Lenten Contest II Winner

Congrats to Joseph Volpe III who is the winner of the Lenten Contest II. Joseph, please email me your address and I will get the Sperry book out to you. My email: mccorm45 (at) yahoo (dot) com. Thanks to all who entered!

News on LRCSB Deluxe Edition

According to the Little Rock site:

Enhance your Bible study with this elegant, limited edition of the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible with a beautiful embossed, brown, leather-like cover. Gold, gilt-edged pages, ribbons, plus a presentation page and three family tree pages also make it a perfect family Bible or gift.

Experience Sacred Scripture with ease and understanding. Find solid scholarship plus insightful connections to life, ministry, and the practice of the faith. Filled with informative sidebars, charts, maps, photos and cross-references, this lasting volume uses the authorized translation in the New American Bible, Revised Edition.

Open the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible and feel at home with the Word of God. Through accessibly written information and engaging visuals that highlight and clarify significant areas of Scripture, readers will easily gain an understanding of these ancient texts that can be carried into today’s world. Using the authorized translation in the New American Bible Revised Edition, this lasting volume is ideal for both personal use and group Bible study.

The valuable information in the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible is offered in small notes and inserts that accompany the Bible texts as well as in expanded essays, articles, and graphics. Key symbols help readers quickly identify the type of information they need, such as explanations, definitions, dates, character and author profiles, archaeological insights, personal prayer starters, and insights connecting Scripture and its use in today’s church. Colorful maps, timelines, photographs, and charts further enhance the study experience. Longer articles are dedicated to explaining study Bible fundamentals, the Catholic Church’s use of the Bible, and the people and places of the biblical world.

Mark Shea on Reading Genesis 1-11

Celebrated Catholic blogger, Mark Shea, recently answered a question from a reader concering how one is to read Genesis 1-11. The question:

I’ve got sort of a followup question to the one somebody asked you about Abraham in a recent NCR article of yours. It’s about how to read Genesis 1-11. I’ve heard that Catholics tend to read those chapters as containing figurative language, and I noticed that one commenter in the article said that Catholics take them as allegorical. I’ve been increasingly struggling with how to read those chapters myself recently, and I was wondering if you could help me.

To read his helpful response, go here. However, to discuss your thoughts on this NCR article go to the comments sections!

Which Vulgate is Best?

Taylor Marshall recently posted on the question of which Vulgate is best. You can read the full blog post here. What are your thoughts?

Lenten Contest II

All you need to do to enter is simply to put your name in the comment section of this post. No anonymous entries will be considered. The winner will be randomly drawn at the end of the contest, which will be Thursday, March 29th at 11:59PM. This contest is open to anyone in North America. (Sorry again to my loyal readers in the rest of the world.) Also, if you have a blog and would like to advertise this contest, it would be much appreciated. I will announce the winner on Friday.

The winner will receive a new copy of Mary Sperry's Bible Top Tens: 40 Fun and Intriguing Lists to Inspire and Inform.

Review: Bible Top Tens

Pope Benedict XVI, in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, expressed his hope for "the flowering of a new season of greater love for sacred Scripture on the part of every member of the People of God, so that their prayerful and faith-filled reading of the Bible will, with time, deepen their personal relationship with Jesus (72).” Many of us who are involved in the promotion of the Bible in the Church wholeheartedly respond to that statement with a loud: "AMEN!"

One of those people, is our friend Mary Sperry, Associate Director for the Utilization of the NAB at the USCCB, who has just written a book, published by OSV, entitled Bible Top Tens: 40 Fun and Intriguing Lists to Inspire and Inform. This fun book is "intended to open Scripture in a brand new way. By organizing important people, places, and events into lists, we can reframe our experience and understanding of God's Word, while serving as a memory aid or providing ideas for further reading and study." It certainly accomplishes this goal. I could easily see this book becoming popular with youth and young adult groups, not to mention being a great gift for Confirmation, RCIA, or Easter.

After the brief introduction and three introductory top-ten lists about reading the Bible, this book goes on and consists of three distinct parts. The first deals with people, and includes lists of the top-ten sibling rivalries, unsung heroes, villains, among others. Part two covers both important places and events, for example battles and miracles. Finally, part three looks at the top ten "sayings and such" which consists of famous sayings, parables, promises, etc... Mary leaves the fortieth list blank and encourages the reader to "think back on the Bible stories you have read or heard throughout your life" and list which ones have been most meaningful and why. I found this to be a nice touch and wonderful conclusion to the book.

Probably the most enjoyable thing about this book is seeing where I agree or disagree with Mary's selections and orderings. For example, in her list of top ten friends, she puts "Jesus and the Beloved Disciple" at #1, while "David and Jonathan" are #2. No way! Nothing in all of Sacred Scripture can compare to David's lament for Jonathan in 2 Samuel 1:25-26. At times, I have found myself while reading saying things like "yes, I totally agree" or "now why did she forget to leave that event of the list?" But that is what makes this book so fun to read. Of course, Mary is certainly aware that some people would order these lists differently, so she encourages the reader to "write in their own selections and rankings (10)." She has even provided an email address, bibletoptens (at) gmail (dot) come, for people to submit their own lists. Do I smell a sequel in the future?

Again, if you are looking for a highly enjoyable book about the Bible that you can just pick up and read in short settings, this book will definitely meet your needs. Bible Top Tens is a fun and informative read that will entertain the everyday person who is already reading the Bible, as well as the person who is looking for a good place to start. We need more books like this! (To view a few sample pages, go here.)

Stay tuned, since I plan on having a contest in the next week or so for a free copy of this fun new book.

A quick thanks to OSV for providing me a review copy.

Bible Study Series: Philippians 1:27-2:18

“Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear news of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the gospel, not intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is proof to them of destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For to you has been granted, for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him. Yours is the same struggle as you saw in me and now hear about me. If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.” (NABRE)

This section of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians is probably the most famous, due to the beautiful and theologically-rich Christ-hymn of 2:6-11. While a number of Paul’s letters deal with ethical and behavior admonitions during the second half of the correspondence, in Philippians, however, Paul quickly moves from his thanksgiving and personal circumstance to giving instructions to the community about how to live in Christ. That is not to say that this section is lacking in theological importance, but it is clear that Paul is emphasizing the continued importance of communal life, in Christ, for the community of Philippi.

We see in verse 27 that Paul reminds them to “conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ”. Again, this comes immediately after Paul’s own account of his Gospel work (12-26), where he describes the difficulties and at times opposition he has experienced. The Church of Philippi, too, has her enemies or “opponents (28)”, yet they are called to continue the struggle. The opponents that are mentioned are likely some of the Pagan Roman citizens of Philippi (ICSB NT/NABRE). This struggle may include suffering, which should not be surprising considering what Paul has had to endure. The ICSB NT mentions that “Suffering brings great benefit to ourselves and others. On the one hand, it purifies us of selfishness and makes us sharers in Christ’s redemptive work. On the other hand, it pushes the gospel into the world as believers bear witness to the Lord Jesus through persecution and martyrdom (358).” In any situation or circumstance, they are called to “stand firm”.

Philippians 2:1-11 is a plea to remain united and humble, with Christ as their example. Verse 3 is particularly forthright: “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.” Thus, what makes St. Paul most happy is when “Christians are at one with each other, in union based on love and the example set by Christ-the very best example of humility (Navarre 501).”

This leads into the majestic Christ-hymn of Philippians 2:6-11. Likely an early Christian hymn, these verses are some of the earliest written testimony to the divinity of Christ. It is difficult to say if this hymn comes directly from Paul or from the community or even a combination of both. In any case, Philippians 2:6-11 has two clear movements. The first, consisting of verses 6-8, reveals the humiliation of Christ, who “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped (or “exploited” as in the NRSV).” Not only did God condescend and become man in the Incarnation, He also did not use his divinity for any “selfish purposes (ICST 359).” Paul is contrasting the mind of Christ, with those of the many rulers of his day, Herod or Caesar, who used their position for personal gain. One can hear the echoes of Matthew 20:25-26 here: “But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.’” The model is clearly Jesus, who came as a “slave” and accepted death, and not some ordinary death, but rather the humiliating death of crucifixion.

Beginning in verse 9, we begin the transition from humiliation to exaltation: “Because of this God greatly exalted him.” In his discussion about what, in Christ, is exalted, St. Athanasius remarks: “This expression ‘he exalted him’ does not mean that the nature of the Word was raised up [...]. Terms such as ‘humbled’ and “exalted’ refer only to the sphere of humanity, since only what is humble can be exalted (Navarre 502).” This is important, because of the typological connection between Adam and Christ, the second Adam. For Adam was made in God’s image and then grasped at equality with God in Genesis 3, thus he was brought low by God. Christ, on the other hand, was in the form of God and did not grasp at equality with, thus he was exalted by God. Because of this reality, the “name” of Jesus has great power! This is very obvious in the Acts of the Apostles, where miracles and entry into the Church are done through the “name of Jesus Christ”, see Acts 2:38, 3:6, 8:16, 10:43, and 22:16.

The final part of this section, verses 12-18, reminds the Philippians to act as children of God. Since God has raised Christ from the dead, the daily life of a Christian should be radically transformed. The Christian must live his life recognizing these implications, thus the need to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for God is at work in you.”