Edited by Donald Senior, John Collins, and Mary Ann Getty
- One-third of the Reading Guides are new
- All remaining Reading Guides reviewed or revised by the original authors
- New essay on Archaeology and the New Testament
- Extensive Reading Guide leads the reader through the Scriptures, book by book.
- Contains a 15-page glossary of special terms and complete Sunday and weekday lectionary readings for the liturgical years of the Church
- Includes 32 pages of full-color Oxford Bible Maps come with a place-name index
This landmark resource, the first fully-based on the authoritative NABRE translation, contains the trustworthy study notes, expanded essays, and informational sidebars which have guided and informed sudents and general readers for 25 years. In this new edition, one-third of the Reading Guide materials are new, and all of the other Guides have been reviewed and revised by their original authors.
The extensive Reading Guide, the focal point of this volume, leads the reader through the Scriptures, book by book. References and background information are clearly laid out to guide the reader to a fuller understanding of the Bible. New to this edition is a more extensive treatment of the biblical background, including history and archaeology.
Other outstanding features include: a 15-page glossary of special terms and complete Sunday and weekday lectionary readings for the liturgical years of the Church. Thirty-two beautiful pages of full-color Oxford Bible Maps come with a place-name index for easy reference.
The extensive Reading Guide, the focal point of this volume, leads the reader through the Scriptures, book by book. References and background information are clearly laid out to guide the reader to a fuller understanding of the Bible. New to this edition is a more extensive treatment of the biblical background, including history and archaeology.
Other outstanding features include: a 15-page glossary of special terms and complete Sunday and weekday lectionary readings for the liturgical years of the Church. Thirty-two beautiful pages of full-color Oxford Bible Maps come with a place-name index for easy reference.
15 comments:
Oh no...another bible.
Unfortunately, it is once again bonded leather and not genuine leather. Oxford is so disappointing in this regard.
Michael P.
OooOOOoooo
Had I not just been fully converted to the MTF's NABRE Didache Bible, I'd likely check it out.
Thanks!
I think I'm finally burned out from bibles and editions...
I see no reason to "upgrade" just for the notes.
I only buy a new study Bible when the base translation itself is revised.
For instance, I went from the old Oxford Annotated (RSV) to the New Oxford Annotated (NRSV) in college, and from the Catholic Study Bible (NAB) to the Second Edition (NABRE).
Though I even sold that to rely mainly on the Didache NABRE now.
Ask again in 2025 when the NT is finished! :-)
if the third edition is available as an e-book I might pick it up, but right now I just have too many thick, heavy Bible commentaries, study Bibles and whatnot to lug around, every time I move to a new city, it just gets harder and harder to carry around 450 lbs worth of books, I'm just not willing to buy these thick, heavy volumes anymore unless I simply have no alternative.
I hope our comments don't discourage the improvement of the available resources. We want: first, a consistent "hermeneutic of faith" in agreement with (Tradition+Magesterium), along with accuracy and clear-expression. Of course that is in tension against "critical / academic" analyses which we NEED to ensure precision. We want it all ; )
So, how can we describe a rich array of resources, from Beginner (easy language + paraphrase + concise), Intermediate (precise + prayerful), & Advanced ("academic" critical, verbose, nuanced, etc); As well as clearly keeping to the most Faithful (within the Magesterium + Tradition), and (again "clearly") indicating which may be less constrained but possibly still (poetic or simplified or ???).
blue-skies...
Bonded Leather
Michael P. notes that the only leather edition is listed as only being available in bonded leather. That is a legitimate complaint. Note, for example, that Oxford's "peer" study bibles are available in higher quality bindings:
* the New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (NRSV), 4th Edition is listed as "Genuine Leather";
* the New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (RSV), Expanded Edition is listed as "Genuine Leather"; and
* the Oxford Jewish Study Bible (NJPS), 2nd Edition is listed as "Genuine Cowhide."
I own all three of the above editions, and can verify that they are quite nice leather editions.
Similarly, other, less scholarly study Oxford Bibles (such as Scofield Study Bibles in various versions) are available in "Genuine Leather."
Why is the Oxford Catholic Study Bible only available in bonded leather (although at a price not dissimilar to similar genuine leather study Bibles published by Oxford)?
Perhaps the answer includes the frank admission that the market for high-end Catholic Bibles is so poor that the competition does not justify putting out more than a mere bonded leather version.
The Third Edition
Christopher Buckley questions why one should pay for an upgrade "just for the notes." I feel that this somewhat misrepresents the publication history of the Oxford Catholic Study Bible. The first edition included not notes (only the NAB notes may be included) but instead a separate "Reading Guide" (essentially, a mini-commentary). However, much of the material in the "Reading Guide" was written by translators, NAB annotators, and editors involved in the production of the NAB, so it was of special interest.
When the NABRE appeared, Oxford rushed into print a copy of the new text keyed to the old "Reading Guide" commentary. This created considerable dissonance -- for example, some quotes and reference in the "Reading Guide" no longer made sense with the new translation. So that "Second Edition/NABRE" was an internally consistent edition that probably never should have appeared.
At best, the Third Edition could be the version of the Oxford Catholic Study Bible that actually makes sense. On the other hand, perhaps it will contain "Reading Guide" essays that are not well integrated with the NABRE text; or perhaps it will contain "Reading Guide" essays that do not represent the opinions of the NABRE translators/annotators/editors and thus will be of less interest.
Because of the awkward format imposed by separate "Reading Guides" on the one hand and NAB(RE) text and notes on the other hand, I am not convinced that the Oxford Catholic Study Bible is the best choice for serious study. I think that perhaps it may continue to be more useful to refer to a single-volume Catholic commentary (such as The New Jerome Bible Commentary or The International Bible Commentary) or perhaps one of the several excellent single (or multi-volume) scholarly/ecumenical Bible commentaries.
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Comparison with other Catholic Study Bibles
Christopher Buckley noted the Didache Study Bible. I must confess that I have not read the Didache Study Bible from cover to cover, but from a casual sampling, it does not appear to me that this edition would be appropriate for a serious college level audience; and neither does it take the critical tone typically seen of scholarly study Bibles. These distinctions may make the the Didache Study Bible more attractive to some readers, but I think these same distinctions make a comparison with the other Oxford Study Bibles a bit problematic.
The same remarks apply with more force to the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible (which seems more aimed at an audience with a high-school education rather than a strong college education) and to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (which appears to completely drop a critical perspective, making it inappropriate as a college textbook, and which is highly incomplete and behind schedule in any case.) Volumes such as the Didache Study Bible, the Little Rock Study Bible, and the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible have a different target audience than the Oxford Catholic Study Bible.
Theophrastus has risen from the dead! Glad to see your comments, which are always most welcome.
Theophrastus,
I largely agree with your accessment. Bonded leather cover for the CSB is likely due to lack of demand (or awareness) by Catholic audience. The recent NOAB 4th has one of the best genuine leather covers, which would be great for the CSB.
The reading guides of the CSB address critical issues and are like a bible handbook. Unfortunately, they don't always make up for the lack of annotations found at various points of the NABRE OT.
Are you familiar with this recent post concerning updated reading guides in the 3nd edition: http://www.catholicbiblesblog.com/2015/05/update-to-reading-guides-for-catholic.html?m=1
Is the hard cover edition tabbed like it was in the second edition?
I got the paperback version about a week ago, and while I haven't gotten to spend much time with it, I love the quality of this edition. And yes, even though it's paper! It's the non-slick cover that just feels so nice in your hands, and I'm not usually a fan of paperbacks. Found it on Amazon for $20! A steal for sure at 50% off.
I got the paperback version about a week ago, and while I haven't gotten to spend much time with it, I love the quality of this edition. And yes, even though it's paper! It's the non-slick cover that just feels so nice in your hands, and I'm not usually a fan of paperbacks. Found it on Amazon for $20! A steal for sure at 50% off.
I ordered my copy of the 3rd edition from Amazon.in and am eagerly waiting for it.
I had recently [a couple of months earlier] purchased a leather bound edition of The Didache Bible [RSV-2CE] from Amazon.in and was very happy with all the cross references, footnotes, commentaries with references to the CCC and the apologetics. Unfortunately, the occasional misspellings and pronunciation marks for names in the first instance of a verse was distracting my reading of the Scripture. I wanted to purchase the NABRE edition of The Didache Bible from MTF, that did not have misspellings and words with pronunciation marks; however shipping cost from USA to India was costly and I had to drop the plan.
If the Catholic Study Bible, 3rd edition is as good as it promises to be, I will add the apologetic pages from The Didache Bible [a second soft bonded leather copy that I purchased from a local Catholic store for Rs. 700 / USD 10.47] at the end of the CTS Bible.
God bless.
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