Further information about the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: NT

Since there has been a lot of interest in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament, I'm posting some further information, which I've taken, with minor edits, from a comment by Mark Brumley, who has worked long and hard with Dr. Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch on this project:

Some of the individual volume annotations have been revised--not a lot but some. Some of the essays have been revised--for example, the last supper essay in John, I think, has been significantly revised. There are others but I don't remember, off the top of my head.

Some of the intro essays have been revised and we added an essay on the Gospels by Curtis Mitch, which is very good. Plus, there is a concise concordance for the NT, a doctrinal index that was designed esp. for apologetics, list of Jesus' miracles and a list of the parables, and some great, new, full-color maps.

Plus, the text is larger for a wider range of readers to use the text easily and there's a little more margin space than the old booklets for those who want to write in the margins--though not as much as in the new Bible study version (8 1/2 x 11) of the booklets.

So, much is the same, but there are some important changes and additions to the booklets.

The Old Testament is underway. I just finished my edits of Genesis. Curtis is putting in a few corrections from the production department, and then its off to the regular production process for a fall 2010 release. I'm working through Exodus now and will send my comments to Curtis as soon as I can.

Probably 80% of the OT is done in first draft. We have to work through that still, which is some heavy lifting. But it looks as if the OT will run much, much more quickly than the NT. I can't give a project when the OT (and therefore the whole Bible) will be done and ready to print, but we're moving ahead as quickly as possible. I'd love to get feedback on which OT books people think we should publish as stand-alone volumes. Genesis, definitely. Likewise, Exodus. But I don't know what to think about Leviticus or Numbers. That sort of thing. Comments?

Mike Potemra of NRO has posted a nice piece about the study Bible, saying:

I recommend it strongly for Catholic parish Bible study groups and for personal reading. ... The articles are impressively lucid — I was quite taken, in particular, with the editors’ fascinating suggested explanation for why Luke may have been right, after all, about the census of Quirinius; and their exposition of why Paul’s doctrine on faith and works does not conflict with that of James.  The book is, in addition, quite a bargain — 711 large-format pages, with very clear print and maps...

And one reader left this encouraging note:

I just want to take this opportunity to say that I am so thankful for the entire enterprise of Ignatius Press, including every single person who works for, or is in any way involved with, Ignatius. Your books are aiding me greatly in my return to the Church.

Approximately fifteen years ago, I was a young Catholic convert, out of a Godless worldview and lifestyle. However, unfortunately, my RCIA instruction was less-than-ideal, and due to both heretical misinformation and my own sin, I ended up leaving the Church. It was such a tragic choice, from my older, better-informed, present-day vantage point.

I remember, at one point, in those younger days, talking with a very well-known Jesuit (he used to work for "America" magazine) and asking him what he thought of certain Ignatius Press authors. He replied (and he, in his sense of superiority, probably thought he was being charitable) that they represented "the very best of pre-Vatican II thinking." Obviously, he didn't mean it as a compliment. Oh, that I had had the understanding of intra-Church struggles that I now have... That man was no help to me, and while I don't bear him any ill will, I do mourn for the damage that he and other professing Catholics caused to my faith.

I am greatly looking forward to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible. Keep fighting the good fight, out of love for Jesus Christ and His Church. You are helping more people than you can know, this side of Heaven.

Here are pertinent links:

Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament (Paperback)
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament (Hardcover)
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament (Leather)

Comments

[Paul H]

I'm very excited about this. I'll be ordering it next month. Now if only I can find the time to read it and study it . . .

[Nicholas Jagneaux]

Carl, Mark, Fr. Fessio, and everyone who works at Ignatius Press:

Please let me echo Christopher Lake's comment -- "I am so thankful for the entire enterprise of Ignatius Press, including every single person who works for, or is in any way involved with, Ignatius.

Ignatius Press does outstanding work, and the Catholic Study Bible is a fine example of it. I want you to know that God has blessed your work, and it is bearing fruit in my life, and in the lives of countless others.

May God continue to bless you, and all of us through you.

[Carson Weber]

I hope that the paper this is published on is friendly to mechanical pencils. Unfortunately, the semi-gloss on the paper for the recent Ignatius Bible (RSV), 2nd Edition precludes me from making notes in the margins. Also, the margin space wasn't all that ample, so I'm hoping for additional margin space. Hoping Mark Brumley reads this.. *fingers crossed* *smile*

[Sandra Miesel]

Years ago I had the opportunity to fully examine a 13th C English Bible, the sort a scholar would have owned. Every book had corrections and marginal notes. Every book save one--Leviticus. That was pristine and uncorrected.

[Mark Brumley]

Carson: on paper, we've moved away from the shiny stuff--for the Study Bible, but also for the newer editions of the RSV 2CE. On margins, well, they are larger for the Study Bible than for the RSV2CE and for the original ICSB booklets. We had a bit of a tradeoff on the margins and text size. This is not a large print Bible, but it is larger than the text used in the RSV2CE and the original ICSB NT. Many people complained that the type font is too small in the booklets, esp the notes. They wanted something larger than what we had but not large print. I think we got the font size right. But it means we couldn't have huge margins--margins as wide as the new ICSB NT booklets (8 1/2 x 11 format)--those are huge. Still,the margins in the Study Bible NT are much better than the old ones and I tested them out for writing myself.

[Tim]

Mark,

Is there anything else different about the RSV-2CE that is now being published as opposed to the one that came out a few years back? I was told that the current one is printed in the USA now, but is the cover still bonded leather?

Thanks!

[Elizabeth]

I asked my mom for my birthday an Amazon gift certificate so I can buy this for everyone in my Bible study (and some other friends, and one for the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel). We've been using the booklet version "ICSB Letter to the Hebrews". Previously I'd led a study with the Gospel of John one. They are excellent. Since those booklets are just shy of $10 each and the ICSB New Testament is under $15 on Amazon I do think it's a great deal! I suspect you are going to be selling enormous quantities of these.

[Paul H]

This Bible came in the mail today (hardcover version), and it is beautiful! Thank you for the massive amount of work that obviously went into this publication.