Saint Benedict Press is a proud publisher of the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE), the first major update to the New American Bible (NAB) text in twenty years. Reflecting the work of nearly 100 scholars and extensively reviewed and approved by the USCCB, the NABRE takes into account the best current scholarship as well as the new discovery of ancient manuscripts that improve our knowledge and understanding of the Biblical text. With its extensive notes, commentary, and cross-references, the NABRE will promote a deeper love and understanding of Scripture in the home, parish and school. In addition to its wealth of study material, each Saint Benedict Press NABRE features a 3-year liturgical cycle of Sunday readings, a 2-year liturgical cycle of daily Mass readings, a listing of Popes, and a manual of favorite Catholic prayers.

Indexes nearly six thousand key words in the New American Bible, the standard Bible translation for American Catholics, presenting entries alphabetically and providing verse excerpts for each.

The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Approaches to the Hebrew Bible brings together 37 essential essays written by leading international scholars, examining crucial points of analysis within the field of feminist Hebrew Bible studies. Organized into four major areas - globalization, neoliberalism, media, and intersectionality - the essays collectively provide vibrant, relevant, and innovative contributions to the field. The topics of analysis focus heavily on gender and queer identity, with essays touching on African, Korean, and European feminist hermeneutics, womanist and interreligious readings, ecofeminist and animal biblical studies, migration biblical studies, the role of gender binary voices in evangelical-egalitarian approaches, and the examination of scripture in light of trans women's voices. The volume also includes essays examining the Old Testament as recited in music, literature, film, and video games. The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Approaches to the Hebrew Bible charts a culturally, hermeneutically, and exegetically cutting-edge path for the ongoing development of biblical studies grounded in feminist, womanist, gender, and queer perspectives.

Assemblies recognize the difference between a lector who simply reads and one who truly proclaims the Word of God. They perk up and take special notice when they sense that the lector has worked to get inside the text, to express the meaning authentically, and to draw them into the story. Douglas Leal has spent decades as a lector, lector trainer, actor, and director. He knows how to coach lectors beyond reading so they can become proclaimers of the Word. The conversational, spirited style of the book recreates the sense of a live training session with the author. In a magazine format, with running text surrounded by boxes that focus on a particular subjects and techniques, a tool from the actor’s toolbox, or an encouraging story from the world of acting, the book presents a wealth of wisdom and practical instruction that can carry a lector far beyond basic training. Chapter by chapter, Leal guides lectors to Understand their role as sacred storytellers Learn how to study the text closely: understand its style; notice its literary devices; consider its context in the Bible, the liturgical year, and the lectionary; use Scripture resources to arrive at its meaning; practice the text; and pray it Work with their voice: articulation, tempo, rhythm, pauses, volume, and inflection Develop comfort with nonverbal skills: eye contact, posture, and facial expression Choose an intention appropriate to the text and responsive to the needs of the community Understanding and expressing the true emotional content of the text Staying focused on the text, cultivating authenticity and humility, and seeking feedback Overcoming nervousness, mistakes, colds, and other unexpected problems Developing a plan for practice and preparation

Open the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible and feel at home with the Word of God. Through accessibly written information and engaging visuals that highlight and clarify significant areas of Scripture, readers will easily gain an understanding of these ancient texts that can be carried into today's world. Using the authorized translation in the New American Bible Revised Edition, this lasting volume is ideal for both personal use and group Bible study. The valuable information in the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible is offered in small notes and inserts that accompany the Bible texts as well as in expanded essays, articles, and graphics. Key symbols help readers quickly identify the type of information they need, such as explanations, definitions, dates, character and author profiles, archaeological insights, personal prayer starters, and insights connecting Scripture and its use in today's church. Colorful maps, timelines, photographs, and charts further enhance the study experience. Longer articles are dedicated to explaining study Bible fundamentals, the Catholic Church's use of the Bible, and the people and places of the biblical world. General Editor: Catherine Upchurch serves as the director of Little Rock Scripture Study. Her work in adult faith formation involves writing, editing, lecturing, leading retreats and days of reflection. She is the editor of A Year of Sundays and an associate editor of The Bible Today, a journal of biblical spirituality. Old Testament Editor: Irene Nowell, OSB, is a Benedictine of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas. She is an adjunct professor at St. John's University School of Theology, has published two books and numerous articles, and is a past president of the Catholic Biblical Association. She is also a member of the Committee on Illuminations and Texts for The Saint John's Bible. New Testament Editor: Ronald D. Witherup, SS, is Superior General of the Sulpicians and lives in Paris, France. He holds a doctorate in biblical studies and is the author of numerous books and articles on Scripture. His current interest is in the letters of Saint Paul and the Acts of the Apostles.

World-renowned scholar Michael Gorman presents a straightforward approach to the complex task of biblical exegesis. This third edition of Gorman's widely used and trusted textbook (over 60,000 copies sold) has been thoroughly updated and revised to reflect developments in the academy and the classroom over the past decade. The new edition explains recent developments in theological interpretation and explores missional and non-Western readings of the biblical text. Adaptable for students in various settings, it includes clear explanations, practical hints, suggested exercises, and sample papers.

Did Abraham bring Genesis-like stories to Canaan that Moses uses in the Torah? Did Abraham Avenge the killing of Lots father Haren? Genesis tells us Terah became the father of Abram, in Ur of the Chaldeans; while history shows Abraham was born in 2000 BC into the worlds most advanced civilization, the 3rd Dynasty of Ur. When God tells Abraham go forth to a land that I will show you he was probably going to go there anyway as part of a mass migration of Semites into the Levant that will take them one day to Egypt as part of the Hyksos invasion. It is probable that Abraham brought many ancient stories of Sumer and Akkad that influenced stories in Genesis. And, if we are to believe Josephus, Abraham was an astronomer and a warrior, hardly the nomadic sheepherder we see pictured in religious art. David Snyder is a new author taking a new approach to the study of Abraham. By researching the time and place that Abraham lived he found an incredible amount of extant documents available to give a realistic view of the geopolitical world that motivated Abrahams family and influenced the growth of monotheism. Along the way, he discovered and enhanced his own understanding of Christianity.

A fascinating insight into the chronology of the people, places, and events in the Bible. The rich history of the Bible is captured by the use of timelines, maps, images, and diagrams that chart the earliest origins of the text to the present day. Along with scholarly commentary on the Bible and its myriad translations, Timeline of the Bible includes five foldout wall charts that reveal the chronology of the people, places, and events that shaped the early days of Christianity. Full-color photographs and detailed discussion of the origins, key figures, and authors make this a valuable addition to the library of anyone with an interest in learning more about how the Bible came to be the most important book in history.

This handbook provides a comprehensive guide to methods, terms, and concepts used by biblical interpreters. It offers students and non-specialists an accessible resource for understanding the complex vocabulary that accompanies serious biblical studies. Articles, arranged alphabetically, explain terminology associated with reading the Bible as literature, clarify the various methods Bible scholars use to study biblical texts, and illuminate how different interpretive approaches can contribute to our understanding. Article references and topical bibliographies point readers to resources for further study. This handbook, now updated and revised to be even more useful for students, was previously published as Interpreting the Bible: A Handbook of Terms and Methods. It is a suitable complement to any standard hermeneutics textbook.

All year long the prophets speak to us at Mass, often beginning their message with “Thus says the Lord.” They thunder. They comfort. They scold. They encourage. They sometimes speak in beautiful poetry, often sounding urgent, sometimes sounding strange. Their purpose was to reveal to the people what God expected, and now, over two and a half millennia later, they are still fulfilling that purpose. Although we can usually catch connections between the readings from the Old Testament prophets and the readings of the New Testament, most of us don’t know much about the actual situations the prophets were responding to when they wrote, or what it was like to be a prophet in the ancient world. Old Testament scholar Richard J. Clifford sj has written this book to help us understand the prophets and so draw more meaning from their words in the liturgy. He begins with what we hear at Mass—with the way the lectionary presents the prophets to us now, in contrast to the way they were heard (seldomly) before the Second Vatican Council. The author explains how we can best interpret the prophets—in their own context and within the Christian tradition. Professor Clifford takes us into the ancient near east to explain the calling of the prophet. He introduces us to those who prefigured the prophets, such as Abraham and Moses, then to those we know from the many stories about them—Elijah and Elisha. He moves on to the many prophets who wrote as well as preached (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Baruch, Amos, and so forth), and then he zooms in on Isaiah, the prophet we hear from most often in the liturgy. In this survey, the author explains what is known about each prophet and the situation in which he worked, then discusses how the text associated with him is structured, its distinguishing features, and what parts of it appear in the lectionary. Finally, we learn how the prophets communicated effectively in their oral society, how they understood their mission, and how they understood God's purpose. This brief but deep and sympathetic introduction to the prophets will help readers proclaim the prophets’ words with more empathy and understanding. It will fascinate Bible study and Scripture sharing groups, and it will help interested assembly members appreciate more fully the meaning of the prophets’ messages—for their audience and for us.