Guest Post: One Approved Translation per Territory (w/ Fr. Neil)

Given some confusion in the discussion about the possibility of using the RNJB as the basis of a new Lectionary, I thought it might be helpful to explain a little the current rationale of having only one Biblical translation per language per bishops’ conference.  So that, for example, the Bishops’ Conference of Canada is welcome to have one Bible translation for their French Lectionary and another for their English, but is not allowed to use both the NRSV and the NAB and have two English language Lectionaries.

Immediately after Vatican II, the Congregation for Divine Worship (CDW) in Rome approved multiple lectionaries for the same region. So that in the United States three lectionaries were approved: The Jerusalem Bible, The New American Bible and the Revised Standard Version. In Ireland, England & Wales and Scotland, the Jerusalem Bible and the Revised Standard Version were both approved.  I am not sure which translations were approved in other regions. When the current US Lectionary that uses an adaptation of a revision (of a revision) of the New American Bible was approved in 1998 and 2001 the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops themselves withdrew permission to use the three older Lectionaries (JB, RSV and NAB 1^st ed.).

In 2001 the CDW published Liturgiam Authenticam the Fifth Instruction “for the Right Implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council.”

This instruction radically transformed the translation philosophy of the Catholic Church. In number 36 this document says:

36. In order that the faithful may be able to commit to memory at least the more important texts of the Sacred Scriptures and be formed by them even in their private prayer, it is of the greatest importance that the translation of the Sacred Scriptures intended for liturgical use be characterized by a certain uniformity and stability, such that in every territory there should exist only one approved translation, which will be employed in all parts of the various liturgical books. This stability is especially to be desired in the translation of the Sacred Books of more frequent use, such as the Psalter, which is the fundamental prayer book of the Christian people. The Conferences of Bishops are strongly encouraged to provide for the commissioning and publication in their territories of an integral translation of the Sacred Scriptures intended for the private study and reading of the faithful, which corresponds in every part to the text that is used in the Sacred Liturgy.

This desire for a single translation was not retroactive.  But when any new liturgical book was approved in a region, permission to use any older translations was automatically withdrawn. However, in Ireland while the JB Lectionary is basically the only Lectionary used at the parish level, the current JB Lectionary pre-dates 2001, so the 1970 RSV Lectionary is still approved for use. However if a new Lectionary was approved for use in Ireland, the JB and the RSV would automatically be withdrawn.   

So from a technical point of view, the fact that the CDW has approved a Lectionary for one region, that permission does not carry to other countries. So if a RNJB Lectionary was approved in Ireland, technically it could not be used in a celebration in the U.S. This can be seen, for example, in the case of the RSV. Ignatius Press prepared a Lectionary based on their own edition of the RSV (The Second Catholic Edition). This was approved as the Lectionary in the Antilles. However many US parishes considered adopting it.  In the April 2006 edition of the Newsletter of the Committee on the Liturgy of the USCCB carried this clarification:

Approved Editions of the Lectioanry for Mass

The Secretariat has recently received many inquiries concerning the use of an edition of the Lectionary for Mass based on the Revised Standard Version of the Scriptures and available from Ignatius Press. This Lectionary has not been approved for use in the Dioceses of the United States of America. Only the New American Bible edition of the Lectionary for Mass, published in 1998 and 2001 may be used at celebration of the Liturgy in this country.

However, as I noted in my original post, Pope Francis has officially said that the translation principals of Liturgiam Authenticam are to be revised. So it is possible that a bishops’ conference could ask for more than one Lectionary to be used at the same time. There is no way to know what the guidelines that replace Liturgiam Authenticam will say in this regard. I personally hope that they will allow the bishops to make a pastoral decision that best suits their region. Although it is also worth noting that the market forces of printing Lectionaries, hand missals, devotional books, worship aids, etc. make it impractical to have too many editions in use in a given area.

At the end of the day, if the bishops ask for a particular liturgical bool to be recognized, the CDW may well grant their request. This is the case in English-speaking Africa. They use a 2012 edition of the RSV Lectionary (which form their website looks very like the Ignatius Press Lectionary and a 2009 edition of the Liturgy of the Hours, that uses the New American Bible. Surely Liturgiam Autheticam 36 mandated that they use one translation for these liturgical books that are boith almost entirely composed of scripture passages and published within 3 years of each other, and which must have been in preparation at the same time. This shows that even before Pope Francis said that Liturgiam Authenticam was no longer fit for purpose, during the time-period when many liturgists thought that the CDW was being very inflexible in their supervision of liturgical translation, that it was still possible to have more than one Scripture in use in a given region.

Neil Xavier O'Donoghue is a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. He currently ministers in the Archdiocese of Armagh, Ireland, where he serves as vice rector at Redemptoris Mater Seminary. He has studied at Seton Hall University, the University of Notre Dame, and St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He holds a Doctorate in Theology from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

Review: The Spiritual Warfare Bible (RSV-CE)

It was about seven years ago that Saint Benedict Press/TAN released the Catholic Scripture Study International Bible (RSV-CE).  When I reviewed it, I remember appreciating a lot of what went into its production, even though I thought there were some key components, like cross-references, missing.  I still have that bible today, and when I need an RSV-CE I will often refer to it.  It has held up pretty well over the years, which is a good thing since I was concerned about the glued binding.  I wasn’t then, nor do I remain today, a fan of glossy inserts, but they were placed well and the paper was fairly thin, thus not causing any issues when flipping through the bible or when laying in flat on a table. 

Now back in 2014, SBP/TAN released Manual for Spiritual Warfare, which was a handbook of prayers and reflections on engaging in spiritual warfare.  The book, authored by Paul Thigpen, sold quite well.  Now enter the brand new Spiritual Warfare Bible (RSV-CE) from Saint Benedict Press, which utilizes much from the Manual for Spiritual Warfare, integrating into the RSV-CE text.  While the description of this bible says that it contains “nine special Spiritual Warfare inserts” written by Dr. Thigpen, in truth, that is a bit misleading, but in a good way.  Each of these nine topics take up, on average, at least ten pages of print.  The topics range from “Scripture for the Battle” to a “Spiritual Warfare Topic Index”.  In particular, the section titled “Prayers for the Battle” contain a number of very beautiful prayers, including one entitled ‘Prayer to Our Lady, vanquisher of the Enemy’.  Compared to the CSSI Bible, this bible contains considerably more content than the CSSI Bible.  The inserts in the CSSI Bible were typically one page in length, on a variety of apologetic topics.  The glossy inserts in the Spiritual Warfare Bible also contain some well-placed and beautifully rendered classical art, which is nicely placed at appropriate locations within Thigpen’s text.  Many of them, like the one of Our Lady (pictured below), are great to pray with.  While there are no maps or cross-references in this bible, it does contain an appendix which has all the Mass readings, both for weekdays and Sundays. Also, the words of Christ are in red.

 

In regards to construction and overall look, the Spiritual Warfare Bible is very similar to its older brother, the CSSI Bible.  The RSV-CE is presented in a fairly large script, with the words of Christ in red.  I have always found this to be one of the best visual representations of the RSV-CE on the market today.  The text is quite easy to read from, even though it is not line matched.  It contains three handy black ribbons, which should certainly be mandatory for a bible like this.  The binding is glued but the cover is a smooth premium ultrasoft synthetic leather cover.  The cover has a much nicer than the CSSI Bible cover, which was a more stiff bonded leather.  The cover has a blind imprinting, which is also a step up from the early CSSI Bible.  The size of the The Spiritual Warfare Bible is 6.75 x 9.5 x 1.5, which is roughly the same size as the CSSI Bible.

I could see this new volume to be popular in certain prayer groups, as well as in charismatic Catholic circles.  The content would certainly fit into those who are associated with apostolates dedicated to doing spiritual warfare or intercession.  The Spiritual Warfare Bible has a very nice overall feel to it and is a true joy to read from.  The question will be whether or not the reader is willing to pay $69.95 for this bible.  While it does have some wonderfully composed and organized content on spiritual warfare, it suffers from having a glued binding.  In the end, I can see that some might purchase this, while others may take a pass on it. 

Thank you to Saint Benedict Press for providing me a review copy for this post.

My Classroom Desk Today

Doing some class prep. using my ACTA The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition and the Saint Benedict Press/Tan Catholic Scripture Study Bible RSV-CE.   Why these two translations?  Well, there are two primary reasons: 1) They represent, for Catholic readers, the two opposite ends of the translation spectrum; 2) The physical books themselves are joy to read from, particularly the size of the print and the overall page layout.  So, while the translation is important, I have more and more come to the conclusion that the look and feel of a bible is of equal importance.

What are you reading from these days?

Dynamic Catholic's New Testament (RSV-CE)

Paperback Cover

I am sure many of you are familiar with the work of Matthew Kelly and his organization Dynamic Catholic.  Well, it looks like they are publishing their own edition of the RSV-CE New Testament.  The paperback edition you can order for free, with only a $5.95 shipping and handling cost.  They also have a blue leatherette for $24.95.  

Description of Leatherette Edition:

Do you want to know Jesus, but don’t know where to begin? Why not begin with the Bible? It is the most read book of all time, and is the best way to discover who Jesus was, how he lived, and what he taught. Even a few minutes a day spent reading the New Testament can transform your life in surprising ways – it’s not just another book.

The Revised Standard Version has been acclaimed for decades as the clearest, most accurate, and most beautiful modern translation of the Bible in English. This handsome leatherette edition with ribbon marker is set in clear, contemporary typeface and a single-column format making it attractive and easy to read.

Thank you to reader Michael for sharing this with me. 

Coming Soon: Spirtual Warfare Bible (RSV-CE)

All I can say is that the binding on this bible better be sewn and there should be a whole lot more than just nine glossy inserts to justify that price.  

Description:
There is a battle waging for your soul. But you can arm yourself, and this Spiritual Warfare Bible is the perfect weapon against Satan. There is no better way to Our Lord than by reflecting on His own words and actions in Scripture. 

This Spiritual Warfare Bible RSV-CE includes nine special Spiritual Warfare inserts written and compiled by Paul Thigpen, PhD, author the acclaimed Manual for Spiritual Warfare, including: 

• Scripture for the Battle 
• Know Your Enemy 
• Know Your Commander and Comrades 
• Know Your Weapons 
• Church Teaching About Spiritual Warfare 
• Words from the Saints about Spiritual Warfare 
• Spiritual Warfare in the Lives of the Saints 
• Prayers for the Battle 
• Spiritual Warfare Topical Index

Price: $69.95

Sirach: Catholic Women's Bible Study & Journaling Bible

Description:
I believe any book that begins with the sentence, “Wisdom comes from the Lord,” needs to be read. And not only read, but studied and lingered over. How? Well, that is entirely up to you. You may feel called to journal through the Book of Sirach—old school, pen and paper style. You may feel called to get your art on with the creative process of Bible journaling using various mediums from colored pencils, acrylic paints, washi tape and stickers. Or you may you choose to dig deeper into the Book of Sirach by verse mapping your way through. Either way, this book will encourage you, help you and give you the room you need for whatever journaling style you choose. You can find more Bible journaling resources as well as Prayer journaling resources at TheLittlestWay.com.  You can find it at Amazon here.

Thanks again to Emilia for spotting this one!  She reports that the translation used is the RSV-CE.

Legacy of the RSV-CE and JB

It was around 50 years ago that two influential English language Catholic Bibles were published.  They are, of course, the Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition and the Jerusalem Bible.  Both of these Bibles were fruits of the Second Vatican Council and each, in their own way, continue to have a following even today.  The RSV-CE represents a more formal translation in line with its KJV heritage, while the Jerusalem Bible, known for its thorough notes, maintains a more dynamic style.  Each has been further updated/revised, yet each is still available and is in use in various places.

So, I want to hear from you, my gentle readers, as to what you think the legacy is for these two translations and what the future holds for them?

A Future RSV-CE?

There has been a bit of talk in the comments of this blog about Scepter Publishers coming out with a newly deisgned edition of the entire RSV-CE.  This would not necessarily be a compact Bible either.  Hopefully their recent Pocket RSV-CE NT will be a success and encourage this to actually happen.  Well, I thought it would be interesting to hear from you, my loyal readers, as to what you would like to see in a future RSV-CE.  I have some ideas, but I would like to hear from you first.  So, consider sharing your ideas in the comments of this post.  Also, make sure to pick up a Pocket RSV-CE NT!

Review: Scepter's Pocket RSV-CE NT

This, my friends, is truly a pocket bible!  You can easily put it into your back or side pocket without barely noticing.  I realized fairly quickly, when testing this out, that my cell phone is actually bigger than this pocket bible.  The Scepter Pocket RSV-CE NT, along with the USCCB's Pocket Gospel and Acts, represent the best answer to the call of Pope Francis to read the Gospels daily.  Yet, unlike that aforementioned pocket bible by the USCCB, this one is actually a tad smaller and comes in various cover options.  The price is $14.95, which also makes it highly affordable for not being a paperback edition.


As someone who prefers the original RSV-CE over the second edition done by Ignatius, I was really happy to see that this was going to be published.  The RSV-CE certainly deserves to remain in print, even as we are fifty years after its initial publication.  Upon receiving both a bonded leather and red synthetic leather edition, I can commend Scepter for creating a pocket bible that is portable and nice to hold and feel, while also being easy to read from.  The bonded leather has the nicer feel compared to the synthetic, but to be honest there isn't a huge difference.  The size is 3" X 5", making it slightly smaller than the USCCB pocket NAB.  Each edition comes with a nicely made and attached ribbon marker, which certainly should be mandatory for a bible like this which is meant to be read on the run or away from home.  There are also head and tail bands, along with four page endpapers.  I should mention that the black bonded leather edition has pages that are gold-gilded.  Overall, a well-constructed pocket bible that will last daily use wherever you take it.


One of the highlights for me is how readable the text is.  The biblical text is spaced well and printed dark enough so that one does not have to strain their eyes to read.  If you were to compare the page layout of this to any of the more recent Oxford compact NRSV's or NABRE's, the differences would be dramatic.  Perhaps this may serve as a reminder that it is better to have a pocket New Testament, or Gospel/Acts, that is can actually be read with ease instead of a complete Bible that gives you a headache when you are finished.  In this pocket RSV NT, the verses are places on the margins, which I think is an aid to reading this pocket bible.  There are paragraph headings which are bolded and help to break up the text, again, making it much easier to read.  If you have poor vision, I would guess that most pocket bibles would not be your cup of tea, but this one should appeal to most bible readers.


In conclusion, if you are looking for a truly pocket Catholic New Testament, this is the one for you.  If your favorite translation is the RSV-CE, again, this is the one for you.  At under $15, this is truly worth every penny.  As I had been trying to mention more and more before the summer sabbatical, when Catholic publishers produce quality Catholic bibles like this, it is important that we show them support by purchasing their products.  I know that many of you have wished to see more premium Catholic bible editions available.  This can become a reality only if we make it clear that there is a market for them.  Publishers like Scepter, as well as others like Baronius Press, have been producing quality Bibles for a number of years now.  Let's make sure to support them by not only purchasing their products, but also by promoting them when we can, particularly on social media.



I would like to thank Scepter for providing two copies of this edition for an honest review.

Scepter's Pocket RSV-CE NT

A number of people have emailed me during the past month or so who are very excited about this new Pocket RSV-CE NT from Scepter.  I have yet to see one in person, so would be interested in hearing from those of you who have.  With a price of $15.00, it clearly is a must for all those who love the RSV-CE.  I hope to have a review copy in the coming weeks to review for you.

Specs:

Pocket New Testament -Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition

Following years of popularity with a pocket New Testament in the Confraternity translation, Scepter now releases an easily readable, yet pocket size (3 x 5 inches) RSV CE version in bonded and synthetic leather covers.

The print size is bold and provides an easy read with a single column format. Each New Testament is well bound with reinforcement strips on the outside signatures to provide years of service without the binding splitting or weakening. Other features include: Gold foil stamping on cover and spine, Four-page end papers, Round spine with round cover corners, Head and tail bands, One ribbon marker, 672 pages

This pocket NT is about a half inch wide. Thus it can be carried easily anywhere, at work, during travel, or at home. Useful for everyone, whether just for one’s own reading, for preparation of talks or homilies or commentaries, or as a gift to a friend or family member.

Vintage Liturgical Press RSV-CE

Thanks to Chris for sharing these photos, and his thoughts, with us.  I was unaware that Liturgical Press published the RSV-CE back in the day.  This looks similar to the one Ignatius and Scepter published a decade or so ago.  Enjoy!

With the fiftieth anniversary of the RSV-CE around the corner, I decided to pick up a tight reading copy. Since you can still expect to pay more than $30 for a nicely bound modern printing, I opted to pick up a vintage copy on EBay instead, and boy am I glad I did!

It just arrived this evening and already I just love this little volume, a vintage 1966 first printing from Liturgical Press at St. John's Abbey. In one small package, it gets so much effortlessly right:
-a solid translation printed in a broad, readable font
-slightly dated, but largely timeless design devoid of Catholic kitsch and publishers trademark
-Simple trade dress that emphasizes "Holy Bible" over the name of the translation (or translator/commentator or specialized audience)
-the absence of dedication pages and other fluff that usually reduce the book to a devotional gift rather than a working book of scripture
-just enough explanatory material to unpack any given book without overly interpreting it (in fact the book introductions fall in a special appendix, so as not to vie for page space with the inspired word)
-Appendix outlining all the textual differences between the main Protestant version of the RSV and the Catholic Edition

What shocked me most was how thin it is! Compare this even to most "standard" (I.e. non-Study) Bibles, and it clocked in at about a third of the mass and half the thickness.  Best of all, it has that wonderful old book smell. While I use the Didache NABRE for Morning Prayer and study, this has instantly become my go-to reading Bible. They sure don't make them like this anymore.

A Leonard's Fix-Up: RSV-CE (Oxford)

A number of years back, I highlighted the thinline qualities of an Oxford RSV-CE readers edition, which is now out-of-print.  Because it didn't have cross-references, I copied a page of the "Old Testament references in the New Testament" chart and adhered it to the back end pages.  I ended up using it for a few months but discovered that there was a problem with it.  The binding, around the Pastoral Letters, was beginning to come loose.  I was disappointed by this and simply put this Bible away.  After the flood we had last August, I found it in a box that had miraculously survived.  I remembered the issue I had with it, so again I put it a side.  A month or two back, I decided to have it fixed up by the fine folks at Leonard's.  I have had two bibles rebound them, including my beloved Knox, so I thought about seeing what they could do with this one.  I wanted to keep the pacific duvelle cover, which I always enjoyed, but there were a series of other things I wanted done: 1) Tighten the sewing in the back, located primarily around the Pastorals; 2) Remove all glossy pages in the front; 3) Recast the book in the same cover; 4) Remove ribbon and add 3 navy ribbon markers.

Here are the before pictures:

And here are some pictures of what Leonard's did:

In the end, they did a great job at a reasonable price.  Again, if you are looking to have a bible rebound or fixed, go to Leonard's.

Now, if you made it all the way down here, I would like to offer you an opportunity to have this great Bible.  The is available for anyone in Canada or the United States.  You have until this Sunday, July 10th, at 11:59 PM to enter.  You must answer this question in the comments of this blog: What one passage of Scripture describes your faith and why?  One entry per person.  Please make sure to put a name at the end of your answer, particularly if you post anonymously.  I will announce the winner on Monday.  The winner has one week to contact me.

Info on Large-Print RSV's

Thanks to reader Keith for providing this info:

With my aging eyes, I decided that I really needed to obtain a large print Bible and decided to go with the RSV-CE Large Print.  The Oxford bonded leather 9780195288728 is apparently OOP, but I thought the Ignatius bonded leather 9781586172855 was the same thing but bound by Ignatius, and I also had the suspicion that the Scepter bonded leather 9781594170768 was the same thing bound by Scepter.

I ordered the Scepter ISBN from an Amazon seller (best price--like $10 less than the Ignatius) and when it arrived, I discovered that while the box was almost identical to the Oxford box, just printed with Scepter imprint, the actual Bible in the box was not bound by Scepter at all--it was the Oxford, imprinted Oxford, just sold in a Scepter box.  A pleasant surprise.

Your Bible: Jonny's RSV-CE

I wrote a post for this blog a while back about the Douay-Rheims Bible, and how it was instrumental to my conversion to the Catholic Church.  I will always have a deep affection and appreciation for the Douay-Rheims Bible, and it continues to be one of the few translations I read on a regular basis.  However, after I became Catholic, I began to be active in various ministries throughout my parish, and found I needed a more modern translation to communicate the Scriptures more effectively.  This post is not only features the Bible I use for ministry, but is also the story of how I came to use that particular edition.

The first modern English Catholic Bible I bought was a 1991 NAB.  I was excited about this because as a Protestant I had general distrust in modern translations, but I felt like I could trust the NAB because it had official Catholic approval.  I turned out that I really didn’t care for the translation after being spoiled on the D-R and more literal non-Catholic translations.  Then one day, in a parish gift shop, I spotted the Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.  It was the blue-covered, Ignatius Press reprint of the original 1966 edition.  As I thumbed through and read here and there, I saw that this Bible had more formal language, and the font and page layout were more traditional looking as well.  When I saw the self-pronouncing text I was sold for sure, despite the Bible’s overall humble appearance.

I have really enjoyed reading out of this edition, and definitely got my money’s worth, but I was a little disappointed as the glossy blue cover began flaking away.  I then began looking for another edition that was a little nicer.  I think I got one of every edition of the RSV-CE available, but there seemed to be some serious defect with each of them: cheap leather, no cross-references, glued binding, manifold typos (that edition is no longer available), or any combination of the above.  I also searched web and bookstore for any and all Catholic translations and available editions, and collected what I considered the best specimen of each.  In the end of this search, I was left even more frustrated than what I was in the beginning!

For it was during this time of intense Bible collecting I increased in responsibility with the various ministries in my parish.  As I interacted with an increasing number of Priests, Deacons, and lay people of all ages, I came to realize there are four points that need to be true of a Bible I use for ministry:

a)      Must be translated from the original languages

b)      Must have an imprimatur

c)       Must not use excessive inclusive language

d)      Must say “Hail, full of grace” in Luke 1:28

I know that list might seem like a bit superficial, but my experience has been that those are the four points that are recurring obstacles to using a Bible to interact amongst Catholics.  Long story short, the RSV-CE has proven, in my experience, to be the most universally accepted translation for use in ministry.

So now back to the story of “My Bible.”  Given the information above, I found it meet to give Ignatius RSV-CEs as gifts to some of my Catholic friends.  This was a couple of years after I had purchased mine with the flakey cover, and I noticed on the new ones I bought that the deep blue color was replaced by a brighter blue cover of the same design.  I wondered if the new one was better, so I ordered one for myself.  I found that my old one was published by Thomas Nelson for Ignatius Press in the U.S., while the new one was printed in Colombia, apparently with Ignatius applying the covers themselves.  The new cover was of better quality, and didn’t peel, but the book was not bound together well.  I decided to grin and bear the imperfection.  A year of so later, I gave the newer copy away to a friend and ordered another new copy for myself.  This one was slightly better, but still not acceptable for a plain hardcover reprint of a book published in 1966 that costs over 30 dollars!  I finally called Ignatius Press and told them of the trouble I had with that particular book, and they sent me a very nice copy with an even, tight binding. This is the Bible I have used as my basic, primary Bible for all things officially connected to my parish ministries ever since.

A few more details about the Ignatius RSV-CE are in order.  As I mentioned before, this is a self-pronouncing edition, meaning that most of the proper names have the phonetic markings printed on the first occurrence of each name per paragraph.  This is also the only edition of the RSV-CE that has the original RSV-CE cross references.  There are a lot in the NT, less in the OT, and none in Deuterocanonical books.  Yet it has more than any other edition of the RSV-CE, which have none at all.  It is actually an exact reprint, page for page, of the original 1966 edition.  I know that because I know someone who owns the 1966 Thomas Nelson edition.  It has the burgundy hardcover with gold lettering just like the original Thomas Nelson Protestant RSVs did.  Like the original, it is also sadly lacking a map section.  I carry my copy in a Bible cover loaded with glossy inserts available from Rose Publishing.  One of the inserts is a booklet entitled “Then and Now Bible Maps Insert,” which has proven to be more useful than the map sections in other Bibles I own.  So that’s it.  No fancy leather or ribbons, just the basic stuff I need to get the job done.  I hope you are as surprised as I was!

Thank you Jonny!  The plan is to make this a monthly series.  So, if you are interested in participating, just send me an email, mccorm45(at)yahoo(dot)com, and we'll talk.

My New Saint John's Bible Print and John 1:14

In honor of my newly framed Giclée print of the Saint John's Bible illumination for John 1:14, The Word Made Flesh by Donald Jackson, I thought I would list how this verse is translated in a number of prominent English versions.  Of course, most fascinating to me, at least, is how each version translates the Greek word σκηνόω.  I prefer what the NABRE and NRSV have done which get closest to the idea that God "pitched his tent/tabernacle" among us.


"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." -Douay-Rheims

"And the Word was made flesh, and came to dwell among us; and we had sight of his glory, glory such as belongs to the Father’s only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth." -Knox

"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth." -NABRE

"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth." -NRSV

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father." -RSV-CE

"The Word became flesh and made his home among. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth." -CEB

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish." -The Message

Lighthouse Bible App

Over the weekend I downloaded the Lighthouse Catholic Media Bible App.  It is fantastic and free!

It comes with:

• Complete edition of the RSV-CE
• Amazing audio New Testament from Truth and Life - plus the Gospel of John for FREE!
• An extra 10 hours of Free audio commentary from Dr. Scott Hahn's St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.
• Over 50 Lighthouse talks for purchase within the app. Download today and get "The Lamb's Supper" for FREE!

I know that EWTN has a similar app available as well.  (I believe that version comes with the audio to Mark downloaded for free.)  I prefer this edition simply due to the extra St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology audio commentaries.  One of them is a 6 part commentary on the Gospel of John by Dr. Scott Hahn.  Additional talks can be purchased for $1.99-$2.99 per talk, so very reasonable.  My only gripe is that once again this would have been a great opportunity for Ignatius to get involved and allow the RSV-2CE to be the Bible used.  I am happy to have the RSV-CE don't get me wrong, but I prefer the updated Second Edition.  

If you have a smart phone this is something every Catholic should get, along with the iBreviary, iRosary, and Logos Bible apps.  

Some Additional Thoughts on the CSSI Bible

Back in March of 2011, I reviewed the Catholic Scripture Study International Bible (RSV-CE) published by Saint Benedict Press.  I noted that it wasn't a proper "study Bible" due to the absence of cross-references, more detailed maps, and notes/commentary.  However, I found it to be a very good apologetics study Bible, with a very nice overall feel and look to it. 

As I mentioned during that earlier review: "The real jewel of this study Bible is the apologetics content found in the 76 full color pages. Most notably, the eight pages of “Catholic Apologetics Bible Verses” I have found to be quite helpful. This section not only covers issues ranging from “Anointing of the Sick” to “Works” but does so with both biblical citations as well as direct quotations from the Fathers of the Church."

I stick by those initial comments, but I would like to add some practical insight into this edition which I gained during the past academic year.  As some of you know, this past Spring semester I taught a high school theology elective course on Catholic apologetics to our graduating seniors.  (I am excited to say that I have two full classes of this elective set for this coming academic year as well!)  One of the texts I used consistently was the CSSI Bible.  This was due to two main reasons:

1) The inclusion of the large-print edition of the SBP RSV-CE made it very useful for reading and proclamation during class.  It also provided plenty of room for personal notes and highlighting.  Even today, when I feel like reading from the RSV, I typically read from the CSSI Bible.  (Also, I do like the very flexible bonded leather cover.  It is far better than most other bonded leather covers that I have complained about in the past.)

2) The eight pages of "Catholic Apologetics Bible Verses" mentioned above were a handy and well-organized component of this Bible.  Not only did they point out verses that have been used to counter various Catholic teachings, but included ample counter verses as well as full quotes from the Fathers.  These "helps" were exceedingly useful when I was preparing for a lesson or when I was responding to a student question but couldn't remember the verse I wanted to cite. 

All in all, this is a fine Catholic Bible.  With that being said, I would love to see a future edition that incorporated some of those elements that I feel were missing.  By simply adding cross-references and some more maps, like the "Route of the Exodus" and "Paul's Journeys" for instance, I think the CSSI Bible would become a premier reference Bible for Catholics.

But until then, if you are interested in purchasing this already very useful CSSI Bible follow the below link:
Catholic Scripture Study Bible: RSV-CE Large Print Edition




A Year with the Bible

Just received word from Saint Benedict Press that the translation used for the upcoming A Year with the Bible by Patrick Madrid will be the RSV-CE.  This devotional is due out in August, just in time for the Year of Faith!

(Ben) Sirach 1:8

Last year, I did a post looking at the changes found in the book of Sirach, comparing the RSV-2CE with the original RSV-CE.  I noted that there were a number of places where the RSV-2CE went with a different rendering or followed a different textual basis for their translation of Sirach.  The big issue, of course, is that these changes are not indicated in the textual notes of the RSV-2CE.  Well, I decided to read a little bit of Sirach recently and ran into the same issue within the first chapter.  Below is the RSV-2CE rendering, followed by a number of other translations.  Again, I think we can see the influence of the Vulgate here.  There is also the issue as to whether or not a particular translation adds "the Lord" to verse 8 or beginning verse 9.

RSV-2CE:
"There is One who is wise, the Creator of all, the King greatly to be feared, sitting upon his throne, and ruling as God."

RSV-CE:
"There is One who is wise, greatly to be feared, sitting on his throne."

Douay-Rheims (Challoner):
"There is one most high Creator Almighty, and a powerful king, and greatly to be feared, who sitteth upon his throne, and is the God of dominion."

NABRE:
"There is but one, wise and truly awesome, seated upon his throne--the Lord."

NRSV:
"There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared, seated upon his throne--the Lord."

Upcoming Catholic Bible Releases

A few times a year I like to do a post focusing on the upcoming Bible releases in the various Catholic translations. With the rush of new editions over the past year or so, due to the publication of the NABRE and the releases from Saint Benedict Press and HarperOne, I think we are entering a bit of a slow period. So, below is what I have found concerning the Big Three (RSV, NRSV, and NABRE) doing my own internet searching, along with information I have gathered through corresponding with a few publishers:

RSV (First and Second Editions)
From what I have been able to gather, there are no new publications scheduled in any Catholic edition of the RSV. A contact with Ignatius stated that they are looking into a large-print edition of the RSV-2CE, but no plans have been set as of yet. The only other RSV-related material that is set to be released is the ICSB Exodus volume which is due sometime early next year. I still believe that the definitive edition of the RSV-CE (or RSV-2CE) has yet to be produced. Perhaps that edition only exists in my mind, but you never know what might happen in the next few years. We'll just have to wait and see.

NRSV
While HarperOne has released the NRSV-CE in numerous creative editions over the past few years, there are currently no new editions of the NRSV set for publications. I should point out that a contact at HarperOne has made it known that they will be releasing a NRSV with cross-references at some point in the near future. It is uncertain whether or not this cross-reference edition will come in a specifically Catholic version.

NABRE
This month, Oxford University Press will publish the Catholic Bible Personal Study Edition (NABRE). The problems and inconsistencies relating to Oxford's Catholic Study Bible (NABRE) are supposedly resolved in this edition, which comes in hardcover, paperback, and bonded leather. (Publication date on a corrected CSB NABRE has not been released.)

HarperOne will begin publishing the NABRE in early 2012. While details are scarce as to what this edition will include, it will come in a black and white imitation leather and paperback edition. This edition is due at the end of February 2012.

Also, one of my contacts has mentioned to me that there are a few prominent publishers that may soon begin producing more high-quality editions of the NABRE. Some of the possibilities are quite exciting, but we will see what happens.


Am I missing anything?