New American Bible
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| New American Bible | |
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| Full name: | New American Bible |
| Abbreviation: | NAB |
| Complete Bible published: | 1970 |
| Textual Basis: | NT: Novum Testamentum Graece 27th edition. OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia with Septuagint influence. Apocrypha: Septuagint with some Vulgate influence. |
| Translation type: | Formal equivalence (from the Preface). |
| Reading Level: | Middle School |
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In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. |
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For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. |
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The New American Bible (NAB) is a Catholic Bible translation first published in 1970.
It was specifically translated into English by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine under the liturgical principles and reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
Contents |
[edit] Content
It contains the following articles and other information:
- Bible Helps
- The Purpose of the Bible
- The Bible and History
- How the Bible Came About
- How to Study the Bible
- List of the Popes
- The English Versions of the Bible
- Literary Forms of the Bible
- Biblical Themes
- Suggested Readings for the Liturgical Year
- Sunday Readings of the Holy Scriptures
[edit] Second version
In 1986 some traditionally familiar phraseology was restored to the New Testament. This included some inclusive language.
[edit] Third version
In 1991 it was again amended to create more inclusive language in the Psalms. Some controversy ensued because of its alleged use of vertical inclusive language (God and Christ) and some uses of horizontal inclusive language (human beings instead of men).
[edit] Fourth version
In 1994, work began on a revision of the Old Testament.[1]
However, since the 1991 Psalms were rejected for liturgy use, the text was modified by a committee of the Holy See and the Bishops for use in the Latin-Rite Catholic liturgy in 2000. This is the current text of the Lectionaries of the United States Roman Catholic Church. The Holy See accepted some use of inclusive language, such as where the speaker intended to address a mixed audience (such as “brothers and sisters”), but rejected any changes relating to God or Christ. On November 2008, the revised Grail Psalter was accepted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and is currently awaiting Vatican approval.[2] This will replace the current modified NAB Psalter for Lectionary use in the United States.[3]
In 2002, the Old Testament (excluding the Psalms) was completed and sent to the Ad Hoc Committee to see if it was a suitable Catholic translation.
In June 2003, a re-revision of the Psalms that followed the Liturgiam Authenticam was completed but rejected by the Ad Hoc Committee. It was again revised in 2008 and sent to the Bishops Committee on Divine Worship but rejected in favor of the revised Grail Psalter.
In September 2008, The last book (Jeremiah) of the Old Testament was accepted by the Ad Hoc Committee. In November of that year, the complete Old Testament (including footnotes and introductions) was approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. However, they would not allow it to be published with the 1991 Psalms. A final revision of the NAB Psalter is currently underway using suggestions vetted by the Ac Hoc Committee and stricter conformity to the Liturgiam Authenticam.[4]
The 4th Edition of the New American Bible is set to be published by mid-2010.[5]
[edit] Criticism
The New American Bible of 1991 has been attacked by more conservative Catholics for a number of reasons. For one, it uses gender-neutral language in many places.[citation needed] Pope John Paul II and other Vatican officials were not happy with the 1991 revision, mainly because of the inclusive language. The revised Psalter of 1991 was rejected for liturgical use by the Holy See in 1994. The revised text (New Testament and Psalms) was specifically disallowed by the provisional norms for translation of biblical texts sent by Vatican officials to American Bishops in June 1997, and also disallowed by the translation guidelines formally promulgated in an Instruction published by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in March 2001 "Liturgiam authenticam", hence the issuing of an amended text for liturgical use. Nonetheless, the New American Bible is one of the most widely used translations by American Catholics.
The notes especially have been criticized by some Catholics because of their perceived liberal and higher critical interpretation of passages, such as those which are believed to prophesy the coming of Christ.[citation needed] Traditional authorship of many books is also questioned, e.g., the Pentateuch, Book of Daniel, and some of Paul's letters.[citation needed] Some more traditional Catholics therefore reject its use and call on Catholics to use more traditional translations, such as those in the Douai-Rheims Bible and the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible series.[citation needed] It should be noted, however, that many Church authorities find nothing wrong with the scholarly questioning of traditional authorship, especially since in many cases (in the Old Testament and even the Gospels) there is no authorial identification in the text.
[edit] References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (June 2009) |
- ^ Chronology for the New Revision of the New American Bible Old Testament [1]
- ^ Revised Grail Psalter [2]
- ^ CNS STORY: Bishops choose Revised Grail Psalter for Lectionary use in US[3]
- ^ Chronology for the New Revision of the New American Bible Old Testament [4]
- ^ USCCB New American Bible FAQs [5]
[edit] External links
- The New American Bible - online access (USCCB website)
- Wolf in Calfskin: The Rampant Liberalism of the NAB - a traditionalist critique of the NAB
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