Defending the 12th century since the 14th; blogging since the 21st.

Catholicism, Conservatism, the Middle Ages, Opera, and Historical and Literary Objets d'Art blogged by a suburban dad who teaches law and writes stuff.


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Who was Cacciaguida? See Dante's PARADISO, Cantos XV, XVI, & XVII.


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CATHOLIC BIBLES IN ENGLISH

GOOD MODERN ONES

Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition (RSVCE): result of 1950s collaboration between Catholic Bishops of England and the RSV Committee in the U.S. For a long time available only in Britain, but published in U.S. since late ‘80s.

Ignatius Bible: exactly the same as RSVCE; this title is used by one of the RSVCE’s American publishers, Ignatius Press; it is also published in the U.S. by Scepter Publishers.

Second Catholic Edition RSV: Similar to RSVCE but with “thou” and “thee” changed to “I” and “you” and similar minor changes. Continues to reject so-called “inclusive language,” as does the RSVCE. This version is used in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament, a version heavily annotated by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch.

The Jerusalem Bible (1966 edition): In print again by popular demand, despite publication and temporary popularity of the New Jerusalem Bible (see below). Has one problem though (see New CTS Catholic Study Bible, just below):

New CTS Catholic Study Bible: The CTS is the Catholic Truth Society, in London. This version had its origin in the fact that many people like the 1966 Jerusalem Bible except for its tendency to use the Name of God (“Y____h,” but spelled out) when other versions use “the Lord.” When Pope Benedict expressed the same view, the CTS obtained the necessary copyright and brought out this version, which is the 1966 Jerusalem Bible but with “the Lord” instead of “Y____h,” and using the Psalms from The Grail Psalter. Not in U.S. bookstores; may be ordered from www.cts-online.org.uk/

CLASSIC ONES

Douay-Rheims: Contemporary with the King James; the work of English refugees at seminaries in northern Europe. So faithful to the Clementine Vulgate Latin version that its English reproduces Latin sentence-structure, making it awkward to read, especially out loud. Still, good to have around, b/c occasionally it has a reading that cuts the Gordian knot of difficult passages in other versions.

Knox: When Oxford classics scholar Ronald Knox became a Catholic in 1917 (and a priest in 1919), the English bishops didn’t know quite what to do with him, so basically they told him to sit tight at Oxford and translate the Bible, between intervals of counseling students (and writing mystery novels in his spare time). His version often sounds like one Oxford don talking to another. He turns some of the Psalms into acrostics. Out of print, but a precious find if you can get one.

BAD ONES

New American Bible: The “official” Bible of the Catholic Church in the United States. Tin-eared use of English, with notes that reflect the worst of modernist theology. Clearly sent as punishment. (Do not confuse with the New American Standard Bible, a version published by Protestant Fundamentalists but admirable for its accuracy and literalism. Of course the NASB is missing the Deuterocanonical books.)

New Jerusalem Bible: “I will make of you fishers of persons.” Better idea: make of it recycled paper for the New Roman Missal.

posted by Cacciaguida at 2:41 PM