Good Bible for Study (Tanakh, tradition, translation, choices, choice)

Chattan · #1 02-22-2006, 01:24 PM

I would like to know if anyone around here could recommend a good study Bible. Of course, I want it to honestly portray scripture and the real history and science that should accompany a real scholarly endeavor.

Here are the choices that I am considering:

1-HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version (with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books)

2-The New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha, Third Edition

3-The New Interpreter's Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version With the Apocrypha (Hardcover)

I have spent the past 3 years studying certain aspects of the Bible and have greatly increased my understanding of it. However, it would be nice to have a Bible that reflected a modern understanding of scripture and the all that goes with it.

The above listed titles seem to be the best available and I would like to know if anyone here has one or would like to suggest one that they like. Thank you for any info that you can give.

Joe

evearael · #2 02-22-2006, 01:55 PM

I vote for: The New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha, Third Edition. I absolutely adore this version. It takes a secular approach to the bible that is very refreshing... Of course, I love to cross reference various interpretations of the same material so get as many as you can, and research the background to get an idea of any biases in translation.

Davidium · #3 02-22-2006, 06:25 PM

Hey Joe,

John Buehrens, Rev. and former President of the UUA recommends the ....

wait for it.....

The New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha, Third Edition

Hands down....

In fact, there is a whole chapter on choosing the version of the Bible you should read in his book "Understanding the Bible: An Introduction for Skeptics, Seekers, and Religious Liberals". In fact, you may want to pick up a copy of that book to go with your study... I had read the bible many times many times, but I found reading along with John Buehrens book to be wonderful.

Yours in Faith,

David

lilithu · #4 02-22-2006, 06:37 PM

I second, erm... third the previous suggestions. The NRSV is the almost universally recognized standard in most academic institutions, except for some of the more conservative Christian schools.

addendum:
Hey! I would love to have an online UU bible study! Anyone else up for that?

Davidium · #5 02-23-2006, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Hey! I would love to have an online UU bible study! Anyone else up for that?

Lillithu,

I'm game. It is my intention to conduct another study of the Bible starting March 20th (my classes will be over, and my CPE interview done) in preparation for taking Old Testament and New Testament next year. I dont think I would have the time to lead such a study, but I could host it if we decided not to have it here at RF. I would even be willing to set up a private section of my journal to have that discussion in.

And I would recommend that we combine it with the John Buehrens book as a study guide.

Yours in Faith,

David

lilithu · #6 02-23-2006, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davidium

Lillithu,

I'm game. It is my intention to conduct another study of the Bible starting March 20th (my classes will be over, and my CPE interview done) in preparation for taking Old Testament and New Testament next year. I dont think I would have the time to lead such a study, but I could host it if we decided not to have it here at RF. I would even be willing to set up a private section of my journal to have that discussion in.

And I would recommend that we combine it with the John Buehrens book as a study guide.

Yours in Faith,

David

Namaste David,

actually, I was thinking of hosting it on my own site. I am slowly in the process of putting it together and it's intended to be devoted to UU with an eye towards Pres Sinkford's call for us to be more comfortable engaging in the language of reverence and in response to the call of Rabbi Michael Lerner and others for the Religious Left to articulate our own values, and for the political left to stop being so squeamish about religion.

Bible study has been one of the ways in which I've tried to do that within my church. I organized an ASD class called "Wrestling with God" that was intended to help participants approach biblical stories from the Jewish perspective - no one correct interpretation but ongoing interpretation, based in tradition but relevent to present experience. And I recruited a friend of mine who's taken several exegetical classes on both the Hebrew bible and the New Testament at Georgetown. He's in Australia now so the classes at church are over but I'm sure he'd love to participate in such a thing again online. (Not much of a UU presence in Australia.) We didn't use Buehren's book but I've used it elsewhere and it would be nice to have a balance of different perspectives.

Jayhawker Soule · #7 02-23-2006, 08:11 AM

I'd love to peek in now and then. I have a fondness for the Tanakh.

Chattan · #8 02-23-2006, 09:06 AM

Thanks for the opinions everyone.

I would be up for a Bible study on-line as it would be nice to work through the Bible with others of a rational and liberal perspective.

David stated:

Quote:

And I would recommend that we combine it with the John Buehrens book as a study guide.

I think that this would be a good idea as we would all be using the same guide.

Lilithu stated:

Quote:

actually, I was thinking of hosting it on my own site. I am slowly in the process of putting it together and it's intended to be devoted to UU with an eye towards Pres Sinkford's call for us to be more comfortable engaging in the language of reverence and in response to the call of Rabbi Michael Lerner and others for the Religious Left to articulate our own values, and for the political left to stop being so squeamish about religion.

This sounds like a great idea for a site. I am reading that book now and his basic contention that we are lacking spirituality and replace it with materialism and other things is something that I agree with. I see this in how I was before I focused more on the spiritual (even though I still want that 50 inch HDTV) and I see it in others that look to outside sources for what they lack.

Let me know if and how I can help as I think it is a good idea.

Yours in Reason,

Joe

Davidium · #9 02-23-2006, 10:34 AM

Quote:

I was thinking of hosting it on my own site

Lilithu, I think that is a wonderful idea! Less work for me!

Yours in Faith,

David

lilithu · #10 02-24-2006, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davidium

Lilithu, I think that is a wonderful idea! Less work for me!

Great, I'll set it up then. I'm using the same phpBB software that you use but have a lot less experience with it. Do you think it will be sufficient to set up a separate forum for this and then each discussion (however it is that we want to break it down) can be its own thread?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayhawker Soule

I'd love to peek in now and then. I have a fondness for the Tanakh.

Of course dear friend. It would be a blessing to have your perspective.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chattan

This sounds like a great idea for a site. I am reading that book now and his basic contention that we are lacking spirituality and replace it with materialism and other things is something that I agree with. I see this in how I was before I focused more on the spiritual (even though I still want that 50 inch HDTV) and I see it in others that look to outside sources for what they lack.

Let me know if and how I can help as I think it is a good idea.

Joe, thanks for the affirmation and the offer to help. Actually I could use all the help I can get, from you and any other UUs who are interested. For the sake of thread integrity, I think it better to continue this on another thread.

Hmm... yours in reason... yours in faith... think I'll sign off as

Yours in blessed confusion.