Catholic Bibles Stink!

Ok, that might sound a bit harsh....but it is true! However, this rant doesn't really have anything to do with the available Catholic translations either. I am not here to complain about the terribly uneven NAB that is continually in need of revision, or the occasional inclusive language translation in the NRSV that doesn't sit well, or the fact that the most literal Catholic translation of the Bible, the RSV-CE, was done half a century ago, not to mention the occasional odd-ball translation found in the (New) Jerusalem Bible. No, that is not what this post is about.

This post is a call to all Catholic publishing houses, and non-Catholic publishers like HarperCollins, to produce high quality Catholic Bibles in various editions. Is this too much to ask? Let me explain my dilemma. I recently wanted to obtain a thinline Catholic Bible that I could use for not only ministry related activities, but also for personal prayer and study at the seminary. Could I find one in the NRSV, RSV, or NAB? No! Instead, I was able to see multiple thinline editions for the TNIV, NIV, KJV, NKJV, and the ESV all in various covers at the local Barnes and Nobles. I almost picked up the TNIV version, but realized that I need and want one with the Deuterocanonicals. The TNIV version I saw was quite wonderful. It included everything I wanted in a Bible, except of course the full Catholic Old Testament. This edition's print was very readable, it included a nice set of maps, the words of Christ in red, a concordance, and some crossreferences. It also fit really well in the hand, and I could see myself using it daily. So where are all the Catholic thinline Bible editions?

While I am at it, this led me to think of a few additional criticisms. I just can't find quality Catholic Bibles being published in various editions anywhere. Here are a few example:

1) The page layout of the New American Bible looks almost exactly the same no matter who publishes it. There are no one column or thinline editions. As a matter of fact, take a look at an old edition, pre-1990, of the NAB and guess what you find? There is very little difference in its appearence. The NAB is suppose to be the main Catholic translation here in the US, but it is poorly supported in many ways.

2) There are very few, if any, high-end leather editions of any Catholic Bible. Most places sell paperback or hardcover editions of the NAB or NJB or NRSV. The nicest Bible I have is the Cambridge NRSV Reference Bible. Most of the Catholic Bibles out there are bonded leather editions. How cheap! Where are the Catholic publishers?

3) Finally, can we get an actual Catholic Study Bible that can rival the quality of the (T)NIV, ESV, or NLT study Bibles? The only real study Bible out there is the NAB Catholic Study Bible by Oxford. The problem is that it comes in only one size and to be honest the textual notes are exactly the same as with any NAB Bible. The reading guides at the front are marginally helpful and very limited at best. They even put out a similar edition called the "Personal Study Edition". I personally don't see much of a difference. Ignatius Press is developing their own study Bible using the RSV-2CE, but they seem to be in no hurry to complete it. (I think they would rather publish 12 books by Pope Benedict each season. Don't get me wrong, I love Pope Benedict, but even he would rather see Ignatius Press complete their study Bible.) The first volume on Matthew came out in 2000! That is 8 years ago and they are still not done with the New Testament. Would Zondervan take so long to complete something that is so needed? I don't think they would.

So, in my mind, the only possibility for Catholics to purchase high quality and multiple format editions of Catholic Bibles is for a major publishing house like HarperCollins or Zondervan to take on the project. They have the money and the experiences to do it right. HarperCollins has at least been putting out newer editions of the NRSV-CE in recent years, I hope this trend continues. Right now, the "major" Catholic publishing houses are either uninterested or incapable of doing this.

My Favorite Bible 3.0

Over the years, in 2009 and 2012 to be precise, I have posted an article which discusses my favorite edition of the Bible.  When I speak (or write) of my favorite "edition" of the Bible, I am speaking primarily of its physical make-up, not so much the translation.  More often as I evaluate many of the Bibles on the market that a Catholic could utilize, I focus on its binding, cover material, page-layout, size, as well as the extras that come along with the translation itself.  Over the years, there has been no doubt in my mind that the best Bible to fit this criteria is the Cambridge NRSV Reference Bible with Apocrypha.  This edition comes in a French Morocco leather cover, with sewn binding, center-column cross-references, a helpful glossary of terms, and one of my favorite sets of Bible maps.  While not a Catholic edition, it has all the books of the Catholic Old Testament and the translation itself was done with Catholic participation.  In addition, it is also the Bible translation used in the Canadian lectionary.

So, since it has been a couple years since my last "Favorite Bible" post, has there been anything published that could compete?  The answer, which many of my loyal readers know, is yes and the edition I am referring to is the Baronius Press Knox Bible. This leather hardcover edition is a real beauty.  As I mentioned in my review from 2012:

What immediately stands out is the craftsmanship involved in producing this volume.  (I have experienced this type of quality production before with their Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Maryvolume.) The quality of the binding, the paper, ribbon markers, and endpapers make this Bible standout from all of the other ones I own.  This Bible is sturdy, yet very comfortable to read both by placing it flat on a table or by holding it in your hand or lap.  This is the case no matter where in the text you are reading, from Genesis to Revelation (the Apocalypse).  While this is not a portable, compact Bible, it can easily be brought to study and prayer groups, even Holy Mass.  It is simply a standard sized Bible.  I wonder if Baronius Press will eventually make different editions of the Knox Bible, like in a compact form or flexible leather, similar to what they have done with their Douay-Rheims editions.

For me, the highlight of this Bible is its single-column page layout.  It is very easy on the eyes, and the quality cream colored Bible paper minimizes any issues with ghosted print image from the reverse of the page.  That being said, I am not sure if I will ever write in this Bible.  It is just too pretty!  While having the verse numbers on the side can be a bit tricky at first, it becomes quite easy to use after only a few minutes.  The many notes, both textual and commentary, from Msgr. Knox are clearly visible at the bottom of each page.  I should mention that while there are not a ton of cross-references in this Bible, the notes in the New Testament do indicate where there are direct quotes from the Old Testament, as well as referencing similar passages found in the among the four Gospels.  In addition, there are cross-references in the notes in the Old Testament as well, but not as many as are found in the New Testament.  

I was so impressed with this Bible that I even gave it a bit of an upgrade by sending it off to Leonard's Book Restoration to be rebound in goatskin.  It was a tough decision, since I really liked the leather hardcover.  I prefer, however, to have a premium leather cover on my Bibles, so it ended up being the right decision. While it truly is a great Bible edition, with or without the upgrade, the question is whether or not it surpass the two-time champ in my opinion?

The answer is no.  There are two main reasons for this which, in the end, tip the scales for the NRSV from Cambridge.  First, I simply use the NRSV in more situations.  While I really like the Knox translation, and use it often for personal reading, I just can't use it when teaching, either to high school students or adults.  The translations are just too different.  The NRSV is a modern translation which is close enough to the RSV and not too distant in style to the NABRE.  Any issues relating to inclusive language or alternate translations are easily figured out in the NRSV's textual notes, which are an integral part of the translation itself.  Secondly, the Cambridge NRSV comes with some truly helpful extras.  Those extras, which I love to have in a reading (or study) Bible, are found in this edition.  I complain a lot on this blog about the lack of cross-references with the NRSV Bibles, well this is one of the few editions that have it.  I also really like the center-column positioning of the cross-references, which I know is not everyone's cup of tea.

This leads me, again, to remark that as Catholics it would be great to have some better options, no matter the translation.  This reminds me of one of my earliest posts (rants) entitled: Catholic Bibles Stink.  While some things have changed since then, there is still a great need to have some premium Catholic Bibles available.  Maybe the problem is that, as Catholics, we are
more willing to buy a leather Missal for Mass, but but happy to settle on a paperback Bible.  I am not sure.

I have read many-an-article or forum post which decries the various translations for Catholics, often arguing that Protestants don't take Catholics seriously in issues related to the Bible because of it.  Well, I wonder if this supposed problem is due to the overall quality of most of our Bibles.  I think we have a number of fine translations to choose from, including the NABRE, RSV, NRSV, and Knox translations.  I hope we will see a time when these translations get the treatment from publishers that they deserve.    

If you are of the same mind, I recommend you contact some of the better Bible publishers out there.  Many of them have Facebook sites, as well as email contacts.  Let them know that Catholics would like some premium Bible options.  

CUP NRSV Reference Bible w/Apocrypha Part II: The Externals

Today I continue with my review of the NRSV Reference Bible w/Apocrypha published by Cambridge University Press.

A few days ago I decided to go back and look at some of my earliest posts on this blog, which began ten years ago.  One of those posts, a favorite of mine, was titled "Catholic Bibles Stink" and was published only a month after I started this blog.  At the time, I was dismayed by all the different quality editions that one could find in any of the major Protestant Bible translations, yet we Catholics still had so little to choose from.  I mentioned a few things in that post, including the fact that at that time the best bible I had was the late 90's version of the NRSV Reference Bible w/Apocrypha.  Ironic?  I also wished that we could see the NAB in more stylish editions.  Did that happen?  Yes, for the most part it did, thanks to publishers like the USCCB, HarperOne, and Little Rock Catholic Bible Study.  (We also got a brand new edition of the NAB Old Testament in the process.)  Yet, we are still waiting for a premium NABRE.  Then there was the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible which at that point hadn't even been released in a single volume New Testament edition yet.  Back then I joked that it had been eight years at that point since the first volume (Matthew) was released, which seemed like a really long time to wait for a completed ICSB.  Re-reading that comment seems kind of funny now.

Yet here we are in 2018, ten years later.  And while there have been some truly wonderful bibles produced in Catholic editions since then, there still really hasn't been a high-end, premium leather edition.  Which leads me back to Cambridge University Press and their newest NRSV Reference Bible w/Apocrypha.  As I stated in the first part of this review, the NRSV Reference Bible w/Apocrypha is the best premium bible on the market today that a Catholic can use and enjoy.  The content is top-notch, as I said before, but what makes this a truly fine bible are the quality materials used to create and manufacture each edition.  Let me briefly explain to you why I hold this bible in such esteem.


Binding:
We have discussed the issue of sewn versus glued bindings dozens of times on this blog.  So often I (and many of you) have come across a really cool Catholic bible edition, which unfortunately has a binding that is glued.  Now if you are looking for a bible that you will use occasionally or planning to use when travelling, a glued binding on that bible will probably do the job.  However, if you want something that will last (which means you are actually using the thing every day) then you want the best possible binding that is available.  Also, if you are shelling out a lot of money for a bible that is covered in a premium leather, like goatskin, but has only a glued binding, you are asking for a disaster.  Fortunately, every bible produced by Cambridge is sewn to the highest quality.  And it is glued.  Yes, glued.  Cambridge University Press explains: "Note that all sewn books and Bibles are also glued.  The sections are glued along the spine (usually with gauze fabric attached) to hold the book block together properly.  The glue penetrates a little between the individual sections, but the advantage of a sewn book is that the individual pages are not separately attached only be a single thin line of glue to the cover: each page is part of a folded section (a 'signature') of multiple pages; each signature is sewn to all the others; then all the signatures are glued to from a book block before being cased in the cover."  This means that a Cambridge bible is created to be used and to last.  With care, it will also open flatly on a table or in your lap.  This is the type of bible that can be handed down to your children (and children's children) because of the quality binding process which stand the test of time.


The Cover:
Previously, Cambridge only offered this edition in a black French Morocco leather, which came in varying quality.  Fortunately, this time around, they are offering the edition with the Apocrypha in goatskin, French Morroco leather, and hardback.  (If you want one without the Apocrypha, they are available in cowhide, French Morroco leather, and hardback.)  The full grain leather burgundy goatskin edition is incredibly smooth and supple.  The Cambridge goatskins are procured from "arid areas where environmental conditions are ideal for producing hides with the balance of strength and suppleness."  In comparing this cover with the other bibles I own, none of them compare to it.  The only one that would be remotely close is the Baronius Press Knox Bible that I had rebound by Leonards in a brown goatskin.  The goatskin cover from Leonards is still quite good, don't get me wrong, but the Cambridge one is of a higher level of quality.  The biggest difference between the two is that the inside cover of the Knox Bible was done in a "paste-off" process by which they glued the cover to the endpages of the book block.  The Cambridge NRSV is edge-lined, meaning "the hand-made edge-lined cover is attached to the book block by means of a flap of the inner cover material being glued to the endpapers of the book."   This goatskin edition is actually leather lined in black leather, which again increases it's softness and flexibility.  If you haven't held a bible that is leather lined, you are missing out.  Its smooth, supple, and durable.


Other Features:
Have you ever purchased a bible and realized that it didn't have ribbon markers?  While that isn't terribly unexpected when you get a hardcover or paperback edition, but when you get a leather or (even) a bonded leather bible I have always found it a bit jarring when one isn't included.  Fortunately, this isn't the case with the bibles produced by Cambridge.  The larger lectern and goatskin editions contain two ribbons, while the other leather ones contain one.  Each ribbon is produced at the appropriate length and strength so that they don't get lost in the pages or curl up after repeated use.  Those of you who pray the Liturgy of the Hours, with all the flipping between pages, know that well-produced ribbon markers are an essential.

The last final touch that sets this bible apart is the art-gilt page edges.  This edition is decorated on the edges of the paper with a metallic foil.  When it is done in an "art-gilt" style, as this one is, a "lustrous finish is created by a combination of red dye and gilt foil." The reddish tint to the metallic foil goes really well when paired with the burgundy red cover.

Final Thoughts:
If you have desired a truly high-end bible in a translation that can be utilized by Catholics, you need to order this one.  Are they expensive?  Yes.  (Although there is an introductory discount as of this posting available.)  Are the made of the highest quality of craftsmanship and care?  Absolutely.  I am convinced that there will never be a Catholic-specific edition of the bible made in premium leather and other materials until it is clear that there is a market for it.  It seems that it still remains more popular in Catholic circles to spend money on an expensive rosary or leather bound missal than the Word of God.  I am all for having nice rosaries and missals by the way, but there are plenty of options there.  With the Bible, there simply aren't many.  So, if you are still on the fence about getting one of these new Cambridge NRSVs, I'd encourage you to take a chance on one.  You will instantly see and feel the difference when you open the box for the first time.  And it also smells terrific, by the way!  :)


Additional Photos:

The CUP NRSV is 9.5′ x 7.2′ x 2′

I want to thank Cambridge University Press for providing both the goatskin and hardcover editions of the NRSV Reference Bible with Apocrypha in exchange for an honest review.  Cambridge University Press also provided a helpful catalogue which contained detailed information about the workmanship that goes into their bibles.