Show Me the Money: NAB(RE)

If you have been a regular to Catholic online forums (or even this blog at times) and the topic comes up about the NAB, someone will eventually bring up the issue of the royalities that are collected for licensing the NAB.  Usually the person who brings up this issue does so with an axe to grind against the NAB, CCD, or USCCB. 

Well, I was happy that our friend, Mary Sperry, passed along a recent USCCB Press Release that shows were some of this money goes.  (There are others not listed here.)  I thought I would share it with you so you could see for yourself:

November 3, 2017

WASHINGTON—This Fall 2017, for the first time, the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) awarded grants in the amount of $85,900 for four projects that support the goals of the CCD to promote Catholic biblical literacy and Catholic biblical interpretation.

Funding for these grants comes from the royalties received from the publication of the New American Bible and its derivative works which the CCD develops, publishes, promotes, and distributes.

The four projects sponsored by the CCD are as follows:

• $11,750 to Dr. Todd Hibbard (Associate Professor, University of Detroit Mercy) for field research in Jerusalem related to his project on the rhetoric of urban destruction in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. This research will inform the forthcoming monograph, Prophets and Prophecy in Ancient Israel and Judah: A Phenomenological Approach.
  
• $11,800 to Father Robert Lapko (Moderator for the Centre for Biblical and Near Eastern Studies of the Archdiocese of Košice, Slovakia) to provide partial financial support for continuing biblical education and formation of Slovak clergy through seminars, and intensive summer school for biblical languages, and a study trip to the Holy Land.
  
• $17,350 to Dr. Patrick Russell (Chief Academic Officer and Professor of Scripture Studies, Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Hales Corners, WI) for a project to ascertain the most effective preaching strategies employed by priests that lead parishioners to more profound encounters, focusing on the Gospel parables in the Sunday Lectionary for Mass.
  
• $45,000 to Dr. Nathan Eubank and Dr. Markus Bockmuehl (Keble College, University of Oxford) for 12-month research project designed to contribute to renewed understanding of the relationship between Scripture and the early Christian creeds, particularly, the Apostles' Creed.

The CCD works with the Catholic Biblical Association (CBA) to offer these grants accepting applications only from the CBA, including the organization itself, its designees, and its active and associate members. In fidelity to Dei Verbum, the CBA's purpose is to promote scholarly study in Scripture and related fields by meetings of the association, publications, and support to those engaged in such studies.

NABRE's On Sale from USCCB

Follow this link for the discount.  Offer expires 11:59 PM ET on March 4, 2017.

Guest Review: USCCB NABRE

Take a look at the new USCCB NABRE Personal Edition. Also available in gift and paperback editions, this is finally a Catholic Bible that doesn't need to be rebound.  The bonded leather cover flexes nicely to lay flat, the typeface is clean and a decent size, and the two-color inks make for easy navigation, especially with the book introductions and chapter guides at the top of each page.  One of my favorite features of this Personal Edition is the way it (accidentally?) blends gilded pages with printed navigation tabs without cutting thumb tabs into the pages. Lay it flat, and its a beautiful gold-edged volume. Flex it sightly, and you see all the red tabs.

The only thing that keeps this Bible from taking the prize is the unwieldy way it manages the textual notes. Personally, I am not one who objects to the NABRE notes, though I understand those who do. The 2010 NABRE OT is actually my favorite modern Edition in English, and having gone to an academic Protestant seminary, the content of the notes don't strike me as at all problematic. That's just what Biblical studies is, for me, and what led me to Catholicism as an adult. What bothers me isn't the content but the format. For some reason, instead of a single common asterisk, the publisher opted to give each subsequent textual note it's own distinctive footnote marker at the bottom of the page. I suppose the internet is to remove confusion about which text reference tracks to which footnote, but the result is a rather confusing connection of scribbles. I'm never sure if the notation is a call out to a footnote, or just a reference to a parallel text. I would have preferred a plain asterisk throughout, with clear verse references at the bottom of the page. The font size in the footnotes is a little too small to be comfortable.  

The text, of course, is the NABRE, consisting of the 2010 OT and Psalms, with the 1986 NT (currently under revision by the Catholic Biblical Association of America). Devotional fluff are minimal: just a presentation page, and maps at the back. For my use, I'll still default to the Didache NABRE because of the addition of the catechetical notes there, but I sure wish it was bound like this!

In this volume, the USCCB seems intent on providing the very thing we do often mourn the lack of on this blog: a basic Bible text, decently and sturdily bound, with uncluttered design for everyday Catholic use. Basically, a Protestant lap Bible for Catholics. Making its own translation available under its own imprint and in this format, the USCCB is finally doing just that. This is, quite literally, a full Catholic Bible translated and published by the Church for the Church.

Christopher Buckley holds an M.A. in Religion from the Claremont School of Theology. He began as a United Methodist and passed through the Episcopal Church before being confirmed into the Catholic Church as an adult. He lives and works in Seattle with his wife and two children, and blogs occasionally at StoryWiseGuy.com. Connect with him on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Flickr, and LinkedIn, and Bible.com.

USCCB Publishing NABRE: Personal Edition

For a long time, the USCCB left the NAB(RE) to be published by other Catholic publishing houses. This changed last year when the USCCB published a pocket Gospels and Acts in the NABRE translation.  Now recently, the USCCB has produced a regular sized NABRE in various covers, including hardcover, paperback, and bonded leather.  I was able to obtain the "personal edition" which comes in the bonded leather cover, and I must say that it is quite a nice edition for the modest price of $19.95.


To begin, here are the basic specifications of this Bible:

Exterior features:

● Soft, brown leather cover with gold embossing on the cover and spine

● Beautiful gold-gilded edges and rounded corners

● Convenient ribbon to bookmark your place

Inside features:

● Seven newly designed, full-color maps of biblical places and journeys    

● Two-color print (black and burgundy) for easy reading                

● Side tabs to distinguish the different books of the Bible

● Lightweight, smooth 24-lb paper

Starting with the exterior features, the leather is neither premium nor genuine.  However, as I mentioned above, it is quite soft for being bonded along with being fairly flexible.  It is not as stiff as most bonded leather bible covers that I have felt in the past, most notably the NJB readers edition.  The binding is sewn, which means that it could be a candidate for a rebind.  The gold-gilded edges and rounded corners give a classic look to it.  (One of my regrets on the Knox Bible from Baronius is that the corners are not rounded.)  One burgundy ribbon comes with this Bible.  The burgundy color of the ribbon matches quite well with the burgundy print that is found in the text.  It would have, however, been nice if they had offered this with two ribbons, but that is only a minor issue.



When you open the Bible. you will find that the print is quite readable.  It utilizes a two-color, black and burgundy, print, with the scriptural text and notes in black and the paragraph headings and chapter numbers in burgundy.  It works really well.  It might remind some of you of the HarperOne NABRE that came out a few years back.  I very much enjoyed what Harper did with their NABRE.  What makes the USCCB edition better is that the print is larger and bolder.  You will not have any problem reading from this Bible in pretty much any setting.  The standard NABRE notes and cross-references are found at the bottom of each page.  One final comment about the layout that stands out for me is the generous size of the margins.  They are large enough for personal annotations, even with the side tabs that are present on each page.  While this is not a "wide-margin" bible, it certainly has one of the largest margins of any NABRE or other Catholic bible recently published.

Overall, I find that this NABRE from the USCCB is quite a good deal.  For under $20 you get an NABRE with a beautiful page layout, sewn binding, flexible bonded leather, and a decent selection of maps.  If you know someone who is looking to get a new NABRE for Christmas, this might be an affordable option.  It even has a presentation page for such an occasion!    Now that they have produced a pocket edition and this personal edition, I would really like to see one done in premium leather.  If they were to do one with a similar page layout, it could easily become the nicest NABRE on the market, by far.

I would like to thank USCCB Publishing for sending me a review copy.

USCCB NABRE

Just received this email from the USCCB.  They are selling some new editions of the NABRE's, including leather hardcover and soft leather editions .  (Not sure if it is genuine or bonded.)  This is a very good thing.  Available in various editions, these Bibles come with the following features;

The gift edition of the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), offers a superb reading experience that will give this Bible a special place in your home and prayer life for years to come. It is packaged in a special gift box with a dedicated presentation page. This edition is the perfect gift for anyone going through the RCIA program, receiving Confirmation, getting married, or celebrating a special family occasion! 

Gift Edition Features:

• Beautiful gilt edges
• Burgundy leather hardcover
• Unique gold foil stamp, front & spine
• Two-color text (black & burgundy) printed on high-quality 24lb paper
• Convenient ribbon for bookmarking
• Chapter tabs 
• Seven full-color maps 
• Special gift box
• Customizable presentation page

National Bible Week

From USCCB:

WASHINGTON—Families, parishes, schools and other Catholic groups can participate in National Bible Week, November 15-21, with resources provided in English and Spanish and available on the website of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The theme of the observance is “The Bible: A Book for the Family/ La Biblia: Un Libro para la Familia.” 

The Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum will celebrate its 50th anniversary on November 18, 2015. National Bible Week logos and a variety of resources that highlight the Bible in Catholic life are available online: www.usccb.org/bible/national-bible-week/index.cfm

Resources for families include “Enthroning the Bible in the Family” (Cómo entronizar la Biblia en la familia), “Making the Word of God a Part of Your Home” (Cómo hacer que la Palabra de Dios sea parte fundamental del hogar), “Ever Ancient, Ever New: The Art and Practice of Lectio Divina” (Siempre Antigua, Siempre Nueva: El Arte y la Práctica de Lectio Divina) and “Sharing the Word of God at Home” (Compartiendo la Palabra de Dios en el Hogar).

Resources for parishes include a faith formation session on reading and understanding the Bible, a guide for starting and maintaining a parish Bible study, a family retreat, tips for using the Bible in catechesis and prayer, and a Scripture vigil on the themes of Catholic Social Teaching.

The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine will act as a clearinghouse for activities undertaken by dioceses and other groups, including the Association of Catholic Publishers, the American Bible Society and the Catholic Biblical Federation.

Pocket Gospel Contest from USCCB

USCCB Communications sends over 1,200 donated bibles to unaccompanied minors detained in Arizona

USCCB Communications sends over 1,200 donated bibles to unaccompanied minors detained in Arizona

USCCB Pocket Gospels and Acts

Thought I would give you all a first look at the USCCB's Pocket Gospels and Acts of the Apostles NAB(RE).  It is a really handy little volume, that is modeled after the one our Holy Father distributed a number of weeks back. Here are some photos:

USCCB and the NAB Report

Thanks to reader Rolf for spotting this from the Adoremus Bulletin for August.

I see six important points from this report:
1) They were going to initially just revise the NAB NT notes, but decided to do a revision of the NT text as well.
2) They are going to work for a lectionary text that is the same as the one which the typical American Catholic will be able to use for study.
3) The Revised Grail Psalms will be included in the completed revision
4) There will be a light revision of the NABRE OT, to reflect Liturgiam Authenticam.
5) There is still a question as to how Liturgiam Authenticam will be reflected in this translation, see the comments by Cardinal DiNardo.
6) It is going to take a long time, hence all the "laughter" and jokes about how most of the people commissioning this revision will not being alive when it is completed.

Report on New American Bible and the Lectionary
USCCB Spring General Meeting
Thursday Morning, June 14, 2012

Cardinal Timothy Dolan: (New York, President of the USCCB) And I’m just thinking, Cardinal Wuerl, how appropriate it is that you’re going to bring us up to date with a report on the New American Bible and the Lectionary in the whole context of the New Evangelization and the Year of Faith that we’ve heard about. So please. Thanks for your leadership. Archbishop Aymond is joining you as well.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond: (New Orleans; Chairman, Committee on Divine Worship) Thank you, Cardinal Dolan. My brother bishops, thank you for the opportunity to speak to you briefly in order to share the work of the Committee on Divine Worship regarding the Lectionary for Mass, and the Committee on Doctrine regarding the New American Bible.
A brief history that you will have on the slides:
In 1997 we approved Volume I of the Lectionary, and in 1999 we approved Volumes II, III, and IV. The body of bishops at that time voted to conduct a review of the text after five years in order that we could evaluate the suitability for liturgical proclamation, poetic expression, grammar, vocabulary. In June of 2004, the Committee on Liturgy was given the task to do experimental revision of selected readings. Following that, in November of 2006, the body of bishops approved changes to the selected readings in Advent. In November of 2007 the body of bishops approved changes to the readings of the Sundays of Lent. And further work by the Committee on Divine Worship included the weekdays of Lent, Sundays of Easter, and Sundays in Ordinary Time.
While this work was being done by the Committee on Divine Worship on the Lectionary, there was a separate project that was also taking place on the New American Bible. Specifically the revision of the Old Testament. And that text was published with the imprimatur in 2011. Then a request by the CCD to conduct the revision of the footnotes of the New American Bible New Testament. But when that went to the Admin- istrative Committee there was a suggestion to revise not only the footnotes, but the revision of the New Testament itself.
So, as you can see, there were two projects going on at the same time. After a lot of conversation and ongoing consultation between two standing committees, it is the recommendation and desire of both the Committee on Divine Worship and the Committee on Doctrine, including its Subcommittee on the Translation of Scripture Texts, now to work toward a single translation. That is, a single text of the New American Bible that could be used for all pastoral uses: personal prayer and study; secondly, catechesis; and the proclamation of the Scriptures at Sacred Liturgy.
Some preliminary recommendations were made to the Administrative Committee in March of this year in this regard, and now we would like to outline a plan to proceed — the basic goals and the process to be followed — and to receive your support as we move forward. And Cardinal Wuerl will now delineate for us the goals and the process.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl: (Washington, DC; Chairman, Committee on Doctrine) Archbishop Aymond, thank you very much. The goal — it’s a very simple goal — the goal is to produce a single translation, to arrive at a single translation.
The Synod on the Word of God and the Post-synodal exhortation Verbum Domini clearly articulated the central place of Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church. The goal of this project is to see that there would be one translation that would be used for devotional use, catechetical use, liturgical use. It would have all of the qualities that we would hope to find in a translation that would provide us one source of language when we speak of the Word of God. The process is a somewhat simple process; it’s just that it’s going to take a long time. That’s just the nature, and you’re going to hear in a moment why.
The authorization from the Board of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine: with that authorization the CCD, in consultation with the Subcommittee on the Translation of Scripture Texts, will undertake a revision of the New American Bible New Testament. What this will mean is, it will look at those texts to see that they are going to be able to be used for proclamation as well as for ordinary use. This work will utilize the principles of translation that guided the recent revision of the New American Bible Old Testament, and will follow the norms of translation contained in the Instruction Liturgiam authenticam for the translation of Sacred Scripture that’s to be used in Sacred Liturgy.
So, before the work commences, the Committee on Divine Liturgy [sic] will turn over all of the work it’s already done on gathering all of the information on the Lectionary, with the recommendation that the principles that were used in the production of the most recent translations for liturgical use be used. The revised Old Testament will be revised only in light of the Committee on Divine Worship’s principles regarding suitability for liturgical practice.
I know this sounds as if it’s going to be an enormous amount of redoing, but it really will not be. The Old Testament — we just approved that recently — it will just be revisited now to see: those texts that are used liturgically, do they correspond to principles for liturgical proclamation?
The biblical scholars responsible for the revision will be sensitive, then, to the pastoral, the doctrinal, the liturgical considerations as they produce a draft to be presented for review and preliminary approval by the Subcommittee for the Translation of Sacred Scripture. Both committees, the Committee on Divine Worship and the Committee on Doctrine, will then have an opportunity to review these texts. Ultimately it’s all of us, it’s the body of bishops, who’ll be asked to approve the completed biblical text for liturgical use so that we can then submit this to the Holy See for the recognitio. Once we receive the recognitio, then the president of our conference can grant the imprimatur to the New American Bible, and then it will be able to be used in the Lectionary at Mass. So the end product will be one translation that we will all be using, and hearing the same words when we refer to specific texts. And that translation will be used in the liturgy, it’ll be used in study, it’ll be used in personal devotion, it’ll be used when we’re simply reading the text.
Now, as I began, obviously this isn’t going to be done overnight. But we’re asking simply to begin this process so that we will have all of this eventually to bring back. This isn’t being said facetiously, I don’t expect that I will … be presenting this. [laughter] But it’s the time to start, and we have all the pieces in place, and all of the principles in place. So we get started. The sooner we get started, the sooner some of you will live to see it. [laughter]
And if, Your Eminence, there are any questions I would try to answer them, or leave it to my younger colleague here.

Cardinal Dolan: When that happy day comes you will be part of a newsreel on how this all came about. [laughter] Thanks, Cardinal Wuerl. Thanks, Archbishop Aymond and your excellent staff. There may be some… I see Bishop Boyea, I see Bishop Trautman, I see Cardinal DiNardo, I see… I can’t see… in the back there… Bishop Byrnes. Who else? Four of them. Go ahead.

Bishop Earl Boyea: (Lansing) Briefly, what’s going to be the role of the Grail Psalms that we’ve just approved for liturgical use?

Archbishop Aymond: The Grail Psalms will be in this Bible that we’re talking about. They will also be used in the revised Liturgy of the Hours, which we will be talking about in November.

Cardinal Dolan: Excellent. Bishop Trautman, and then Bishop Byrnes.

Bishop Donald Trautman: (Erie) Thank you very much. Could you identify some of the scholars that will be involved in this project?

Cardinal Wuerl: At this point we are not able to do that because we haven’t even begun the process of surfacing the names. We’ve come here… We already have the committee that does the work of translation. We also have our own CCD committee. But we haven’t reached the point yet where we’ve even begun to assemble them.

Cardinal Dolan: Bishop Byrnes, then Cardinal DiNardo.

Bishop Michael Byrnes: (Auxiliary, Detroit) This announcement is very welcome to me, having taught Scripture in the seminary for the last number of years. [In 2003, he earned his doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Returning to Detroit, he joined the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, and was named vice rector in January 2004. He was named auxiliary bishop in March 2011. - Ed.] Dealing with the New American Bible for study is very difficult, and so I’m grateful that study is an important priority here. I’m fully supportive of this. I hope in our working with the liturgical use of the text, that we’re willing to leave the difficult passages, the difficult translations, the difficult constructions present. Our people, in order to increase their biblical literacy, need to learn how to wrestle with the Scripture. One of my big complaints about the NAB in teaching has been: It tries to remove the difficulties with some of the hard passages. And I hope we leave them in, because it forces us to exercise ourselves spiritually and intellectually in order to penetrate the Scripture. Thank you.

Cardinal Dolan: Thank you. Cardinal DiNardo and Bishop Rosazza.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo: (Galveston-Houston) Cardinal Wuerl, first my condolences that you anticipate your demise before the completion of the project. Flowers and prayers are on the way! [laughter]
The second thing I wanted to mention is exactly in light of that. I’m very favorable that there be one translation. It’s something devoutly to be hoped for. The question I raise — someone already answered about the Grail Psalter — but Liturgiam authenticam also asks that we do translations — I presume this is from the Greek, when it comes to the New Testament. And yet, apparently, according to Liturgiam authenticam, some eye has to be held toward the New Vulgate as well. Is that going to be part and parcel — and that’s what’s going to cause the complexity that goes on, in a translation that is both personal study, catechetical and also liturgical?

Cardinal Wuerl: Your Eminence, you highlighted exactly part of the problem why it will take so long. Also you highlighted why we do need a communications person. I was really referring to not being here. I hope still on the planet! [laughter]

Cardinal Dolan: Bishop Rosazza, and then we gotta go to regional meetings. Bishop Rosazza, you were going to bring that [same question] up? Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop Aymond, good work. Thank you. And you’ll keep us posted, right?

Family Prayer Time and the Bible

While I was poking around the NABRE section of the USCCB site, I spotted a short article by Jem Sullivan called A Spiritual Feast for Your Home: How Catholics Can Use the Old Testament in the Family which you can read here. This short essay caused me to think a bit about how I utilize the Old Testament for prayer, particularly within the context of my own family. While it is true that I am currently teaching an intro class about the historical narrative of the Old Testament, I wonder if I am spending enough time, within the family setting, prayerfully reflecting on the many treasures found in these passages.

To be sure, once my daughter, as well as our new child to be born in July, get a little bit older, I am going to love reading Bible stories from a children's Bible to them. But what else? I would be interested in hearing from you, my fine readers, as to how you integrate the Old Testament, or the whole Bible in general, into your family prayer time.

The NABRE site is updated

Since we are talking site updates today, the USCCB site has been overhauled, including the NABRE portion. The complete NABRE is now online. There are some additional materials and essays there as well.

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!)

NAB Revision (NABRE) Official Announcement!

Breaking news from the USCCB website:

Revised Edition of New American Bible Approved for Publication, Will Be Available in Variety of Formats March 9

"WASHINGTON (January 6, 2011)—The New American Bible, revised edition (NABRE), the first major update to the New American Bible (NAB) translation in 20 years, has been approved for publication. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, then president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), signed the canonical rescript approving publication on September 30, 2010. The NABRE will be available in a variety of print, audio and electronic formats on March 9, Ash Wednesday.

The new translation takes into account advances in linguistics of the biblical languages, as well as changes in vocabulary and the cultural background of English, in order to ensure a more accurate translation. This issue is addressed in the apostolic exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, in which the pope says, “The inculturation of God’s word is an integral part of the Church’s mission in the world, and a decisive moment in this process is the diffusion of the Bible through the precious work of translation into different languages.

The new translation also takes into account the discovery of new and better ancient manuscripts so that the best possible textual tradition is followed.The NABRE includes the first revised translation of the Old Testament since 1970 and a complete revision of the Psalter. It retains the 1986 edition of the New Testament. Work on most books of the Old Testament began in 1994 and was completed in 2001. The 1991 revision of the Psalter was further revised between 2009 and 2010.

The revision aimed at making use of the best manuscript traditions available, translating as accurately as possible, and rendering the result in good contemporary English. In many ways it is a more literal translation than the original New American Bible and has attempted to be more consistent in rendering Hebrew (or Greek) words and idioms, especially in technical contexts, such as regulations for sacrifices. In translating the Psalter special effort was made to provide a smooth, rhythmic translation for easy singing or recitation and to retain the concrete imagery of the Hebrew.

The NABRE is approved for private use and study. It will not be used for the Mass, which uses an earlier, modified version of the NAB translation.”

The long wait is almost over. Comments to come shortly, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, you can submit questions about the NABRE on its new Facebook site here.

New Benedict XVI Book from USCCB

A new book is set to arrive this month published by the USCCB. Benedict XVI: Essays and Reflections on His Papacy will contain original works on the Pontiff from the likes of: "King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Shimon Peres of Israel, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Cardinal Francis George, OMI, USCCB president, and John Thavis, Rome bureau chief for Catholic News Service" as well as "Cardinal Edward Egan, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM Cap., Cardinal Justin Rigali, Sister Eileen McCann, CSJ, and Ambassador Johnny Young." This 224 page book is due out early next week.

CBA vs. USCCB?

Many thanks to reader Sharon for alerting me to this article from the National Catholic Reporter. As some of you may know, there is a dispute between the USCCB and the CBA over the royalties from the NAB. The article goes into some detail over the history and depth of the dispute. It is worth taking a read of the article, although I find the viewer comments less than helpful.

Perhaps this is an indication that the NABRE will be delayed even longer?

The USCCB Approved Bibles List

An anonymous reader commented in a prior post about the official list of approved Bible translations on the USCCB website. As noted, the revised NAB OT is already on the list. We now just have to wait for the re-revised Psalms to be completed and approved. Here is the full list for your reading pleasure:

USCCB Approved Translations of the Sacred Scriptures: 1991 – Present

Books of the New Testament, Alba House

Contemporary English Version - New Testament, First Edition, American Bible Society

Contemporary English Version - Book of Psalms, American Bible Society

Contemporary English Version - Book of Proverbs, American Bible Society

The Grail Psalter (Inclusive Language Version), G.I.A. Publications

New American Bible, Revised Old Testament

New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, National Council of Churches The Psalms, Alba House

The Psalms (New International Version) – St. Joseph Catholic Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Company

The Psalms – St. Joseph New Catholic Version, Catholic Book Publishing Company

Revised Psalms of the New American Bible (I would assume the '91 NAB Psalms)

So You May Believe, A Translation of the Four Gospels, Alba House

Today's English Version, Second Edition, American Bible Society

Translation for Early Youth, A Translation of the New Testament for Children, Contemporary English Version, American Bible Society

10 points for Fruitful Scripture Reading from the USCCB

Listed here are 10 points for fruitful Scripture reading from the USCCB site, compiled by Mary Elizabeth Sperry.

1) Bible reading is for Catholics. The Church encourages Catholics to make reading the Bible part of their daily prayer lives. Reading these inspired words, people grow deeper in their relationship with God and come to understand their place in the community God has called them to in himself.

2) Prayer is the beginning and the end. Reading the Bible is not like reading a novel or a history book. It should begin with a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to the Word of God. Scripture reading should end with a prayer that this Word will bear fruit in our lives, helping us to become holier and more faithful people.

3) Get the whole story! When selecting a Bible, look for a Catholic edition. A Catholic edition will include the Church's complete list of sacred books along with introductions and notes for understanding the text. A Catholic edition will have an imprimatur notice on the back of the title page. An imprimatur indicates that the book is free of errors in Catholic doctrine.

4) The Bible isn't a book. It's a library. The Bible is a collection of 73 books written over the course of many centuries. The books include royal history, prophecy, poetry, challenging letters to struggling new faith communities, and believers' accounts of the preaching and passion of Jesus. Knowing the genre of the book you are reading will help you understand the literary tools the author is using and the meaning the author is trying to convey.

5) Know what the Bible is – and what it isn't. The Bible is the story of God's relationship with the people he has called to himself. It is not intended to be read as history text, a science book, or a political manifesto. In the Bible, God teaches us the truths that we need for the sake of our salvation.

6) The sum is greater than the parts. Read the Bible in context. What happens before and after – even in other books – helps us to understand the true meaning of the text.

7) The Old relates to the New. The Old Testament and the New Testament shed light on each other. While we read the Old Testament in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus, it has its own value as well. Together, these testaments help us to understand God's plan for human beings.

8) You do not read alone. By reading and reflecting on Sacred Scripture, Catholics join those faithful men and women who have taken God's Word to heart and put it into practice in their lives. We read the Bible within the tradition of the Church to benefit from the holiness and wisdom of all the faithful.

9) What is God saying to me? The Bible is not addressed only to long-dead people in a faraway land. It is addressed to each of us in our own unique situations. When we read, we need to understand what the text says and how the faithful have understood its meaning in the past. In light of this understanding, we then ask: What is God saying to me?

10) Reading isn't enough. If Scripture remains just words on a page, our work is not done. We need to meditate on the message and put it into action in our lives. Only then can the word be "living and effective."(Hebrews 4:12).

Mary Elizabeth Sperry is Associate Director for Utilization of the New American Bible. Hmmm......I never knew there was such an office. In my mind, particularly with the upcoming publication of the revised NAB, they should consider developing a website dedicated to the NAB. The USCCB has a site currently devoted to the NAB, but the resources could certainly be enhanced and the overall look updated. And it definitely deserves a site of its own.

As for the list, I would be a little careful particularly when it comes to #5. While what she says is true, it is important to go back to what the Second Vatican Council Document Dei Verbum taught in regarding inspiration: "Therefore, since everything asserted by the inspired authors or sacred writers must be held to be asserted by the Holy Spirit, it follows that the books of Scripture must be acknowledged as teaching solidly, faithfully and without error that truth which God wanted put into sacred writings (5) for the sake of salvation (DV 11)." What that means has been a point of debate over the past 40+ years within the Church. Perhaps Sperry could have said something like: "The Bible is not written in the same way that our modern history or science books are written." Just a thought!

Other than that, I think the list is generally helpful. Perhaps one other thing I would have altered is found in #4. While the Bible certainly is a collection of books, written over a 1000 year period, I would have liked to have seen her add a condensed form of the following from paragraph 102 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word, his one Utterance in whom he expresses himself completely:You recall that one and the same Word of God extends throughout Scripture, that it is one and the same Utterance that resounds in the mouths of all the sacred writers, since he who was in the beginning God with God has no need of separate syllables; for he is not subject to time.