Friday, May 8, 2015

Didache NABRE (Leather) First Look

Here are a few pictures of the Didache NABRE (Leather) Edition I received today.  I love the page layout, which is quite readable and full of information.  They really did a great job getting both the NABRE and CCC annotations onto each page, without any real loss of readability.  (It is almost 500 pages bigger!)  The CCC annotations are adjusted to the translation differences found in the NABRE.  The size, while certainly big, is not nearly as big as I thought it might be.  My only complaint is with the bonded leather cover, which is a hardcover.  It is not advertised as being a hardcover, but as some of our commentators have mentioned over the past few days, it is definitely a bonded leather over boards.  May be a good candidate for a rebind.





10 comments:

Jeff said...

I have not received mine yet and the UPS email to me says I'll be receiving mine (hardcover and leather) on Tuesday.

I noticed your picture of the leather Didache NABRE appears to show only ONE ribbon. My hardcover
Didache RSV from January has TWO ribbons.

So how many ribbons are there in your new leather Didache NABRE?
Hopefully two.

Timothy said...

Two

Jeff said...

Great! Now I will NOT have cognitive dissonance all weekend waiting for my copies! :)
Thanks for the information.
Two ribbons are very nice, one for each testament.

TS said...

Looks pretty sharp.

CWBuckley said...

I still haven't seen mine yet, so I'm curious: are the Catechism notes the same as the commentary in the RSV-2CE version?

CWBuckley said...

OK, yay. Mine finally arrived, and overall I'm pleased. It will certainly become the go-to NABRE edition in my house.

Understand, my primary use of a printed Bible is as a prayer aid during the Liturgy of the Hours. After reading the day's text in the "Office of Readings," I re-read it in alternate translations of various study Bibles to benefit from the different renderings, and unpack it through the notes and commentary. I have also begun cross-referencing any specific commentary references to the Catechism for the reading.

Ironically, given that the Didache Bible commentary is entirely drawn from the CCC, I find that the Catechism references in the Ignatius Study Bible NT volume pack a bigger punch. This is probably because they are more targeted. After unpacking a passage from a historical and doctrinal perspective, the Ignatius Bible sort of "punctuates" scripture with one or two relevant CCC call-outs. The Didache Bible, by comparison, sort of "engulfs" scripture in the Catechism, as if to leave no stone unturned. The problem is, it's harder to pick out an explanatory thread from their commentary.

Still I use both. Using RCIA as an analogy, I would probably recommend the Ignatius Study Bible NT as the Study Bible for an inquirer who's coming in as an already active Christian, and the Didache Bible for the uncatechized cradle Catholic. One helps you see the Biblical basis of the Catholic Church. The other helps you connect your Catholic faith back to the Bible.

I really like the way the Didache Bible integrates both the NABRE notes and its Catechism commentary. Though distinct, it's seamless and a significant advantage over the RSV-2CE edition they also publish.

John A said...

I am really looking forward to this Bible. But the last photo suggests the ink bleeds through the pages? I can see the writing from the other side. I hope it's not as bad as the photo suggests.

Jim W. said...

I just received a note from Ignatius Press. Midwest Theological Forum is selling the leather version, and they're on the truck on the way to San Francisco, CA...

I’ve been informed that the Bibles are in the truck on their way out here from Nashville, TN. Midwest Theological Forum (they’re actually our co-publisher for this title) is in Chicago so they probably received their copies slightly earlier, but we’re hoping to have ours in stock by next week. Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Best,
Marianna (Pedrelli, Ignatius Press)

Unknown said...

As a former Calvinist who recently chrismated in Byzantine Catholic last Palm Sunday (following the Eastern tradition). This Bible provides me with excellent summary of the Catholic faith. I bought both RSV2CE and NABRE edition of the Didache Bible. In my opinion for those who haven't bought this Didache Bible and currently considering to buy one because of the budget. I'll recommend to go with NABRE, despite of its liberal approach. The reason is quite simple, you're going to receive two commentaries that are complementing one another with one price. While the Ignatius Bible Edition doesn't include footnotes from RSV2CE.

There are quite a few minor variations in the Didache's commentary between the two editions. For the sake of brevity I'll mention one variant: Ignatius Edition 6:1-4 The reference to Nephilim and "sons of god" is a mystery. "Nephilim" means literally "fallen ones." NABRE Edition 6:1-4 "Sons of God" refers to other heavenly beings. "Nephilim" means literally "fallen ones."

The NABRE's commentary is very extensive. Its liberal tone is compensated by the Didache's commentary based on CCC. This alone out weight any reason to buy the Ignatius Bible Edition. I'll recommend to buy the RSV2CE when the Complete Ignatius Bible Study coming up next year, hopefully in Winter 2016 before Christmas if the Lord's willing. It'd be fabulous if MTF will include commentary from the Complete Ignatius Bible Study for their Didache Bible 2nd edition, I guessed it'd be 3000+ pages.

As an Eastern Catholic I find myself accustom with Orthodox Study Bible, because our liturgical canon of Scripture include Psalm 151, 1 Esdras, Prayer of Manasseh, and 3 Maccabee which are not included in the Latin liturgical canon of Scripture. I hope in the future both RSV3CE and Revised NABRE (projected for 2025) will include these at least in the appendix as always been the custom in the Latin church (St. Jerome out of respect to the Eastern tradition included these books in his Vulgate). Didache Bible is a good Bible Study but it still lack broader nuance from the Eastern tradition. The Didache commentary on John 15:26 for example didn't mention through the Son a phrase that is complementary to filioque and used by CCC to show that Agustinian filioque and Maximian energetic procession are not contradicting one another. I hope MTF will include this broader nuance from CCC for their Didache 2nd edition to encapsulate both Eastern and Western Catholic traditions. If as what St John Paul II have said, we need to breath from two lungs, then it's also true that we need to read Scripture from both traditions and liturgical canons.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone come across typos in this edition [NABRE]?

Thanks in advance.