Summer Schedule

Every summer, I pack my bags and hit the road, lecturing across the country in conjunction with Worldview Academy. The weeklong camps, hosted at universities throughout the US, focus on practical theology, apologetics, and leadership training. While it's a wonderful experience, something I love doing, the usual consequence for Bible Design Blog is silence during the months of June and July. 

Not this year.

I've planned something special for you during Summer 2012. For the last few weeks, I've been feverishly writing and photographing and even filming, creating enough content to guarantee that Bible Design Blog will not only not go silent in June and July, but will be updated more frequently than ever before. 

In June, we'll be looking at the R. L. Allan Compact Text ESV (in four colors), the Personal Size editions of the New Cambridge Paragraph Bible, and a unique KJV/RV interlinear published by Northern Ireland's Crimond House. We will also check in with my well-loved four-year-old Cambridge Pitt Minion to see how it's holding up, and take an inside look at how book blocks are assembled. At the end of the month, we'll also look under the cover and see the inner workings of two types of binding: paste-off and edge-lined.

In July, after a peek at Hendrickson's facsimile 1611 Edition of the KJV, we'll go in depth with a series of recent R. L. Allan editions: the HCSB in luxurious crimson Highland goatskin, the new NIV bound in a less limp brown goatskin that I absolutely adore, and the NRSV in brown Highland goatskin (a truly welcomed edition for lovers of that strangely under-represented translation). We will also have a look at a series of interesting vintage editions: a mid-century masterpiece printed in Italy, a letterpress Gospel, a three-volume KJV that (for me) doesn't live up to the hype, and the fascinating Eric Gill-designed Aldine Bible. At the month's close, we have beautifully produced edition of the Hebrew Gospels. 

Along the way, expect a surprise or two. The fun kicks off this Monday, June 4, with a look at the Cambridge Pitt Minion in brown split calf, and it won't let up for the next nine weeks!

So I have two favors to ask: 

(1) Tune in. If you haven't already bookmarked the site or subscribed to the RSS feed, now is the time. We're going to have a lot of content coming out in a relatively short amount of time (especially by BDB standards), so don't miss it.

(2) Talk about it. I always appreciate being linked to, re-blogged, tweeted, etc. The videos included in some of the reviews are simple to embed in your own posts and share. Help a brother out and spread the word.

PS ... One of the things I enjoy about traveling cross-country is the opportunity to meet Bible Design Blog readers in person. My schedule this summer follows Worldview Academy's Northeast route, and includes weeks in St. Paul, MN; Deerfield, IL; Upland, IN; Grove City, PA; Rochester, NY; Keene, NH; and Lancaster, PA. If you're in or around those locations, send me an e-mail and let me know. 

 

Comments

[Terrence]

I will definitely be checking this blog. It is always great to learn so much about Bibles that I wouldn't know about from simply going to the local Christian bookstore....
I'd love to have that whole stack of Bibles at the beginning of this post! That's a great sight!
Thanks for all of your work and your passion for the Word of God (in all of its many different bindings and presentations)

[Jay W]

I can't wait to read your thoughts on the new NRSV!

[Daniel]

What about the review of the new Schuyler Bible?

[J. Mark Bertrand]

"Along the way, expect a surprise or two."

[Dave]

Bravo! It seems the Bible Design Blog isn't updated as frequently as it used to be. I was beginning to wonder if you had run out of Bibles to review. Ha, ha.

[Leandro Guimarães Faria Corcete DUTRA]

Perhaps you could top it all off by finding a single-column Cambridge Paragraph or KJ Bible with chapter and verse number on the outer margins, cross references in the inner ones, and footnotes at the bottom? And nice typography and diagramming to boot?

[Matt M]

I Spy a NIV and NRSV...sweet!

I have been using the New Allan NIV for months and can't get over how much I like the print, size, and binding. As a matter of opinion, I really like the new NIV 2011 update {ducks from incoming tomatoes}.

I am also enjoy using the HCSB from time to time, but was really disappointed that Allan didn't use the 2009 update...still not sure how that could have slipped through!?

Anyway, looking forward to July!

Mark - what do you think of these grey wingtips (I am was looking at the navy as well)?? ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cHpBPdyLl4

I grabbed a discounted pair in more of a tan: http://www.onlineshoes.com/mens-florsheim-veblen-limited-grey-p_id214239

[moxie]

Not surprising the NRSV is under-represented. It's excruciatingly "gender inclusive" and many editions include the Aprocrypha. The NRSV is used by some of the more liberal mainline denominations, especially the PCUSA. Interestingly the PCUSA includes the Westminster Confession in its Book of Confessions. The WCF doesn't recognize the Apocrypha as part of the Canon, but the PCUSA uses the Apocrypha in worship services anyway.

[Roger]

I thought long periods of silence was normal here... :)

[JD]

Moxie, I've been attending PCUSA services my entire life and have regularly attended three different churches in two different states (PA and GA) and not only has only one of those used the NRSV (the Georgia church I'm currently attending. Of the others one used the RSV and the other used the 1984 NIV) and none of them used the Apocrypha in their worship services.

Furthermore, regardless of personal feelings about the gender inclusiveness(I personally do prefer the ESV but am thinking of switching) the translation is sturdy. I'd use it (and do use it) over the NIV any day. And while you're picking on the "more liberal mainline denominations" - you'd be better off jabbing at the ELCA because they're the ones who have endorsed the mainstream usage of the NRSV more than anyone (and they're the reason I'm considering the switch, as I'm considering a denomination switch as well).

I don't mean to nitpick, and really I think that translation preference is a very personal thing and I get twitchy about gender inclusiveness on occasion as well, but if you're going to knock it at least get your facts right. That's all. No harm intended.

Anyways, looking forward to the regular updates. I check this page just about every day in the hope that something new will be up, so this is an exciting time indeed.

[Dave Berry]

Yes, would love to see a review (video please) of the Schuyler ESV with the Confessions in Dark Brown Goatskin. Thanks!

[moxie]

JD,
I guess I should have been more specific and said that SOME PCUSA churches use the NRSV and the Apocrypha in their worship services. My personal experience includes two churches in Northern Virginia and two in Maryland. I have no experience with the ELCA. Thanks for your informative comments.

[bill]

Moxie, did you mean the consistency of the gender inclusiveness in the NRSV you find excruciating (as in the more they do it the more pain you feel) or that the English grammar and syntax they use is excruciatingly painful to hear as a lover of the English language? Leaving the question of whether gender inclusiveness is good or bad to other blogs, I personally think the way NRSV does it is quite good. For example Genesis 1 has God saying "Let us make humankind in our image" in the NRSV while in TNIV and NLT2e He says "Let us make human beings..." In that and other examples, I wouldn't say NRSV was all that painful at all, even to this lover of the KJV.

By the way, the NIV11, which is so maligned on this subject, has "Let us make mankind..." which I find rather pleasing to the ear indeed.

[moxie]

Bill,
Must admit that it's the more they do it, the more painful it becomes, as I don't care for it (gender inclusiveness)at all. Grammar is fine. I prefer faithfulness to the original language, with possibly some footnoting. For example the ESV often translates adelphois as "brothers" but footnotes it as "Or brothers and sisters." See Acts 12:17 for one instance. This method allows the reader to easily distinguish between the original text and an alternative usage. In Gen. 1:26 "adam" is translated as "man" and is also footnoted with an explanation. The NRSV does it the other way around, putting the gender-inclusive term or word into the text and footnoting with the actual translation. It is my opinion that the ESV's approach is more faithful to the original text than is the broad-based gender inclusiveness used by the NRSV. But this has been discussed at length in other fora. Just do a search for more than you probably want or need.

[Alex]

Hi

A year ago I moved house and my new church uses the TNIV. Ok not my favourite translation but I find it difficult to listen to someone teaching and reading from one translation, when the bible I have in my hands at the time is another.

I bought a TNIV from Cambridge and its ok. However as I don't plan on moving house again and I don't think my church will change translation I thought I might treat myself to a Allan NIV. So very interested in reading that review.

Alex

[James Thompson]

I will echo Daniel's comment about the Schuyler ESV. I would love to see a review of that bible when you get a chance. From what I've seen it's extremely competitive with Allans for quality. I'm thinking it may have Allans beat on the paper quality.

[John S]

It will be interesting to see if the Schuyler ESV lives up to the hype.

[James Thompson]

Well, I pulled the trigger and ordered the Schuyler ESV. I should have it in hand sometime in September. I'll give a quick impression once I get it if anyone's interested.