Catholic Bibles

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DasErlibnis

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You know how the Protestants are always talking Bible and handing out Bibles, but they don’t say “protestant bible, missing 7 books” on the cover.

Catholic bibles always say “catholic” on the cover.

But really, you just don’t hear enough Catholics talking scripture in public, and I’ve certainly never seen one hand out a bible either.

So… why not?

Let’s do it!!

Let’s start publishing pocket size Catholic bibles that just say “Holy Bible” on the front. They don’t need to say Catholic.

Let people read them for years before they figure out their friends’ bibles are missing books.

(:
 
I always bring up to the ppl handing them out they are missing 16 books (7?) and most of them have no idea that there are different Bibles. Silly protestants.
 
Why bother? Is the canon really so important? It just so happens that Protestants tend to have the production resources available to produce “give away” Bibles. Let them spread the Gospel how best they spread it, and let’s not be so conceited as to bring up “# missing books” and instead live the Gospels, which is the entire focus of traditional Christianity (Catholic and Orthodox).

If I seem grumpy it is because I just woke up and am using these fora as a coffee substitute.
 
ZDHayden said:
Why bother? Is the canon really so important? It just so happens that Protestants tend to have the production resources available to produce “give away” Bibles. Let them spread the Gospel how best they spread it, and let’s not be so conceited as to bring up “# missing books” and instead live the Gospels, which is the entire focus of traditional Christianity (Catholic and Orthodox).

If I seem grumpy it is because I just woke up and am using these fora as a coffee substitute.
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I think it would be nice to be able to start giving away more Catholic bibles. The issue I have seen is a Catholic bible is almost always 2X the cost of a protestant one. For instance I can go into a dollar store and get KJV of the bible but the cheapest catholic bible I can find is $2.35. That difference adds up after a while. However if the OP is serious about handing out bibles (I have actually thought about doing this) they should check out this site:

bibles.com//ProductSearch.aspx?s=catholic+bibles

It has the cheapest Catholic bibles I have yet to find on the web.

If the OP is serious PM me and maybe we can figure out a way to start our own free bible ministry.
 
PM is forthcoming.

Details, details…

Regarding comparative pricing. Prices in bulk are always negotiable. Always.

But freight costs are not so flexible.

So, to save money on freight, and to be able to carry even more, I’d strongly recommend the protestant model of Psalms, Proverbs, .and New Testament.

But I think I would add ecclesiastes, job, and wisdom.

Or we can go “whole hawg” as we say in the Deep South, and put the whole book out there. 🙂

If we do it in camoflauge, we can tie it in to a military effort. And that’s cause-worthy too, it’ll find a receptive ear among civilians. They may say “I don’t want your bible…but I do want to help soldiers and their families.”

It’ll be like st Paul said, “I caught you with cleverness.”

And here’s a clever idea. Not only the red-letter Jesus words, but also, everywhere the New Testament quotes one of the books the Protestants don’t have, it can be in green letters with a footnote to the book itself. Ah, very clever!

Pocket-sized with the vinyl cover.

Include basic universal prayers that Prots can relate to:
New Constantinopalian creed “I believe…”
Prayer of st Francis “where there is hate, love…” on inside front cover
Prayer of st Ignatius “take, lord, and receive…” on inside back cover
Our father

Translation, RSV-CE

FRONT cover - “Holy Bible”

I don’t mind gettin out on the street to preach. Nashville, Atlanta, shelters to minister, wherever…

I see the Mormons in the library quite often. I talk to them frequently. Try to bring them in the fold. I’m accustomed.

I know just pulling something off the shelf is easier, but it may not address the specific need of the ministry - to talk to protestants.
 
DasErlibnis said:
You know how the Protestants are always talking Bible and handing out Bibles, but they don’t say “protestant bible, missing 7 books” on the cover.
Catholic bibles always say “catholic” on the cover.
But really, you just don’t hear enough Catholics talking scripture in public, and I’ve certainly never seen one hand out a bible either.
So… why not?
Let’s do it!!
Let’s start publishing pocket size Catholic bibles that just say “Holy Bible” on the front. They don’t need to say Catholic.
Let people read them for years before they figure out their friends’ bibles are missing books.
(:
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Many Catholic homes still do not have a “Catholic Bible” and a “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”. (Sometimes there are errors in non-Catholic Bibles, especially regarding footnotes.)
One of the missing books includes 2 Macc 12:46 which includes a statement pertaining to making atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin (Purgatory).

If we can afford it, we should give ‘Catholic Bibles’ and ‘CCC 2nd Eds’ as gifts to family members, friends, and others - including but not limited to: birthdays, weddings, graduations, Mother’s day, Father’s day, Christmas, Easter, remembrances from Grandparents, etc.
It does not matter whether the recipient is Catholic or not. (See post on 'POPES Statements on CCC 2nd Ed" which is for everyone.)

Someone recommended the RSV-CE, Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition. I agree for ease of reading. Large Print is also helpful, since the smaller print and pocket versions can be hard on the eyes for extended reading.
If all the other conditions are met, a Plenary Indulgence can be gained by reading the Bible for 1/2 hour.
I also recommend that those new to reading the Bible start with the New Testament.

What is more important than Eternity?
The whole span of the centuries is no more than a fleeting day. From the heights of the life of God, where we shall one day be immersed, time will be as if it did not exist. A year, a hundred thousand years, a million years contemplated from eternity, will not seem to us any more than points. We shall consider these lengths of time microscopic.
The goods of this world are no more to be esteemed than wood and straw that can be destroyed by fire. What point is there in making them the object of our genius and power where we have no permanent abode?
(Read “End of the Present World and Mysteries of the Future Life”,).

Saving Souls for eternity is most important. - A “Catholic Bible” and the “CCC 2nd Ed” will assist us and others. Thank you for helping to bring the Bible to everyone’s attention.
 
Barbkw said:
Why’d you write that?
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Simple: an honest question. The only Christian groups I know of who make a “big deal” about the canon of the Old Testament are a minority of Protestants and Catholic apologists (and apologist wanna-be’s).

Is it important to the salvation of the eternal soul of a person to have the “correct” canon of the Old Testament? If not, then why not speak of your church’s canon to those potential converts and those within your shared fold and leave other churches/communities to their own canon, as it was in the days before the turning of the first millenium?

Live the Gospel. Let’s not let unessentials cause unnecessary divisions among us! Catholic, some Protestant, and Orthodox Christians abide in a liturgical community – the holy liturgy is supposed to cultivate in us not intellectual knowledge of the Gospel (which it does certainly) but actual knowledge of the Gospel – the liturgy is supposed to inspire us to live the Gospel and by our living of the Gospel, spread it.

Let those who have the resources and those whose tradition focuses on such things as Bible distribution, memorization, et cetera, do so. Our traditions (Catholic, Orthodox, classical Protestant) is all about living, not knowing. Look at the majority of Catholic and Orthodox saints: what did they do?
 
Hey man. That’s fine that you don’t care which gospel is which. I mean, in the end, its all gospel since the whole book, old and new, points to Jesus Christ. And there really is a significant matter of doctrine regarding salvation that needs to be told. It’s called Purgatory.

And you’re right about keeping division to a minimum.

But are we going to be united in a scripture that omits, or a scripture that fulfills?

But it doesn’t really sound like you’re just this “casual, cool” guy who just wants to get along. It really sounds more like an attempt to suppress the full gospel. The arguments sound the same as those “religion is bad” arguments.

In other words, you don’t really come off as being “disinterested”, but rather motivated.

If we want to do it our way, and you don’t, its fine, but why bother to say so? Why not remain silent about the subject as it seems you are asking of us?

It’s a little tough to take if you know what I mean.

I mean, here it seems is the opinion that others should not present their opinion on scripture. Kind of gives you the last word doesn’t it?

But maybe I read too far. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything, and instead, just “live” the gospel (which I’m its fullest context is not worthy to be included anyway).

Anyway, there’s no need to quote me, I am not really interested in an argument. I just wanted to put that out there.
 
So now I am actively trying to suppress the Gospel? THAT is one accusation I have never had thrown against me!

It is fine to disagree DasErlibnis, but do not assume someone who disagrees with you is trying to suppress our Lord’s Gospel. But, perhaps the fault lies with me: perhaps I should have been absolutely clear and not allowed such a thought to have been inspired by my words.

I seek to follow Christ, and, though I fail, I would never attempt to knowingly pervert the Gospel.

Perchance I need another break from these fora. The anger I felt at reading the post to which this is a response was . . . uncomfortable. I need still to learn patience and forebearance and indeed even mercy and selflessness if I felt as insulted as I did.

Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner.
 
I like the Idea of starting with the military. We only had psalms and proverbs in the pocket New testement. I RARELY saw a Catholic Priest and had to attend protestant style services 90% of the time. It seemed more like a pep club then worship. I even felt so bad about it at one point I went to the Archdioces and asked why there were so few Priests in the military; and honestly I wasn’t happy with the answer.

IRAMOE
 
Same here, IRAMOE. And even then, our, ahem…“pastor”, as he was called, was always trying to downgrade religion, saying just live by like the Jesus of the gospels is enough. Well, there is a lot more to Jesus than the Gospel texts.

Later, we had a Buddhist, and you know “under UCMJ” he would tell me, I “am supposed to call him chaplain”. But I just called him Captain or Sir, and not “chaplain” except when he brought it up. But he was always talking about what hypocrites we are as Christians. Nevermind that he used to be a “Christian” pastor, who one day “found Buddha”. Lol.

Overall, the military has a VERY difficult time keeping religion. My commanders have not historically been keen on religion or faith, and there are SO few Catholic priests working as Chaplains to the military. There is a DIRECT correlation to the number of chaplains and how much religion is respected in the military.

But maybe starting bible study groups for Catholics and having the ministry to pass out free bibles, or bibles for $1, is a good place to start to help fill in where priests are not available.

As for me, I’m a bible-banging-Catholic. I grew up in the buckle of the belt, the whip, Texas. Where historical Catholicism meets heavy handed Protestantism. And so, I found that The bible has an answer for almost every question. I find them all the time. And those matters of Tradition, which are often difficult to explain, like Predestination, Divinization, and matters relating to Mary, well, most answers can trace their roots back to the Bible. Dr. Scott Hahn dies an excellent exposition on the Mary of the Bible. He comes from a Bible-culture, one whose eyes, like the Pharisees, did not allow him to “understand what he was reading”, like the Ethiopian eunich. Then, when they are converted, like Saint Paul, everything they know about Scripture is seen in new light as it was meant to be seen. And they become powerful evangelists!

If we can use the bible to bring in well versed protestants, then we will have powerful new leaders in the Church, leaders who can help draw other Catholics closer to our own faith. That’s my premise behind all this. I’m not excluding that we can’t find Catholics who know their Scripture well, but I am saying that it takes years and years and years to learn it well enough.

But a two-pronged effort to both seek out bible-knowing Catholics and open-minded Prots to direct an effort for people to learn their bibles sounds like a good ministry. And that’s what’s good about being Catholic, there is something for everyone! Some folks don’t want to read bibles, we have Tradition they say. Well, I say “bible, well, that’s Tradition too.”
 
ZDHayden said:
So now I am actively trying to suppress the Gospel? THAT is one accusation I have never had thrown against me!

It is fine to disagree DasErlibnis, but do not assume someone who disagrees with you is trying to suppress our Lord’s Gospel. But, perhaps the fault lies with me: perhaps I should have been absolutely clear and not allowed such a thought to have been inspired by my words.

I seek to follow Christ, and, though I fail, I would never attempt to knowingly pervert the Gospel.

Perchance I need another break from these fora. The anger I felt at reading the post to which this is a response was . . . uncomfortable. I need still to learn patience and forebearance and indeed even mercy and selflessness if I felt as insulted as I did.

Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner.
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No worries Hayden. I didn’t assume that because you disagree with me that you were trying to suppress the bible, I assumed because when I said let’s pass out bibles, you said “why bother?”.

I was also offended when at the end of your next post, you said “let those whose tradition includes bible distribution do so” and then juxtaposed Catholic Tradition by highlighting the Saints. But I can tell you, the Saints we know best, well they know Scripture. It was Saint Jerome who said “if you don’t know Scripture, then you don’t know Jesus Christ.” So I don’t like the juxtapositioning. I don’t like calling upon the Saints to say “don’t worry about the bible, learning verses is for those other traditions”… I’m offended by that. But let’s let our offenses pass and we’ll be over it. I’m sorry for being strong worded.
 
DasErlibnis said:
Catholic bibles always say “catholic” on the cover.
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Do they? The cover on mine fell off (for a good reason-I read it alot) and I can’t check, but I don’t recall it saying “catholic” anywhere on the cover. It was a red paperback “New American Bible”.

The Wisdom Books are great incidentally, I feel sorry for anyone who misses out on Sirach.
 
Yeah. My NAB, which is well worn from nearly 30 years of reading it, has catholic in cover, binder, and first pages.

I just figure it should be a “given” that the bible is catholic. I wouldn’t feel compelled to write it on there. If everything inside is the full-gospel, then why package it with something that might turn someone away.

🙂
 
I like the RSV-CE (Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition) in large print. I have given them as gifts to non-Catholic family members, and will continue to do so. They like this version as well.
This quote is the write-up from the EWTN catalogue. “Many Bible scholars consider this translation to be the best rendering of Scripture into modern English.”

This quote is from Ignatious Press catalogue. "The Revised Standard Version of the Bible is acclaimed by many as the clearest, most accurate and most beautiful modern translation of the Bible."
"The RSV Catholic Edition remains the translation used in official Church documents and served as the basis for the scriptural text used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church."
 
DJK100 said:
I think it would be nice to be able to start giving away more Catholic bibles. The issue I have seen is a Catholic bible is almost always 2X the cost of a protestant one. For instance I can go into a dollar store and get KJV of the bible but the cheapest catholic bible I can find is $2.35. That difference adds up after a while. However if the OP is serious about handing out bibles (I have actually thought about doing this) they should check out this site:

bibles.com//ProductSearch.aspx?s=catholic+bibles

It has the cheapest Catholic bibles I have yet to find on the web.

If the OP is serious PM me and maybe we can figure out a way to start our own free bible ministry.
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These Bibles are printed by American Bible Society, you may want to check them out they may give you a better price, and notice that some of the really low price ones are new testaments only.
 
CatholicCajun said:
These Bibles are printed by American Bible Society, you may want to check them out they may give you a better price, and notice that some of the really low price ones are new testaments only.
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Okay back from my hellish trip complete with a combined delay time of over 12 hours. 4 of which were do to a leaky coffee pot. (I am not kidding.)

Anyway… thanks for the info CatholicCajun, I will have to look into the publisher directly if I can get a bulk price anywhere below $2.00 I might just go ahead buy some and see if I can give them out for free. That website I listed was selling GNT for $2.35 a piece. I don’t know of any site that gives a price like that for RSV versions – which I feel would be the ideal version.

I know somebody wanted to print his own but I have know idea how much buying the publishing rights would be.

I also agree that giving free ones to the military would be ideal and probably also to prisioners. I would be nice depending on what is decided to also include pamphlets that explain the faith that you can ship with the bibles so that there is some explaination of the the Catholic Faith as well. As we all know the bible doesn’t really explain itself and the reader needs the correct guidance. These are just some ideas.
 
Sounds bueno. I may still know some folks at I.P. Let me ask if there is something they can do. At $2 , how many could you get?

Maybe CajunCatholic would want to hand some out on St. Joseph’s day in New Orleans if he ever gets that far up the bayou…
 
DasErlibnis said:
Sounds bueno. I may still know some folks at I.P. Let me ask if there is something they can do. At $2 , how many could you get?

Maybe CajunCatholic would want to hand some out on St. Joseph’s day in New Orleans if he ever gets that far up the bayou…
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Well, Bibles.com is run by the American Bible society so their bulk price for Catholic GNT bibles is $2.35. Not sure how much shipping is.
 
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