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Monday, 9 August 2010

SDA Study Bible

Recently we've seen the launch of the awful ESV Study Bible, two competing Lutheran Study Bibles - a half-decent one based on the NRSV (from Fortress Press) and another stuffed full of half-baked nonsense accompanying the ESV text (from Concordia.) This year its the turn of the Seventh-day Adventists (cue in three trumpets.)

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The Andrews Study Bible is produced by the good folk at Andrews University and an "all-star cast of Adventist scholars." Should you avail yourself of this fine volume, your base text will be the NKJV. Interesting. Maybe they hadn't heard about Fred Coulter's translation... (sorry, sarcastic comment, but the devil made me do it.) Among those denominational luminaries recommending the ASB I only recognized former WCG member and SDA convert Mark Kellner's name. Here's his endorsement.

The study notes found in the Andrews Study Bible are almost certain to delight longtime scholars, serious students and even new believers. They are clear and concise, yet detailed enough to answer questions and truly enhance Bible study.
– Mark A. Kellner, News Editor, Adventist Review/Adventist World

You can also find a brief, uncritical, in-house PR feature in the Adventist Review. Anyway, if you're looking - as I'm sure you are - for a biblicist, creationist, sabbatarian study bible, and you only laugh when you see those full-page ads for Fred Coulter's The Holy Bible In Its Original Order in the BAR, well then, this is probably the one for you! And, oh glory! - it's also available on Amazon.
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5 comments:

  1. "Sea" of Galilee is just a Lake-12 August 2010 at 04:39

    What few intellectuals SDA had have long gone; they now market to the poor, ignorant, uneducated, Third World for whom English is usually a second language and for whom this study material must seem like genius level.

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  2. Richard13 August 2010 at 09:47

    So how many times do you think Ellen White's name or book titles show up in the study notes?

    I'd take a conservative guess, at 100.

    And that's one of my main concerns about SDA's. Their ministers quote Ellen White a lot more than most Sabbath-keeping COG's quote Herbert Armstrong. And then their evangelistic meetings claim to emphasize "only the Bible."

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  3. Gavin R13 August 2010 at 19:00

    Actually, based on a bit of Internet research, it seems EGW isn't mentioned even once, nor is she quoted. There is another study bible which does pander to the lady, but isn't such a big deal.

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  4. Unknown25 April 2011 at 02:37

    SDA's mention EGW because of the influence she had at the beginning of the establishment of that denomination. Even Ellen White says that if her teachings are in concurrence with the bible then we should not uphold them. Since we believe she is a prophetess called by God, we uphold the what she says about the Bible, not replace the Bible with her. If you had something good to say about a text or chapter in the Bible and I quoted what you said to someone else, would that be wrong? Just like the teachings of the SDA Church is based on the Bible front to back, so is Ellen White's writings. Of course, a lot of her writings are opinionated based on her time period, but she uses Scripture to make her point relevant. I encourage you to read some, if not all, of her writings: Steps to Christ, Child Guidance, Messages to Young People, Manuscripts, and the Conflict of the Age series. BTW, I SOOOOOO want the Andrews Study Bible!!!!!!

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  5. Leigh7 June 2011 at 02:22

    "Don't create hooks to hang your doubts on." EGW Great Controversy. A good Christian will have an open mind to the Holy Spirit and not close down simply because of the source, but search more diligent for the lesson God is trying to give. the environment we call "our life" is many times the only means the Holy Spirit has to guide us towards Christ so why would any Christian try to make that environment smaller? Why would anyone "write off" a person or a group, or a place, or a thing? It breaks my heart to see the evil one be allowed to exert his power of influence on a persons judgement after he has already been defeated.

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