whose reputation was blackened by David. Later, he accuses the Chronicler of blatantly re-writing and misrepresenting history, offering little or no thought to justify his accusations or relate them to Christian tradition. Moreover, he seems rather tone death to the actual portrayal of Biblical characters in the text, suggesting substantial differences in perspective between authors where none exist (cf. 2 Kings 15:1-7 and note 26b on 2 Chronicles 26).

Although the footnotes sometimes offer insight, this a rare occasion. Typically, the editor's hubris derails him at the exact moment he is about to enter into an interesting topic. Take, for example, note 2b of Luke 2. Rather than discussing the fascinating debate involving Luke's famous/infamous census passage, he simply asserts that Luke got his dates wrong and then almost jeeringly offers the possibility that Mary and Joseph always lived in Bethlehem as a solution to getting them to the City of David. He clearly rejects the historicity of much of Luke, a fact to which he alludes in the introduction by mentioning his belief that Luke changed certain details of the Jesus narrative specifically to cull favor with Rome (i.e. clearing Pilate and Herod of guilt, which for the life of me I can't see in the actual text). Now, if I stretch my mind and heart enough, I can imagine how one might possibly still adhere to Christianity and reject one of the two birth narratives of Christ (and to our editor's credit he seems to believe Matthew). But this is not a view one should impose on a Bible for the common faithful. The editor is just hotdogging and strutting his historical-critical chops, not providing the reader with any useful material to understand the text. He has not created a scholarly work here. For a good example of how historical critical methods should be used in Christian scholarship, see the NIV Archeological Study Bible.

Not everything about this Bible is bad. The one column format is very attractive, the maps are useful, the text is clear and easy to read, the Divine Name has been removed (the use of YHWH is extremely offensive to the Jews and it's an ecumenical travesty we ever used it), the liturgical notes are expertly done, and the theological commentary is solid and very insightful. There is little business to distract from meditative reading. The book is a pleasure to peruse.

I would recommend the CTS Bible to those who wish to obtain the text of the Jerusalem Bible or want a text that's in a format conducive to meditation. For people looking for a good study Bible, look elsewhere. For those seeking tools to share their faith, be forewarned that the missionary imperative of Dei Verbum has once again gone unheeded. The CTS Bible has almost nothing to offer people wanting to learn more about Christ and Catholicism. I cannot see it being useful in the field of evangelism or apologetics. If the Catholic Truth Society was trying to make a Bible for the everyday believer, they failed. But God bless them anyway, cause it sure looks pretty!

If you would like to see some of my previous comments on the CTS Bible, go here.

Reading Acts of the Apostles

Dr. Peter Williamson, over at Speaking of Scripture, has a helpful blog post about reading through Acts during the period between Ascension and Pentecost. We still have a few days until Pentecost, so there is still plenty of time!

Hell, Hades, Netherworld, or Powers of Death?

The discussion on Matthew 16 has continued into this week, with well over 35 comments. It has been a good discussion, which, at the very least, has shown the difficult task that translators have in both respecting and being true to the original languages, while making a translation understandable to a modern reader. It is certainly not an easy job, and I am thankful to those who devote their lives to this work.

I just wanted to make a few observations on the topic of Hades and Matthew 16. Feel free to disagree with me on this. I had always felt that the RSV's "powers of death" was a bit too free of a translation of "ᾅδου", and so was quite happy when the RSV-2CE, following the NRSV, changed it to "gates of hades". Literal is always better right? Well, I am not too sure in this case anymore. It is certainly the case that "hades" may confuse some readers, linking it to Greek pagan mythology as some astute comments have already pointed out. Yet, as Theophrastus said: "the NRSV and RSV-2CE (but not the RSV or RSV-CE) must be correct, because they simply repeat the Greek term."

Then there is the whole issue with CCC 633 which is about Christ's descent into "hell" or the "abode of the dead". So "hell" is legitimate and a traditional option for this translation as well. But as Jonny pointed out: "Modern translations ofter speak of this collectively as "Hades" or the "Netherworld" because the term "hell" has become synonymous with Gehenna in modern English." So there still is a bit of problem simply with translating it as "hell".

With all that being said, I am somewhat leaning towards the original RSV's "powers of death" simply because it does leave the term a bit ambiguous. Certainly, as Theophrastus points out, there needs to be at the very least a textual note indicated the Greek behind it, but also some commentary would be necessary as well. There is also the issue of consistency in translation of "ᾅδου", which would also need to be addressed.

I throw these thoughts out there for discussion. For my part, this has been a good exercise in the challenges of translation, hopefully it has been interesting as well for many of you. Thanks for all the interesting comments and links on this discussion thus far.

A Reader Question on the GNT and Luke 1:28

Wondering if someone at the blog might know the answer to this question about the GNT. Does anyone know why is Luke 1:28 was translated as "Peace be with you" when all other translations (Prot or RC) have some form of the more accurate translation such as: "Hail, thou that art highly favoured" (KJV), “Greetings, you who are highly favored!" (NIV), "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." (NABRE), etc.?

I ask because the GNT is the fundamental translation used in most CCD programs and I always go to this verse when teaching about Our Lady's Immaculate Conception. VERY hard to use "peace be with you" in this regard and I a, surprised an imprimatur was granted without retranslating this verse at least for Catholic editions of the GNT Bible.

I know the GNT is not favored by Bible students and some accuse it of being a paraphrase. I do not want to get in all that...just wondering about the very unusual translation of that verse.

Mondays with Verbum Domini

Let us continue with our look at Verbum Domini with paragraph 58:

Proclamation of the word and the ministry of Reader

The Synod on the Eucharist had already called for greater care to be taken in the proclamation of the word of God. As is known, while the Gospel is proclaimed by a priest or deacon, in the Latin tradition the first and second readings are proclaimed by an appointed reader, whether a man or a woman. I would like to echo the Synod Fathers who once more stressed the need for the adequate training of those who exercise the munus of reader in liturgical celebrations, and particularly those who exercise the ministry of Reader, which in the Latin rite is, as such, a lay ministry. All those entrusted with this office, even those not instituted in the ministry of Reader, should be truly suitable and carefully trained. This training should be biblical and liturgical, as well as technical: “The purpose of their biblical formation is to give readers the ability to understand the readings in context and to perceive by the light of faith central point of the revealed message. The liturgical formation ought to equip readers to have some grasp of the meaning and structure of the liturgy of the word and the significance of its connection with the liturgy of the Eucharist. The technical preparation should make the readers skilled in the art of reading publicly, either with the power of their own voice or with the help of sound equipment.”

Guest Review: Little Rock Catholic Study Bible

Thanks to Rolf for the following guest review:

I was asked by Timothy to give a guest review of the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible (LRCSB)-  hardback, not because I am an authority on the subject, but because I received my copy before he received his. I just received this Study Bible yesterday, so this is a first impressions review.

I think this Study Bible fills a niche in that it appears to be published for the average Catholic reader out there and not necessarily the scholar. It is not unlike many of the Protestant Study Bibles out on the market (such as the NLT, NIV, etc).  But I think that the LRCSB has a much cleaner page display and is much easier to read than the afore mentioned Protestant versions.

Specifications

9 ¼  x 6 ½ x 2 inches,  2632 pages (plus 16 maps)  *very similar in size to the Oxford Catholic study Bible

Contents

NAB (Revised Edition) translation
A timeline of biblical history is located inside the front and rear covers of this Bible.
A section in the front of the Bible called The Fundamentals of Reading the Bible which has various articles within in it;
The Why and How of the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible
How to Study Scripture
Why Study the Bible
How and Why Bibles Differ
The Church’s Use of the Bible
A Catholic Approach to Scripture
The Bible and Liturgy
The Bible and Social justice
Understanding the World of the Bible
Archaeology and the Bible
The Cultural World of the Ancient Mediterranean

This Bible contains all the Book descriptions and scriptural footnotes that are mandated by the USCCB for the NABRE translation.

Added to the Old Testament introduction is an article entitled; ‘Why do Christians Read the Old Testament?’
Added to the Beginning of the New Testament is an article entitled; ‘Background to the Gospels.’

In the back of the Bible there is;
A section called ‘Jewish Feast’ which lists all the major feasts with description and biblical refs.
Sunday Readings of Holy Scripture
Index
And 16 nice color maps
Page layout

The NABRE text appears with an approx 9-10 font size, is in single column format and is very well spaced. I found this text as easy to read as some larger print sizes. The paper is thin (2600+ pages) but bleed through is well controlled making the print easier to read.
The cross-references are in the upper outer edge of the page and are in a shaded box and are very easy to locate (unlike other NAB editions).

There are shaded boxes that occur on the pages of the text that relay different information to the reader that have symbols that designated what type of information is being relayed, and they include; definition and explanations of terms and ideas, description of main characters,  insights about not so minor characters, archaeological insights, social justice teachings, prayer starters, liturgical use of scripture and cultural connections. There are also photographs, small maps and charts used within the text.

Overall
I really like this Study Bible, the page layout is clean an easy to read. It is compact enough (for a Study Bible) to take with you, although if you had to carry it with you for awhile it could get a little heavy. It gives you information at your finger tips which is good for your average Catholic user (non scholar), who might not take the time to look in the front of the Bible for the information (like the Oxford Catholic Study Bible). Of course if you are looking for a something a little more scholarly, there are plenty other choices out there.
I probably will make this my everyday Bible for now, I love the single column text!

Little Rock Catholic Study Bible

The Little Rock Catholic Study Bible NABRE is available for order. You can receive a 20% off discount at the Little Rock site on all orders of this new study Bible by entering promotion code LRBIBLE at checkout. Offer ends June 30, 2011.

Knowing the Lord

Father John Riccardo at Kensington 5/28/11 from Kensington on Vimeo.

Fr. John Riccardo is a wonderful priest in the Archdiocese of Detroit. This is a message he gave at a local Protestant church. It is definitely worth a viewing, particularly as we approach Pentecost.

Always Like Hearing B16 in English!

It is also nice to hear him mention my alma mater, Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.