Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament

Product Information

The New Jerusalem Bible is the 1985 update to the 1966 Jerusalem Bible—a translation that itself is based on the French La Bible de Jérusalem translated by the faculty of the Dominican Biblical School in Jerusalem. The text is that of the Second Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version—a revision of a revision of a revision of a revision of a revision of the King James Version of the Bible. It contains more comments, brief essays, and other helps within the text sections than does the other Oxford edition, but the bulk of the editorial material is still the Reader’s Guide section. Our other Catholic Bibles are respected modern English translations, including Jerusalem, New Jerusalem and RSV (Revised Standard Version). The paper is on the cool side, the margins are modest, and the volume provides a couple ribbon markers.

Yes, this is a Catholic edition and the Catholic public is likely the main audience, but as non-Catholic reader I found that the comments were insightful and not sectarian. This volume presents the written Word of God in a highly readable, accurate translation, excellent for personal and group study. Published by Catholic Scripture Study International (CSSI) and Saint Benedict Press, this work is based on the original 1966 Catholic Edition RSV (RSV-CE).Suitable options include both study editions of Catholic Bibles, and editions of “ecumenical” Study Bibles containing the full canon of 73 books. The New Jerusalem Bible is an interesting – if not completely trustworthy – translation, with notes which sometimes reflect equally untrustworthy, modern critical views. An index of the reading guide is also provided which makes it very useful in finding a certain topic.

Compare the page count for this edition (1,547) with the other Study Bibles based on the full RSV text (each over 1,900 pages). Frequent references is made to Fathers and Doctors of the Church, but I think (I might have missed something) that the most recent citation that is not from the CCC or a papal decree is from St. Unlike the NABRE or the RSV’s modern revision, the New Revised Standard Version, the RSV is not “gender-inclusive” and it translates pronouns and other gender-indicative words according to the original text (for example, it does not add “and sisters” to the original word for “brothers”). Although it contains some explanatory material, mostly of an apologetic nature, it is hard to consider this a real Study Bible. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average.These are written by many prominent biblical scholars, featuring the same kind of modern-higher-critical opinions that the NABRE notes do.

These are the same study questions already included in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible Old Testament booklets. Although the Guide is (somewhat annoyingly) set apart from the books it refers to, it is helpfully cross-referenced to the biblical text (and vice-versa). The Didache Study Bible is a complete study Bible that is based on the RSV (but they also have one based on the NABRE). Biblical text is in typical two-column layout, with NABRE notes below them in three columns, liturgical usage reference notes in four columns below them, and NABRE cross-references centered at the bottom of the page in a wide single column.Each book is outlined and introduced with an essay covering authorship, date of writing, original audience, and general themes. One thing I appreciate about Hahn is that, thanks to his sola scriptura background, he gives a biblical defence for Catholicism, rather than relying purely on patristic or ecclesiastical documentation. It also includes a biblical reading guide, theme summary, chronology, maps, glossary, and topical index. I come to this, then, as a non-believer, but as a non-believer who's interested in understanding this text from a believing Catholic perspective. The New American Bible was the first Catholic translation made directly from the original biblical languages (rather than from the Latin Vulgate).

The first update of the Old Testament since 1970, taking into account recent archaeological and textual discoveries. Its binding is sturdy and strong (as is typical of Ignatius books), the pages are not scritta paper, but paper you would find in a normal book, medium weight, unglossed. Individual Ignatius Catholic Study Bible booklets are a good way to study one book or a few smaller books of the Bible.Patristic and Catechetical citations are present, but mostly the notes are explanatory, doctrinal, OT allusions, and some historical and cultural. The notes present a fair and unique balance of the traditional-orthodox and modern-critical viewpoints. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible is one such effort, geared toward the educated but not scholarly lay Catholic. This is due primarily to the scriptural translations and tools, which sometimes reflect the bias of the editors.