Sunday, September 13, 2009

What is the most satisfactory pew Bible?

This question is a little different to the question 'what is the best Bible translation?' or 'what is the least partisan Bible translation in publication today?' (see here and the comments on it on Anglican Down Under).

Some Bibles are better for reading aloud than others - even proponents of the English Standard Version, for example, have recognised (in my hearing) that it is not a great Bible for reading in church. Nevertheless, for some vicars and vestries, a determining factor will be the answer to the first two questions above: if people are going to follow the preacher, and preacher and people together are going to study the Bible, then the best ever or least partisan Bible is the way to go.

But the reality is that as one travels from church to church, and for whatever reasons it has happened, a variety of Bible translations sit in our pews. In my own circuits I have seen New Living Translation, Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version. I think Today's New International Version is in one church nearby.

So, I am open to comments on the specific matter of 'the most satisfactory pew Bible' in your estimation! (I would prefer not to host a discussion about the best Bible translation ever).

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

We at S. THomas' Runanga use the New Revised Standard Version and find it very satisfactory.
Barry Smithson