Friday, February 24, 2006
Using and Knowing Your Bibles
There's concern in the cafeteria that Americans are getting cheated on Bible translations.
Well, no.
No wonder EWTN uses the Ignatius (=RSV Catholic Edition) Bible instead of the bland NAB. Well, at least it goes with the equally bland, flawed English translation of the Mass we still have.
Both approved by Rome. By this reasoning the curia just wants to keep us down on the farm. The Canadians are permitted to use the NRSV in liturgy.
If the new, more faithful and poetic one ever makes it out of committee (the usual suspects are holding it up), maybe we'll get a better Bible translation, too. Oh yeah, that wonderful desire to make everything accessible, until it sounds like elementary school poetry.
Actually, the movement is to make the Bible more faithful to the Latin Vulgate. Sorry; beauty, poetry, and even common sense is not part of the orthodox equation in this instance.
I'm not sure why Gerald is upset, though. There's a misunderstanding that the RNAB is the only approved Bible for Catholics. Wrong. It's the only approved one for liturgy. If you're talking personal study, prayer, or bedtime reading, there are a number of approved translations and even paraphrases out there. Don't let the liturgy wars distract your focus.
