In the spirit of my buddy Alan Creech and Micheal Spencer (The Internet Monk), here is my post on my Bible(s). This idea is floating around the blogosphere right now, and this is my contribution.
The blue bible on the left is a Zondervan Thinline NIV. I refer to it as "Ole Blue". My parents gave it to me when I was around 8 or so to celebrate my baptism. Somehow, I managed to keep up with it among the many times I dragged it all over the country when I was in youth group. I secretly imagine I kept up with it because I never really used it when I was young.
When I hit college was the first time I ever REALLY used it. It was my bible for a year or so and then I got my first study bible and put it away again. It ended up getting pulled out again and put away for a couple of more years. About the time I really started straightening out I started using it exclusively. I felt attached to it since I had it as a kid (and there are tons of silly kid stickers inside it to show that era of my life), and it was small and handy to keep around. The wear and tear started to really break it down, so I ended up putting it in a box and replacing it with another thinline from Zondervan which I have lost. I pull it out of it's box when I can't find a scripture that I know I have read and studied. Chances are if I know I was really into it from the ages of 20-24 I will have it marked in there.
The maroon bible on the left is a ESV thinline. I really don't like the thinline, double column reference style, but these seem to be the Bible's I am attached to. I started reading ESV when I was 25 or so because I wanted to move into a more literal translation, and I really can't stand the NASB. This was my third ESV and I got it randomly at a lifeway store because I had a coupon. I have tried to replace it, but it has so many notes from working at Wesley that I couldn't ditch it when I came to seminary. It is now filled with notes and starting to fall apart. Crossway really doesn't make a good bonded leather bible and it is not to far away from the state of destruction that "Ole Blue" is at. Until I find a suitable replacement I will keep on carrying it with me everywhere and hope I don't loose it.
Both of these bibles are very dear to me. They represent and serve as reminders of my spiritual journey. I have way too many bibles, lets say around 30, but these two are important. I can trace my spiritual growth using both of them, and I love going back to "Ole Blue" and seeing notes I made almost 20 years ago when I was a kid.
So what would my perfect Bible be? Either a NRSV or a Jerusalem bible with WIDE margins and nice leather, so I could use it for a decade and it still be in good shape, and Meredith would give it to me. Why move out of the ESV? Well it is a really silly reason. I found out that it is the "new" translation of the younger reformed folk, and that really annoys me. I know it is a stupid reason, and I try to convince myself of it every day (especially since I read that only 6% of ESV text is not just like the NRSV). I really dig the Jerusalem Bible, I have a NJB but it doesn't work for me like the original.
Well there is my long expose on my favorite Bibles and what a new one would look like. Thanks for sticking around this long.
I really think this is interesting, so if you do a post about your bible, leave a comment.
Woo hoo! "Old Blue" - that's good. I have a few others myself, not 30 but 8 or 9, just to have the different translations around. One cool one that one could never carry around is the Oxford Complete Parallel Bible with the New American Bible, Revised English Bible, NRSV, and the New Jerusalem Bible - very handy for comparisons.
One thing I didn't say in my post is that I've noticed Catholics don't care whether their bibles look "cool" or not. ha! I know that's funny to say, but there are some ugly lookin' Catholic editions of the bible. There's probably something good there but you know, I don't want something "cool" per se, but something sharp and relatively plain. Hard to find. Peace to you man. We need to get together again sometime.
Posted by: + Alan | October 24, 2007 at 07:02 AM
hmmm...I wonder what you will be getting for Christmas this year? = )
Posted by: Meredith | October 24, 2007 at 03:00 PM
I wanted to find your comment on "young reform folk" offensive, but there wasn't much there to be truly offended by.
I am curious about how you classify "reform folk". When you say "reform" what do you personally mean? What annoys you about them? Is is baptists who beleive in Predestination? Is it Presbyterians? Is it Caedmon's Call? Or is it the Theology of the reformers?
Curious, perhaps you should do an article "Why young reformed folks are bigger sinners than me"
What 6% of the NRSV do you like?
Posted by: Steven | October 24, 2007 at 06:14 PM
Steven-can we play nice?
What did I mean when I said "younger reformed folk"?
You could say the disciples of John Piper, so I guess you could put the idea of reformed baptists in there. It is not an annoyance at the fact that they use it, but it makes me scared that a translation can get co-opted by a specific segment of protestantism.
The fact that it is pretty much an NRSV is what makes my want to continue using it. Switching translations would be silly, I know the ESV. It follows the translation tradition of the ASV to the RSV then NRSV. I enjoy it because of it's literary quality, not because of specific bent that it was translated to support (something like the Holman Christian Standard).
I also believe how I mentioned that this was a stupid belief that I had.
Really, was the 2nd to last commented needed?
Posted by: chad | October 24, 2007 at 06:51 PM
No, not needed. Sorry. It was sort of funny at the time, and biting,but I sincerely regret its usage.
A big sinner saved by grace,
Steven
Posted by: Steven | October 25, 2007 at 04:15 AM
as per request, this is me telling you that i posted about my bibles. :) 'twas fun. thanks for the post and the idea.
even though i'll always carry my trusty NIV, i'm increasingly warm to the ESV as well.
Posted by: amberly | November 08, 2007 at 09:09 AM