The African American Catholic Youth Bible (NABRE)

Saint Mary’s Press, in collaboration with The National Black Catholic Congress, Inc., is proud to present The African American Catholic Youth Bible®, the first Catholic Bible for youth designed especially from the African American perspective. This Bible speaks directly to African American youth through inspirational black art and commentaries on biblical events and personalities from an African American perspective. It chronicles major events in African American Catholic history and includes moving stories of African American holy men and women.

The African American Catholic Youth Bible® uses the text of the New American Bible, revised edition, and is modeled after the bestselling Catholic Youth Bible®, beloved by nearly two million Catholic young people.  

This Bible offers many special features:

• Know Your Faith articles that explain the biblical, liturgical, and doctrinal basis for many Christian beliefs and practices
• Black, Catholic, and Faithful articles that present African American culture and introduce some Africans and African Americans who have lived out aspects of God’s Revelation in the Bible
• Check This Out articles that provide background for understanding the culture and traditions of biblical times and the Church’s interpretation of certain passages
• Be About It! articles that apply the Bible’s message to situations African American youth may be facing now or will face in the future
• Take It to God articles that suggest ways to use the Bible for personal prayer
• Our Friends in Faith articles that give a quick introduction to the lives of important biblical people
• Helpful indexes to passages about events, people, teachings of Jesus, and life and faith issues, as well as an index that leads to articles on specific topics
• A calendar of the Church year and Sunday readings
• Color inserts that provide a brief history of African American Catholics, beautifully illustrated maps, photos by theme, Catholic prayers and teachings, and a timeline of biblical history
• A glossary of Scripture-related terms

You can read an excerpt here.  This new Bible is available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats.  

Turning Around: Daily Lenten Reflections with The Message + Giveaway

I am one who likes to utilize a new devotional each year as I journey through Lent.  This year, I will be using Turning Around: Daily Lenten Reflections with The Message published by ACTA.  One of the things I like about a devotional like this is that each reflection is relatively short, which will fit perfectly into my morning prayer time which already includes the Liturgy of the Hours.  There are reflection questions, along with a scriptural reading and reflection.  It also is nice and thin, making it easy to carry around with me.  I look forward to praying with this resource beginning on Ash Wednesday.

A little more about this devotional:
In this day-by-day booklet you will find short passages from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition, a new Bible translation that talks just like we do. The words practically jump off the page, inviting us into conversion, prayer, action, and a recognition of God’s great mercy.

Combined with Ann Naffziger’s insightful reflections and practical action steps, they make a wonderful resource for your Lenten journey this year.

ANN NAFFZIGER has written articles in the field of spirituality and scripture for America,Commonweal, The National Catholic Reporter, Spiritual Life: A Journal of Contemplative Spirituality, Celebration, and other publications. She writes a regular scripture column forBustedHalo.com. She has an M.Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University where she is now an adjunct faculty member, as well as an M.A. in Biblical Languages from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She has a background in parish ministry, hospital chaplaincy, and spiritual direction. Ann and her husband, Paul Canavese, are co-directors of GrowingUpCatholic.com, which provides resources for coaching parents to form their own children in the Catholic faith. They now find themselves attempting to translate the gospel message to their daughters, 8 and 5, who regularly ask complicated biblical questions.


Paul at The Pastoral Center has provided me a few copies to offer you, my fine readers.  So, the first five people who email me with their name and address will receive a free copy.  I am sorry, but this will have to be limited to the US and Canada.  ****This offer is now over, since all copies have been given away.***

Book Review: The Ancient Path by John Michael Talbot

I need to make a confession: Before reading John Michael Talbot's (JMT) The Ancient Path: Old Lessons from the Church Fathers for a New Life Today, I knew very little about the man.  Sure, I knew about him and had heard some of his music before, mostly through his collaboration with Christian recording artist Micheal Card.  I think I had also seen him on TV from time to time.  Overall, however, I knew very little about his life, background, or ministry work.  I tried not to read any descriptions of this book either, before actually receiving a review copy from Image.  In the end, I just wanted to read about JMT in his own words.  I am very glad I did, since I thoroughly enjoyed The Ancient Path.  If you have ever been interested in learning more about the man, this is the book for you.  However, this isn't simply an autobiography.  JMT, along with well-known Catholic writer and speaker Mike Aquilina, weave the autobiographical moments within the context of JMT's discovery of the early Church Fathers.  One might be tempted to think this would produce an uneven work, but I can assure you that it is both entertaining and informative.  

Two chapters, in particular, stood out to me.  In chapter 4, JMT writes about how he was first introduced to the Church Fathers via St. Francis of Assisi.  His attraction to St. Francis led him to search out how this great saint had been formed, which led him to the Desert Fathers of Egypt and the other early Church Fathers.  JMT quickly realized that this tradition went even further back through the New Testament into the Old Testament as well. His life within Protestant Christianity was of course well-formed in the Scriptures, but he began to see the role that tradition plays in the life of the all Christians, even if some denominations don't formally accept it.  JMT goes on to describe how he discovered the Apostolic Fathers, most notably that very early document The Didache.  He comes to realize that the Catholic Church "is the same Church I encountered in the works of the Apostolic Fathers (64)."  "The Church, in fact, was the ordinary means of salvation established by Jesus, and it applied salvation by means of the sacramental mysteries, also established by Jesus (63-64)."  JMT begins to see this most clearly in The Didache.  A book which is concerned with both the morals and the worship of the early Christian community.  Some have dated this document to the late first century, which means it could have been written around the same time as some of the later books of the New Testament.  

In a very beautiful way, JMT points out that The Didache's emphasis on morals and worship are really directed to relationship.  He explains: "Arguably, it's not primarily about morals.  It's about relationship with Jesus--relationship in a way that unites his followers in tangible ways: in lifestyle, leadership, and worship.  Christian morality flows from that relationship with Jesus, leads back to him, and causes that relationship to grow stronger through real personal and communal holiness (65)."    So often we get caught up in the rules, particularly in the area of morality, without really understanding the point.  I teach high school kids theology every day, and one of the biggest challenges is in assisting them to see the Church's moral theology as being rooted in relationship with Christ.  This relationship is then initiated and nourished by the Sacraments, most importantly Baptism and the Eucharist.  As JMT points out, our relationship is never only personal, but, as clearly seen in The Didache, it contains a necessary communal dimension.  It also presents salvation, and the Christian life, "not as a matter of a moment, but as a way of life (67)."  All of this helped him open his eyes to seeing the connection between early Church and the Catholic Church.  It is that same Church that continues to provide those gifts of salvation: "In Baptism and the Eucharist, we know true communion with God in all his glory....in our spirit, we know union with his Spirit (72)." 

Chapter 5, which is concerned with community, was also a joy to read as well.  JMT is now ready to push forward in his new Catholic life with rapid speed, but he is tempered by his spiritual director Fr. Martin, who had agreed to take him on.  Fr. Martin rightly saw that there needed to be healing in JMT's life. While at this point in time, JMT had left his rock n' roll lifestyle, he still needed to heal wounds from his failing marriage.  Over time it became clear that the marriage was not going to be healed, so Fr. Martin led him through the annulment process.  JMT reminds his readers that "God did not design the human family to be broken, but we break it by our sin (78)."  He then writes about that "painful year" awaiting the judgement of the Church.  Many have gone through this process, which can be a very difficult, isolating process.  I have experienced this in my own life, feeling much the same way JMT when he writes "I wanted to be like the good kings of the Old Testament.  I intended to do penance so that the effect of my sins would not be visited upon future generations (78)."  However, in that "painful year" of "unbearable isolation" as one waits to hear back from the local Tribunal, many feelings cross your mind and heart.  In my case, once I received the positive ruling granting the annulment, I began to realize how much I had relied on the Lord during that year.  I also received comfort from the parish community of which I was a part.  Reading through this difficult time for JMT reminded me of my own experiences and the important healing I needed to go through.  

The rest of chapter 5 deals with how JMT begins forming his Franciscan community of lay men and women, both single and married.  In doing so, he looks to the early writers on monasticism, most notably John Chrysostom, Saint Basil the Great, John Cassian, and Benedict of Nursia.  Captivated by Benedict's Rule, JMT begins to build a small hermitage and becomes a Third Order Franciscan.  Looking back on how things came together so quickly, he remarks: "Perhaps I should have been more afraid than I was.  But I had seen, along the ancient path, that God is not afraid of new ventures (90)."  I am grateful for these words, and also grateful that the Lord was not afraid to journey with me into new ventures.      

There is, of course, so much more to this book.  I heartily recommend The Ancient Path to anyone who is interested in the topics of conversion or the Church Fathers.  I would even go as far as to say that if you are a bit intimidated by reading the Church Fathers, this book could serve as a primer or introduction to them.  However, the soul of this book is the life of John Michael Talbot, a man who has sought the Lord both in times of joy and difficulty.  Thank you to Image for providing me with a review copy.  For more information about this wonderful book, including an interview with John Michael Talbot, please head on over to the Image website where you can read an excerpt of The Ancient Path.  Thank you to Katie, at Image, for including me in the blog tour.  

JOHN MICHAEL TALBOT, the author of 27 books including the best selling Troubadour for the Lord and The Lessons of St. Francis, is one of the pioneering fathers of Contemporary Christian music with multi-platinum sales. He has received, among many other honors, Dove Awards and Grammy nominations. He tours constantly inspiring the faith of Christians of all denominations through inspirational preaching, lectures and sacred music. In 2014, Talbot premiered a new inspirational TV series on The Church Channel (TBN) called “All Things Are Possible” reaching a global audience in the hundreds of millions.

Review of The Didache Bible: Ignatius Bible Edition

Of all the "upcoming" Bibles that my readers have been waiting for over the past year, The Didache Bible: Ignatius Bible Edition ranks as likely one of the highest in anticipation.  Of course, as often happens with such eager expectations, one may feel let down when the final product is finally in their hands.  Sometimes, particularly in the area of quality Catholic Bibles, anticipation often is greater than the delivery.  Fortunately, this is not the case with The Didache Bible.  In almost every way, this Bible delivers on what it was promised to be.  Those who have wished for a Bible that incorporated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in a comprehensive, yet readable way with the inclusion of useful study aids will be utterly satisfied.  Those who have wanted commentary and annotations for a full one-volume edition of the RSV-2CE, they need not wait any longer.  The Didache Bible is a great achievement and many will be thanking Midwest Theological Forum (MTF) and Ignatius Press for a long time.

One aspect of reviewing Bibles that has become more important for me over the years is page presentation and layout.  Content is, of course, important, but if I am not led or drawn into the text, it will ultimately serve no real purpose.  The Didache Bible excels in how the Biblical text, cross-references, and annotations are presented on the page.  I don't think the RSV-2CE has ever looked so good.  The white page against the dark black type really makes the text pop.  Between the scriptural text and the commentary is placed the cross-references, which are bracketed off with a thin red line.  This serves as an aesthetically beautiful break between the two.  It is subtle, but I think it really works, much like the use of red in the HarperOne NABRE.  The commentary, which in the New Testament is quite extensive, is only slightly smaller in size that the scriptural text.  The paper does not lend itself to ghosting, although it is by no means opaque.  If you have ever owned a prayer book or missal from MTF you will notice a similarity in this regard.  One last point that I wanted to highlight about this edition is its size.  I don't know why, but I was expecting it to be much bigger.  However, it is remarkably compact for a study Bible.  Its size reminds me of the NOAB RSV published back in the late 70's and still available today.   What this means is that not only do you have a fine study Bible, but also one that you could take with you pretty much everywhere.  All in all, this is a beautiful Bible to read.  I think its size and page layout are the real highlights of this Bible.

The edition I am reviewing is the hardcover one.  The bonded leather edition is due out later this year, although I think this Bible deserves to be bound in a nicer genuine or goatskin cover.  However, I will be sure to let you know when I receive confirmation on a date for the bonded leather one.  The hardcover edition is quite sturdy and opens up flat from the first day.   It came with two bible ribbons, which is a nice touch.  This bible was advertised as having a sewn binding, which I still believe it has.  However, they have enhanced the binding with some glue, which at a few spots is clearly noticeable.  I would like to hear back from some of my readers as to what they think about this.   This edition was printed in India.

Now, as for the content found in this book.  As mentioned earlier, the translation is the RSV-2CE.  I am not going to spend any time discussing translations, which we do here so often anyways.  However, since I am a theology teacher who uses MTF's Didache Semester Series in my classroom, I will say that this serves as a perfect compliment to that classroom text which utilizes the RSV and NRSV in the textbooks.  

The introductory material includes a foreword from emeritus Cardinal-Archbishop of Chicago Francis George, followed by an introduction by Fr. James Socias.  What follows are a couple of short essays by the editors explaining how Catholics read the Bible.  Here you find reference to Dei Verbum and those early paragraphs of the CCC which discuss the literal and spiritual reading of the Bible.  Following that, there is a "Brief Summary of Sacred Scripture" which gives a very short overview of the main theme(s) of each Biblical book.  The introductory material concludes with a chronology of Old Testament and New Testament events and a list of passages of scripture for personal meditation, including the parables and miracles of Christ.  These opening aids are more geared toward the beginner, but can be consulted by a seasoned Bible reader.  I could see them being extremely helpful to someone in RCIA.

Looking at the commentary based off the CCC, you will immediately notice that a lot of work has been put into adapting the CCC to work in this format.  For the most part, there are not direct quotations found in the annotations.  To be sure, there are indeed some, but most have been re-worded in order to make them applicable to a particular biblical passage.  Each of them, however, contains a direct reference to the CCC paragraph that has been re-worded.  And there are plenty of these CCC cross-references!  I should say that you often don't realize that it has been edited, since what you read sounds like it is coming directly from the CCC.  I would imagine that this took the bulk of the editors time.  Some of the pages, primarily in the New Testament, you will find that the CCC-based commentary takes up over half the page.  While most of the pages are concerned with referencing the CCC, there are numerous annotations that point the reader to connections with the Liturgy, occasional quotes from recent Popes and the Church Fathers, analysis of lexical issues, and allegorical interpretations of OT passages.  I found the liturgical connections to be very helpful and insightful.   For example, there is a note in Daniel 6:10 which connects Daniel praying three times a day to a passage in the General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours.  There will be much to consider and pray about for years in these commentaries.  As you might guess, there is more commentary, per page, in the NT than in the OT.  Certain places, like in portions of the historical, wisdom, and prophetic books, have less than a quarter of a page of commentary on them.  Judith would be a perfect example.  Let me also say that if you are looking for commentary that is more historical in nature, as found in more academic study Bibles, the Didache Bible is not for you.  One last study help, in regards to the commentary, that the editors of The Didache Bible included are these occasional red in-text boxes which are found at the bottom of certain pages.   For example, there are two of these found in Genesis 3, where they explain the "Rebellion of Satan and His Angels"  and "Sin, Suffering, and Death."  These are not found on every page, but do pop-up and provide some helpful insights which are always references to, you guessed it, the CCC.

I should also note that each biblical book comes with an introduction, which looks at authorship, dating, audience, and main themes.  I would call the content of each generally conservative, but not without acknowledging difficult issues relating to authorship and dating.  You see this most notably in the intros to the books of the Pentateuch.  Overall, I think it strikes a good balance.  They are not as extensive as found in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible or those in the most of the entries in the NABRE.

There are also over 100 apologetical explanation pages that are scattered, without any real order, throughout the Bible.  I breathed a big sigh of relief when I found out that they were not printed on glossy paper, but instead the same paper that the other pages are printed on.  While I think a Bible like the New Catholic Answers Bible is great, all those glossy pages make it difficult for the Bible to open flat.  These apologetics pages are comprehensive, yet not overwhelming.  They provide ton of scriptural cross-references, as well a referring to the CCC.  The issues range from the importance of the Protoevangelium to the Rosary.  In the end, this make this Bible not only the best CCC-based Bible on the market, but also the best apologetics one.  (The info in the index also assists those engaged in apologetics.)

Looking at the study aids in the back of the Bible, I think the maps provided may be the best in any Catholic edition I have ever seen.  There are a total of 27 unique maps that are both colorful and full of great information.  These maps cover everything from Abraham's migration to 7 Churches of Revelation, including the period of the Maccabees. Most helpful are the numerous maps showing the journeys during the patriarchal period of Genesis.  They are printed on glossary paper, and the only curious thing about the set of maps, is that they are placed immediately after Revelation, but before the rest of the material in the appendix which is printed on regular paper.  I wonder why the glossy maps weren't just placed at the end of the Bible?  Whatever the case, following the maps section is a helpful 43-page glossary of names, places, and terms.  Each entry contains about a sentence or two of information, including scriptural references.  There are then indexes to the apologetics materials, which are scattered throughout the Didache Bible.  At the very back is a 20-page subject index, including biblical names, which includes a ton of scriptural references and cross-references.  One noticable omission would be a table of Sunday and Feast Day readings from the Lectionary.

Again, this is a wonderful resource in a truly compact size.  As I mentioned above, there will be many people who are going to be excited to get their hands on this.  In particular, if you are interested in apologetics and studying the three-fold spiritual sense of Scripture, as outlined in Dei Verbum and the CCC, you will have a lot to love in the content of this Bible.  I have included some photos of this Bible on a previous post.  You can also go to MTF for a sneak peak.

I would like to that Ignatius Press for providing a review copy. There was no pressure in me providing a positive review of this Bible.

Knox vs. The Message: 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mark 1:14-20)

I am going to continue this series of comparing one of the Sunday readings from the lectionary, using the Knox Bible and The Message.  While done in different ways, I think both Knox and Peterson desired to make the Bible more accessible to the average reader.  Let's see if they were successful.

Knox:

But when John had been put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God’s kingdom: The appointed time has come, he said, and the kingdom of God is near at hand; repent, and believe the gospel. And as he passed along the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Simon’s brother Andrew casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen); Jesus said to them, Come and follow me; I will make you into fishers of men.  And they dropped their nets immediately, and followed him.  Then he went a little further, and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; these too were in their boat, repairing their nets; all at once he called them, and they, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, turned aside after him.

The Message

After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”  Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.  A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.

Catholic Biblical Quarterly Vol. 77, No.1/ January 2015

"Through Those Who Are Near to Me, I Will Show Myself Holy": Nahab and Abihu and Apophatic Theology
Gary A. Anderson

Who Is Like David?  Was David Like David?  Good Kings in the Book of Kings
Alison L. Joseph

"There is Hope for a Tree": Job's Hope for the Afterlife in the Light of Egytpian Tree Imagery
Christopher Hays

What is Truth?  Jesus, Pilate, and the Staging of the Dialogue of the Cross in John 18:28-19:16a
Sherri Brown

Acts 1:15-26 and the Craft of New Testament Poetry
Matthew G. Whitlock

A Christology of Incarnation and Enthronement: Romans 1:3-4 as Unified, Nonadoptionist, and Nonconciliatory
Matthew W. Bates

A View on Translations

A Discussion of Bible Translations and Biblical Scholarship by Mark D. Given of Missouri State University

Now, you discuss!  :)