Review: The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Fourth Edition)

This image is only representative of the review. The actual cover of the reviewed copy has slight differences (see slideshow)

Note: I received a copy of this Bible almost a year ago. Due to its length, it was only until now that I was able to review it. However just recently, April 2018, the fifth edition was released. Therefore, the contents of this review only pertain to the fourth edition of The New Oxford Annotated Bible.

I have reviewed many Bibles from Oxford, including Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible. I have never been disappointed with Bible from Oxford, and The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Fourth Edition) was no exception. Straying away from Catholic specific Bibles, this Bible is an ecumenical study bible, meaning that it can be used in more than one Christian denomination. This version I am reviewing contains the Apocrypha.

First, I have to remark about the physical qualities of the Bible. It is a hardcover book, 6 9/16 x 9 inches dimensions, of fair weight, similar to that of a University textbook. I like the fact that it has a sewn binding, ensuring that the book will last for years, especially for those who will vigourously use this bible. The bible lays flat when opened.

Regarding the visual aspect, the type is readable, approximately size 11pt or 12pt with the notes in a smaller font, probably 9 or 10 pt. The font of the bible text is in a font similar to Cambria, while the notes, headings and essays are in a sans-serif font.

The bible text itself is in a two column format, common in most bibles. However, unlike Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible, the footnotes that correlate with a specific verse are all in single column format at the bottom of the page.

As expected by Oxford, there were many different charts, maps and essays. I especially like the chart comparing the Ten Commandments of the different Christian denominations. There is also a timeline at the back which I like. There are many essays that expand on certain dimensions of the scriptures (e.g. The Canon of the Bible, Textual Criticism). You can surf through the slideshow to see some more amazing features.

There is also a detailed introduction to every section and book of the bible, giving the reader a structure overview of the book and what to expect in the section/book.

One thing I always remark about study bibles are the maps. I am never disappointed with Oxford’s maps, considering that they have also published academic atlases. Not only are there maps scattered throughout the bible in black and white, but also a series of coloured maps are available just like Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible.

Finally, to wrap up this review, I have to emphasize that this study bible focuses more on the historical and geographical dimension of the scriptures. Unlike Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible, this Annotated Bible gives the readers a background of the scriptures of the time of Jesus, giving the reader a historical context and give the reader a wider picture of the scripture they read.

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On The Catholic Man’s Scale

★★★★☆ 4/5

Though The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Fourth Edition) is a good study bible in the historical context and biblical geographical context, as a Catholic, I prefer Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible.

Like Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible though, I would prefer if the bible had a bookmark ribbon or ribbons.

Even though this is a review of the fourth edition, I believe that the fifth edition would be better with its supplements.

Click Here to Purchase The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (Fifth Edition) 

 

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Review: Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible

After a very long and busy break, I will be back reviewing Catholic products. I have a few I
will review and those will slowly roll out.

I received a parcel from Oxford containing two of its published books, the Oxford Catholic Study Bible (softcover) and the Oxford Bible Atlas. After months of using these two books, I finally have enough information to review them. I think these two books go well hand in hand for Catholics who want to dig deeper into scripture. However, today I want to look at the Catholic Study Bible first and the next post will be of the Oxford Bible Atlas.

This is one of the thickest bibles I have on my shelf right now but perhaps a very useful one. Lately, I have been trying my best to write reflections on a part of the gospels before I go to sleep every night. I often use my NRSV Catholic Edition Bible by CBS. However, sometimes there are some verses that I need a little more understanding of the context. The NRSV by CBS do provide very short footnotes but they are sometimes not what I need. Since the time I got a hold of a copy of The Catholic Study Bible, I have often used it to grasp a better understanding of certain Bible texts. The footnotes are great and most of the time, its language is easy to understand. There are also cross references to other parts of Bible texts. The reader can gain an even better understanding in the 574-paged Reading Guide. There are page references to the Reading Guide throughout the Bible itself. On the back of the Bible, it mentions the newly expanded Reading Guide in this third edition featuring the new guides for The Pentateuch, Chronicles, Maccabees, Lamentations, Baruch, Tobit and Judith, The Gospel of Mark and Acts. The footnotes and Reading Guide aren’t the only great “Bible luxuries”. Short essays charts and drawings are scattered throughout the Bible and help explain certain Bible texts and bring them to life.

The Bible text itself is from the NABRE which I do own a copy by a different publisher. I wish they could make a Catholic Study Bible for the NRSV version too. However, I do understand how much work must be put in to create just one version of a Study Bible.

One of the things that I look at when reviewing a Bible is certainly the Appendix. This Bible contains many of the standard parts that appear in most Bibles including a glossary, table of measures and weights and an index. However, the standard features listed seem to be more expanded. The glossary itself seems to go more in depth than most that I’ve looked through. The table of measures and weights contains seem to be expanded. It contains conversions from Greek, the NABRE term, Equivalence, U.S. units and metric units (for Canadians!). One feature that I believe is found in most NABRE Bibles is the Lectionary table. I find this feature quite useful. I do not purchase the Sunday Missal in English every year. I often use an app on my phone or use my Vietnamese Missal to get the readings to prepare for Mass. However, there are some days when I find the Lectionary Readings get confusing on which readings to use. For example, the Palm Sunday procession of Year B contains two choices of either Mark of John (yes, its in the Roman Missal). Yet, hand Missals may omit the choice of John. Therefore, before, when I did not have a copy of the Roman Missal, Study Edition (to be reviewed later), I would often turn to the Lectionary Table. Or, the Christmas Readings (for Dec. 24 alone) for example, contain three: Christmas Vigil, Christmas at Midnight, Christmas at Dawn. Again, many hand missals may omit a set which becomes confusing. The Lectionary table would come to the rescue again!

An index of the reading guide is also provided which makes it very useful in finding a certain topic. It limits the time flipping through 574 to find a topic.

I was also amazed at the Concordance of the New American Bible. I expected it to be short the one of the NRSV Catholic Edition by CBS. But I was wrong! The concordance is almost 100-pages. This may be a feature I may use often when writing Spiritual reflections.

Another feature which I love about his Bible are the last 32-pages of coloured maps. Why did I emphasize coloured you might ask. Well, I have noticed that when a Bible is printed in black and white, they contain either no maps or black and white maps. Oxford’s maps are very detailed and the colour brings it to life. The maps clearly depict the changes of the Holy Land throughout Biblical times. A five-paged index is provided with the maps in the last pages.

Reversing to the beginning… I looked for the Imprimatur, a feature that I always look at in Catholic Books I review on this blog. It took me some time to scroll through the tiny text but all the Imprimatur and permission to print by the Catholic Church was on the fourth page. There are three separate approvals in this Bible. First is one for the New Testament of the NABRE which contains a Nihil Obstat and an Imprimatur. The Old Testament contains a short paragraph indicating the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) approval with the approval of Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I who was the president of the USCCB at the time (2010). The general and introductory articles, reading guides, charts, maps, timelines, measures and weights, glossary and index received a separate approval in 2015 by the Very Reverend Ronald Hicks, then Vicar-General of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

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In Summary

Product: The Catholic Study Bible, Third Edition, NABRE

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Print, paperback (also available in a hardcover version and a leather binding version)

Dimensions  (approximate): 9 inches x 6.25 inches x 2 inches

Imprimatur: Yes (for both the NABRE bible and the notes itself)

ISBN: 9780190267230

 

Pros: 

• Reading Guide available in the front
• Includes 32 pages of coloured maps
• Glossary in the back
• Tables of measures and weights
• Index to reading guide
• Concordance to the New American Bible included
• Lectionary Reading reference pages
• Reading Guide (RG) references available throughout the Bible text itself
• Detailed footnotes helps reader to understand the Bible texts better
• Sidebar essays, charts and drawings are provided throughout the Bible texts
• The Bible bears the appropriate Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur and even assures approval by the USCCB

Cons

• Large in size
• Heavy, not the best Bible for travellers
• The softcover version is best to have a book wrap cover to add protection. Frequent use may wear down the softcover Bible quickly

On “The Catholic Man’s” Scale

★★★★★ 5/5

I absolutely love Oxford’s Catholic Study Bible Third Edition. This Bible contains so many features that I have not mentioned all of them in this review. The Bible is good for those who want to dig deeper in the Word of God taking into consideration its spiritual and historical context. It is not the best Bible to travel but one of the best to buy for your Catholic Library.

Thank you Oxford for allowing me to review this Bible!