Harold W. Attridge
HarperCollins Study Bible: Fully Revised Student Edition Paperback – 3 November 2006
by Harold W (Ed) Attridge (Author)
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From the Back Cover
The landmark general reference Bible that offers the full text of the New Revised Standard Version. Completely revised and updated, this new edition includes revised introductions and notes, and new diagrams, charts and maps--25% revised or new material.
More Praise for the HarperCollins Study Bible:
-I ... can speak with unbounded praise for this work. The auspices are impeccable, the sponsorship is by one of the most prestigious and effective publishing firms in the field of religious publishing, and the scholarship under the aegis of the Society of Biblical Literature, which is the only game in town, the NBA of Bible study in this country (and abroad).-David Noel Freedman, Endowed Chair in Hebrew Biblical Studies, University of California, San Diego; Editor-in-Chief, Anchor Bible Project
-The HarperCollins Study Bible engages some of the best of biblical scholarship for removing unnecessary obstacles in reading the Scriptures. I welcome its publication and recommend it highly.-Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, The Krister Stendahl Professor Scripture and Interpretation, Harvard University
-The HarperCollins Study Bible is the most authoritative ecumenical Bible available, the work of scholars who are at the cutting edge of their subjects. I recommend it highly.-John J. Collins, The University of Chicago
-This is the Bible I have been looking for to use in undergraduate courses. The text itself is clear and readable. The introductions are sound and precise. The footnotes are balanced, accurate and hit a good balance between the dangers of being too terse and too extended.-Harvey Cox, The Victor S. Thomas Professor of Divinity, the Divinity School, Harvard University
-An invaluable resource for teachers and students, and indeef for every thoughtful reader of the Bible.-Richard P. McBrien, Crowley-O'Brien-Walter Professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame
-I am extremely glad for the HarperCollins Study Bible....Every effort has been made to make these study notes understandable and accessible to ordinary readers. They can be trusted to provide reliable information without trying to control what should be believed.-Richard Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline
About the Author
Harold W. Attridge, Ph.D., is Dean of Yale University Divinity School and Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament. He has published many scholarly contributions to New Testament exegesis and to the study of Hellenistic Judaism and the history of the early Church. He also has served as the president of the Society of Biblical Literature.
Product details
Publisher : HarperCollins Religious US; Revised and Updated ed. edition (3 November 2006)
Language : English
Paperback : 2208 pages
4.7 out of 5 stars 1,363 ratings
Harold W. Attridge
Harold W. Attridge, Ph.D., is Dean of Yale University Divinity School and Lillian Claus Professor of New Testament. He has published many scholarly contributions to New Testament exegesis and to the study of Hellenistic Judaism and the history of the early Church. He also has served as the president of the Society of Biblical Literature.
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5.0 out of 5 stars A Vary Easy Translation to Read
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It was time for me to buy yet another Bible. Not that I needed it, as I have so many Bibles now.
There are plenty of updated notes here and the pages, over 2000 of them, are of that nice crisp “Bible paper”. The NRSV is, so I have read, one of the most accurate translations of the Bible, though some do disagree, saying that the KJV 1611 is the most accurate. I do like the KJV but due to it’s old style language used it can be a vary “wordy” translation to read. This NRSV version is clear and easy to read.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Very fine study bibleReviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2014
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An excellent study bible using the NRSV text. Full of detailed, scholarly articles of the more liberal persuasion. Useful to compare the text with the RSV. Worth purchasing, though the New Oxford Annotated Study Bible has the edge for me.
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HarperCollins Study Bible: Fully Revised & Updated
After 10 years of new archeological discoveries and changes in biblical studies, it was time for an overhaul of this classic reference work.
With the guidance of the Society of Biblical Literature, an organization of the best biblical scholars world wide, we have selected Dean of Yale Divinity School, Harold Attridge, to oversee the Study Bible's updating and revision.
Including up–to–date introductions to the Biblical books, based on the latest critical scholarship, by leading experts in the field
concise notes, clearly explaining names, dates, places, obscure terms, and other difficulties in reading the Biblical text careful analysis of the structure of Biblical books
abundant maps, tables, and charts to enable the reader to understand the context of the Bible, and to see the relationship among its parts.
In this new revised edition every introduction, essay, map, illustration and explanatory note has been reviewed and updated, and new material added. For instance,
There are newly commissioned introductory essays on
- the archaeology of ancient Israel and the New Testament world,
- the religion of ancient Israel,
- the social and historical context of each book of the Bible, and
- on Biblical interpretation.
- There are completely new introductions and notes for many of the books in the Bible, plus a full revision and updating of all others.
Being a highly ecumenical collaboration, this translation allows the texts their difficulties and acknowledges problematic passages. There are phrases that simply don't translate well, and there are other phrases that have lost their original meanings through multiple translations. Fortunately, the footnotes frequently clarify unusual phrases and sayings, repetitions, allusions, and direct references to former texts, which vividly bring out the literary aspect of the texts--an aspect that is often glossed over or ignored. It also provides introductions to the texts, discussing authorship, historical context, intended audience, and intellectual purpose.
If you want to read the Bible for your personal growth and edification, choose the version that is easiest for you to access. If you want to learn more about the structure of the texts, the historical significance, and the connotations behind the writings, this particular study Bible is, perhaps, the best choice you can make. (less)
What I was really using this Bible for, however, was the notes, of which there are quite a few (it's more like a collection of notes with a bible attached). The focus is very academic. The goal seems to be presenting the textual/literary/anthropological/cultural history of the Bible as objectively as possible, as comprehensively as possible. There's a lot we know about the Bible, but also a lot we don't know. The notes let you know when issues or points of fact are in contention, and what scholarly consensus (or majority, or plurality) exists, if any.
The focus is not theological, other than what it takes to tell the story of the text's development. This is a very good study Bible for those who want the text and its history, warts and all, without any agenda attached. As a new Christian I found it very helpful to have an authoritative source that wasn't whispering what to think in my ear the whole time. In my years-long journey to read the whole Bible I definitely read other things and I certainly favored some theological arguments over others (and I wouldn't recommend that anyone read this book alone if they're seeking to understand the Bible), but this book served as a neutral grounding for getting the text as is, for which I was continually thankful. (less)
It is a remarkably complex collection of books with some fairly simple messages: remember God and what He has done for His people--honor Him, your parents, and love your neighbor as yourself. Surely there is more, but it really does boil down to those fairly consistent aspects. Some of the stories are baffling but nearly all of them are brilliant: great food for thought for literature classes and papers. Admittedly some portions of the chronicles and apocalyptic texts are redundant, dry, and less-than-inspiring, but overall, it forms a great lesson in thoroughness and human attempts at recording the divine. Even scripture, the word of God, is translated, transcribed, and interpreted through the human lens of culture. It should not surprise believers that there are human errors and ambiguities in the text. We struggle to understand the sacred text, and through that struggle (study and prayer) we find inspiration that helps us understand, trust, and follow God more clearly. It is a beautiful thing: the word of God illuminated by the Spirit of God.
***I finished reading the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament today (Tuesday, May 24, 2016). This was my first time reading the Apocrypha--biblical writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture (due to dubious authorship or otherwise questionable content). In the Mormon faith, as recorded in Doctrine & Covenants section 91, it is asserted that the Apocrypha is "mostly translated correctly" but contains "many interpolations by the hands of man" that are not true. Nevertheless, if read in good faith then the Spirit may enlighten and edify the reader of its contents. With this in mind, I attempted to study this collection of mainly first century stories that position themselves alongside other Biblical narratives and time periods with some strange and odd stories as well as some proverbial wisdom and profound insights.
I will share one part I particularly enjoyed. In 1 Esdras 3-4, there is a debate/competition among the three bodyguards of King Darius (who ruled the Persian Empire from 522-486 BC). The winner of this competition, Zerubbabel, was granted permission to rebuild the temple (Solomon's Temple was completely destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC and the Israelites were still in captivity at the time of the competition). The competition asked what the strongest force in the world was. While the first bodyguard made a witty case for WINE and the second bodyguard chose the more obsequious answer of THE KING, Zerubbabel wins the day by first saying that WOMEN are the strongest force in the world but then craftily working in a second answer of TRUTH (especially concerning the one true God). This story explaining how the second temple came to be built by a Jewish man in exile brings up wonderful themes about the effects of strong drink, political governance/might, the important but unheralded role of women in society, and the more familiar theme of the supremacy and omnipotence of the Hebrew God. It was an enjoyable and edifying read, and there are several lessons akin to it in the Apocrypha if you are willing to dig in and weed through some of the more mundane filler (present in virtually all forms of writing).
***I finished reading the New Testament today (Thursday, January 12, 2017). This is perhaps my seventh time reading it cover-to-cover but my first reading of a non-KJV translation (NRSV). As with the Old Testament, I enjoyed new translations of familiar scriptures. Reading the footnotes along the way (the back cover asserts that the text is 60% scriptural text and 40% commentary/footnotes), I was struck by the quantity of quotation of OT scriptures that occurs in the NT. Surely early Christianity took Judaism in a new direction that split it from its predecessor, but it firmly establishes itself on the theological and cultural foundation of Judaism (much like Islam would do half a millennium later). With respect to the gospels, their four respective primary audiences were clear:
Matthew: primarily written for Jewish sensibilities (shows Christ's fulfillment of OT scriptures)
Mark: primarily spoke to Romans (highlights the power and actions of Christ)
Luke: written by a Greek for Greeks (happiness found in pursuit of truth: stories, songs, interviews)
John: written by an eyewitness of Christ's life, ministry, and resurrection for the broadest audience (makes a very strong case for the reality of Christ and the need for exercising faith in Jesus Christ)
Some of my favorite insights from Paul's epistles:
2 Corinthians 6:4-7 Adversity and virtue were closely linked in antiquity; the latter followed from exposure and experience from the former. So in modern times, we might well adopt that attitude of learning virtue from adversity rather than succumb to complaining.
2 Corinthians 7:10 "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation, but worldly grief produces death." Guilt can crush the soul, but with faith in Christ, it can help one become better in this life and "saved" in the next.
Hebrews 2:10 and 12:2 Whereas in the KJV it reads "captain of their salvation" and "the author and finisher of our faith," in the NRSV it translates "captain" and "author" both as "pioneer." I find this very fitting and meaningful, especially to Mormons who revere pioneer ancestors with a state holiday in Utah: Pioneer Day--July 24. As a pioneer, Jesus Christ not only blazed the trail for us to follow in salvation specifically, He also set the example of pioneering more generally. In other words, we are each pioneers in our individual lives. We look to Christ for salvation, but the particulars of our journey will vary and require us to make unique decisions. These decisions ought to be informed by faith, but the path is not entirely "set in stone." We walk by faith and pioneer the path as Christ did before us.
Although it took me a long time (28.5 months), it was a great experience to read the Bible from cover to cover with footnotes and introductory texts along the way. It can be a challenging book for its length, diversity, and repetition, but it has moments of pure clarity and profound beauty that makes it worthy of being considered a classic, widely read text of the western canon as well as an obvious choice for anyone who takes up the mantle of discipleship and wishes to wrestle with the scripture and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. I love the Bible, and I enjoy reading, pondering, and discussing its ambitious scope and literary richness. (less)
I finished reading the NT last night from this Study Bible. With the help of my "8 Translations" book, I feel like I have learned a TON about the NT after reading it in this book. The notes are very helpful, and the introductory essays are quite good, although I prefer Raymond Brown's essays on each NT in his "Introduction to the New Testament." The level of skepticism about the authenticity of the NT books from the authors of the introductions in the Study Bible varied quite a ...more
Disclosure: I am not religious whatsoever (atheist-under-weak-ass-agnostic-label) and consider myself a liberal (with some progressive leanings). (less)
I find this version of the Bible is clearly my preferred translation and this, set alongside a good series of textual and historical analysis articles, makes it even better. What I really like about this volume though is that it is on Kindle
Format issues: The typeface is light and difficult to read. I don't know if it comes in better binding, but the hardcover format I used was not as comfortable and attractive as most leather Bibles.
Content: The notes are less extensive than some other study Bibles (for example, NIV Study Bible) and are mostly just annotations. The contributors have all decided against the validity of much of what the Bible reports and advocates. They are far too critical, and as a result the usefulness of this book is diminished. Unlike, say the NIV Study Bible or the Reformation Study Bible, the HarperCollins Bible would not be very helpful for personal devotionals, small group studies, etc. It spills too much ink trying to show how the Bible isn't really accurate and trustworthy before the user can start trying to make application to their life. Highly skeptical Biblical criticism has its place, but for a study Bible it seriously handicaps the work. (less)
It is heavy. Would be nice if these could be bound with 2-5 ribbon markers, but of course they are not.
I have not read them all (too many!) but I have picked this book up time and again for various reasons and there is some captivating stuff in there! Check it out.
FYI, the NRSV is the academically accepted version of the Bible and it's written in a very readable fashion. (less)
OT moral teachings = -2 stars
Presence of Leviticus alone = -1 star
Angry, vengeful OT God = -3 stars
OT laughing at drunk prophets = +2 stars
Kind, loving NT God = +4 stars
Paul's rants = -1 star
The Gospel of John = +2 stars
Good study bible edition = +1 star (less)