Two more study Bibles

Two more new study Bibles are being introduced to the market. The Wesley Study Bible provides notes reflecting -- yes, surprise, surprise -- a general Wesleyan spin on the scripture (which in my book is generally a pretty good spin).

And then there is the Green Bible which is printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink and with more than 1,000 verses related to nature highlighted in forest green. There is commentary by St Francis of Assisi and many of his more contemporary friends.

Okay, so it sounds a little cheesy and perhaps overly PC, but this emphasis is a healthy corrective to the way that we've been reading the Bible.

Both new Bibles utilize the NRSV translation -- which might be the biggest negative about them. I've grown less-and-less fond of the NRSV over the past few years -- feeling that it has become linguistically distant from the English spoken by most Americans -- further ghettoizing the church. But I'm happy to see these two new editions of the Bible -- in spite of the translation choice.

The reason that I've grown to appreciate study Bibles is that they provide users with a set of compact and portable commentaries and references. They give readers access to some brief scholarship on the text and enough information to get them past the occasionally complicated language.

Yes, I could provide you with a significant list of negatives about study Bibles -- but generally speaking the positives outweigh the negatives. At least that's my most recent thinking on the issue.

Perhaps living in an insular place and working with people from even more isolated islands helps me to see the value of accessible theological material -- even with its imperfections. Most islanders do not have the Internet, yet. And there is no ready quick access to books of any sort -- let alone Bible commentaries. Imagine trying to prepare a Bible study or sermon without input from anyone beyond your own village. The world is very small when you live on an island.

Of course, at some point we all start rolling our eyes at the endless proliferation of English translations and the rabbit-like multiplication of study Bibles written from every conceivable theological angle -- and even some you didn't know were conceivable. I suppose we should be paying at least some attention to the teacher in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes who suggests that we need to be careful, "for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." (12:12)

Frankly, though, if he had a study Bible or two he wouldn't have had to work so hard at his studying and he would have probably been a lot less grumpy.