New American Bible
Encyclopedia
The New American Bible is a Catholic Bible translation
first published in 1970. It had its beginnings in the Confraternity Bible
, which began to be translated from the original languages in 1948.
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).
Excerpts taken from it are used in the only Lectionary
for Mass approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
for use in the United States. Specifically the 1970 Old Testament, 1986 New Testament, and 1991 Psalter
are used. The same lectionary is approved for use in the Philippines.
The spelling of proper names found in this edition departs from the ones found in older Catholic Bible versions, such as the Douay, and instead adopts those commonly found in Protestant Bibles. The notes in many places present 20th century theories still current, for example the Q source
or different sources for the Pentateuch. Catholic scholars translated this version with collaboration from members of other Christian denominations.
, several non-traditional gender-neutral terms were incorporated.
. Some controversy ensued because of its alleged use of vertical inclusive language (God and Christ) and some uses of horizontal inclusive language ("human beings" or "they" instead of men).
and the Bishops for use in the Latin-Rite Catholic liturgy in 2000. This is the current text of the Lectionaries of the Catholic Church in the United States. The Holy See
accepted some use of inclusive language, such as where the speaker is speaking of one of unknown gender (rendering "person" in place of "man"), 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. This will replace the current modified NAB Psalter for Lectionary use in the United States.
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 was completed following publication of the instruction Liturgiam Authenticam
, issued May 7, 2001, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome. However, the US bishops' Ad Hoc Committee rejected it. 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 was undertaken using suggestions vetted by the Ad Hoc Committee and stricter conformity to the Liturgiam Authenticam.
In January 2011, it was announced that the fourth edition of the NAB would be published on March 9 of that year. To be known as the "New American Bible, revised edition" or NABRE, the fourth edition of the NAB will include the newly revised Old Testament and re-revised Psalms, and the revised New Testament from the second edition. While the NABRE represents a revision of the NAB towards conformity to Liturgiam Authenticam, there have not been any announced plans to use the NABRE for the lectionary in the United States.
Bible translations
The Bible has been translated into many languages from the biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Indeed, the full Bible has been translated into over 450 languages, although sections of the Bible have been translated into over 2,000 languages....
first published in 1970. It had its beginnings in the Confraternity Bible
Confraternity Bible
Confraternity Bible is a somewhat broad term that refers to any edition of the Catholic Bible translated under the auspices of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine between 1941 and 1969. The Confraternity Bible is known, and appreciated, for the balance it strikes between accessibility and...
, which began to be translated from the original languages in 1948.
It was specifically translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine
The Confraternity of Christian Doctrine was an association established at Rome in 1562 for the purpose of giving religious education. Its modern usage, often abbreviated CCD or C.C.D., is a religious education program of the Catholic Church, normally designed for children.-History:Until the...
under the liturgical
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
principles and reforms of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
(1962–1965).
Excerpts taken from it are used in the only Lectionary
Lectionary
A Lectionary is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christian or Judaic worship on a given day or occasion.-History:...
for Mass approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
for use in the United States. Specifically the 1970 Old Testament, 1986 New Testament, and 1991 Psalter
Psalter
A psalter is a volume containing the Book of Psalms, often with other devotional material bound in as well, such as a liturgical calendar and litany of the Saints. Until the later medieval emergence of the book of hours, psalters were the books most widely owned by wealthy lay persons and were...
are used. The same lectionary is approved for use in the Philippines.
First Edition
The text of the first edition of the New American Bible is composed of:- The New Testament directly translated from Greek, appearing in portions from 1964 and completed in 1970.
- The Old Testament (except Genesis): the Confraternity Bible text translated in stages between 1952 and 1969 from the original languages, with minor revisions to the text and notes in 1970.
- Genesis newly translated from the Hebrew in 1970, replacing the 1948 translation.
The spelling of proper names found in this edition departs from the ones found in older Catholic Bible versions, such as the Douay, and instead adopts those commonly found in Protestant Bibles. The notes in many places present 20th century theories still current, for example the Q source
Q source
The Q source is a hypothetical written source for the Gospel of Matthew and Gospel of Luke. Q is defined as the "common" material found in Matthew and Luke but not in the Gospel of Mark...
or different sources for the Pentateuch. Catholic scholars translated this version with collaboration from members of other Christian denominations.
Second Edition
In the 1986 second version a tradeoff was made: while traditional phraseology - absent from the 1970 edition - was restored to the New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, several non-traditional gender-neutral terms were incorporated.
Third Edition
In 1991 it was again amended to create more inclusive language in the PsalmsPsalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
. Some controversy ensued because of its alleged use of vertical inclusive language (God and Christ) and some uses of horizontal inclusive language ("human beings" or "they" instead of men).
Fourth Edition - NABRE
In 1994, work began on a revision of the Old Testament. However, since the 1991 Psalms were rejected for liturgical use, the text was modified by a committee of the Holy SeeHoly See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and the Bishops for use in the Latin-Rite Catholic liturgy in 2000. This is the current text of the Lectionaries of the Catholic Church in the United States. The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
accepted some use of inclusive language, such as where the speaker is speaking of one of unknown gender (rendering "person" in place of "man"), 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
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
and is currently awaiting Vatican approval. This will replace the current modified NAB Psalter for Lectionary use in the United States.
In 2002, the Old Testament (excluding the Psalms) was completed and sent to the Ad Hoc
Ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
Committee to see if it was a suitable Catholic translation.
In June 2003, a re-revision of the Psalms was completed following publication of the instruction Liturgiam Authenticam
Liturgiam Authenticam
Liturgiam Authenticam is an instruction of the Holy See, dated 28 March 2001, that included the requirement that, in translations of the liturgical texts from the official Latin originals, "the original text, insofar as possible, must be translated integrally and in the most exact manner, without...
, issued May 7, 2001, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome. However, the US bishops' Ad Hoc Committee rejected it. 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 was undertaken using suggestions vetted by the Ad Hoc Committee and stricter conformity to the Liturgiam Authenticam.
In January 2011, it was announced that the fourth edition of the NAB would be published on March 9 of that year. To be known as the "New American Bible, revised edition" or NABRE, the fourth edition of the NAB will include the newly revised Old Testament and re-revised Psalms, and the revised New Testament from the second edition. While the NABRE represents a revision of the NAB towards conformity to Liturgiam Authenticam, there have not been any announced plans to use the NABRE for the lectionary in the United States.
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
- Fireside Catholic Publishing: Fireside Catholic Youth Bible