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by Robert H. Smith
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Augsburg Fortress Publishers (1989-06)
ISBN: 0806688548
EAN: 9780806688541
Dewy Decimal #: 226.207
Paperback: 351 pages
SKU: 121608011
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...minor edge wear on cover
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by Ken Ham
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Master Books (1987-07)
ISBN: 0890511586
EAN: 9780890511589
Dewy Decimal #: 220
Paperback: 168 pages
SKU: 042508058
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...some slight shelf wear....
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
An eye-opening look at the harmful effects of evolutionary thought on modern culture and religion. Author Ken Ham uses his years of teaching and ministry experience to expose false teaching that is destroying children and families.
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Customer Reviews
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Questioning fact?
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-10-02
2 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
I was under the impression that evolution was a fact that couldn't be questioned. Boy, was I wrong. I have come to the conclusion now that it takes more faith to accept evolution than it does to accept creation! I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wishes to see that another realistic opinion actually exists.
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An astute obserbation into the cause of our social and spiritual ills
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-04-03
3 out of 6 customers found this reveiw helpful
While the scientific substance for the theory of evolution is lacking in all necessary areas, and while the physical evidence for the historical accuracy of the Genesis narrative continues to amount, many Christians still refuse to accept a literal interpretation of the First Book of Moses, particularly concerning the first few chapters. It seems likely that one reason for this is a lack of realisation on how significant an affect our understanding of human origins makes upon our general worldview. Thus, Ken Ham has attempted to challenge this philosophical apathy in `The Lie: Evolution'. Using the decadence of the modern world, he proposes that the bases for the ethical anarchy we observe is primarily due to a lack of correct foundations, rather than blatant pure wickedness. As the great majority are under the illusion that we are nothing more than mutated chemicals, these individuals perceive no reason to behave in a moral fashion; or rather, see no prevention to challenging moral absolutes regarding such topics as homosexuality, euthanasia and abortion. Furthermore, without Genesis as the foundation to our understanding of human history, the vitality of Christ and Redemption is rendered null; without a conception of sin, no-one will seek a Redeemer. Exposing the religiosity of Darwinian descent, Ham advocates the importance of realising that we are start from a particular worldview; something that affects the rest of our thinking.
Like most Creationist literature, it is composed within the evangelical Protestant tradition. The social evils of common-ancestory evolution are clearly described, as is the resulting collapse of Christian civilisation; insightful and practical observations. The one critique I would offer is that Ken Ham overwhelms the theory of evolution as the singular cause of the world's spiritual deprivation, rather than viewing it as an anti-Christian leap, in a tradition commencing at the `Enlightenment'.
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Weak attempt at defending creationism
Rating  (1)
Date: 2008-01-10
11 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
I'm a Christian and I still thought he did a horrible job defending creationism. The book had very few scientific statements and came off more emotional than logical. In my opinion, it seemed like his whole argument kept coming back to a "...because God said so..." type response. He discredits ALL science that cannot reproduced in a lab. This guy would get shredded in a debate.
He goes on to say that Evolution is a religion and is the reason for the decay in society. I'm sorry, but the "decay" began way before Darwin was even born. To me, he comes off as an angry man shouting from his soap box casting judgement on non-believers. He's misdirecting the cause for sinful behavior on Evolution. I'm not saying Evolution is right, but this not the right book if you're looking for answers.
I applaud his passion, but I believe he lacks focus as well as legitimate arguments disproving Evolution. I feel this book is irresponsible and should not be added to anyone's library. If I was not already a Christian, this book would push me in the opposite direction. This book was a reach at best.
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worth the money
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-11-23
5 out of 12 customers found this reveiw helpful
Well written and easy to read book by Ken Ham. I highly recommend for people of any worldview. Excellent for ages highschool, college, and beyond. Remember, don't just search for something to believe in, search for the truth.
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A Study in Fallacious Reasoning
Rating (1)
Date: 2007-08-17
38 out of 47 customers found this reveiw helpful
Let me make one thing clear, to begin: I am a Christian, I believe in the divinity of Christ, the reality of the Gospel, and the authority of scripture--and also that God created the universe.
For that reason, I gave Ham's book as objective a treatment as I could, coming to it with an open mind, and a willingness to find not the problems in his argument but to discover what he could teach me as a thinking believer. In other words, I intentionally read the book with an "I'm going to assume he's right unless he proves himself wrong" sort of mentality.
What I found in Ham's book was not a logical argument but rather something I'm seriously considering using in writing classes I teach at a Christian university as an example of fallacious logic--of what NOT to do when trying to make an argument from a Christian perspective.
A number of his fallacies are pointed out in other reviews, here are several that seemed significant to me:
1. He seems to willfully mis-characterize both the Bible and science. Primarily, he attributes to a present-day consensus about evolutionary theory a number of ideas that present-day scientists rejected as false long ago, and that have been roundly critiqued as destructive lies by the very liberal academic community (both in the humanities and sciences) he descries, such as social Darwinism. Present-day scientists do not accept Darwin's theories wholesale, and haven't for a very long time. By thus mischaracterizing the nature and ideas of his opposition, he creates a clear "straw man" argument, setting up not the real arguments used by present-day scientists, but rather the ideas that he can knock down most easily.
The largest fallacy of all in this vein is the assumption that science itself purports of "prove" anything at all. I have a number of friends who are scientists, some at Christian universities. Each of them would immediately correct a student who says he/she says that an experiment has "proven" a theory as "true," when, in fact, what they have done is observed a phenomenon that has acted in a manner consistent with a hypothesis: nothing more, nothing less. This isn't the same thing as religious belief.
2. Ham argues that evolutionary theory is essentially the "root of all evil" in modern society, responsible for things like homosexuality, abortion, and the rest of the usual litany of social ills. He fails to address, however, the fact that all these things existed in significant ways well before Darwin published his theories, and existed even in a medieval and renaissance western Europe that was an entirely Christian society in which the idea of young-earth creation was accepted as a matter of course. Perhaps there is a counterargument to this--but the point is that Ham doesn't make it.
3. Ham also fails to answer the potential counterargument of why science actually seems to work under many other circumstances. He argues, essentially, that all science is theory, that all theory is "tainted" by belief and bias, and that if science is theory, then it must uncertain; and if it's uncertain, it can't really explain anything. The problem is, it does explain a lot of things: if you take medication for a physical condition and it works, you're acting on the kind of science Ham descries: the medication was generated using empirical research, which noticed how certain chemicals acted on the body, and explained that interaction sufficiently well to create a medication that, say, demonstrably dries up your sinuses when you're sniffly. If science is nothing but spurious belief, why does science clearly explain many things? And if Ham's critique of science is true, why does he not also critique, say, the law of gravity as just as big a religious myth as evolution?
In a way, he's actually right: if you read up on the philosophy of science, you'll find that even scientists don't believe they can prove that the law of gravity is an eternal constant, that it will keep operating as it has forever. Why? Because science deals with observable phenomena, and the future isn't there to be observed. All science can prove is that the law of gravity has acted in a consistent manner in the past. However, if we take Ham's argument to heart, then we should be nailing down or furniture, because if science can't prove that it will continue to act as it does, then the idea that gravity will continue to act as it has is nothing but a spurious religious belief. In other words, if Ham's argument is true, then ALL science is nothing but empty religious belief, including all the scientific concepts that you take for granted on a daily basis--the concepts that theorize why airplanes fly, how light and electricity are transmitted, how the mechanism of your watch works.
4. The biggest problem, for me, was that a huge part of his argument really seemed to be missing: Ham argues, as I've mentioned, that because our knowledge of science isn't absolute, it can't explain anything with complete surety. If that's the case, Ham says, then science really doesn't teach us anything. However, he argues, we can know about the Bible because if we start with the idea that God is supreme and all-knowing, then his word, i.e. the Bible, must be true. But here's the question he doesn't answer: HOW DO WE KNOW THAT OUR KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE IS COMPLETE? We are, as Ham acknowledges, a fallen species, our understanding both the world and God is tainted by our own sinfulness. If that's the case, can we really afford to think that our understanding of scripture isn't equally tainted by our fallenness? I'm not saying, here, that God isn't all-knowing and the scripture doesn't contain the Truth with a capital-T; I'm saying that if we are a fallen people, we can't trust our own understanding of anything, that includes science, but it also includes God and the scriptures. The reason this is a problem is that it shows that Ham actually commits the very sin he thinks is at the root of all contemporary social evil: he assumes that his understanding of the Bible and of God are absolute, assumes that, when we read the Bible, a perfect knowledge of God is beamed into our hearts, untainted by our own fallen, human understanding. This is important because what he does, here, is to literally LEAN ON HIS OWN UNDERSTANDING. That, my friends, is a stance that Ham himself has a word for: Humanism. For that reason, I would submit that Ham is the ultimate hypocrite, because he proves himself, ultimately, to be the very kind of humanist he so abhors.
To those who are inclined not to believe me in any of this, my response is "GREAT! Don't believe me! Do some reading from the real sources and judge for yourself!" Read recent work that's coming out from actual scientists in the fields of geology or biology: what are the questions they're really asking these days? How are they going about looking for answers? What do they say their research is really telling them? What do real, pious scholars of the scriptures have to say about Genesis? What has been said and thought about Genesis in the Christian tradition?
If you'd like a really accessible overview of all this, allow me to recommend a different book, which I'm sure is available here on Amazon: Roger Olson's _The Mosaic of Christian Belief_. Olson is a respected scholar of Christian theology at Baylor University--and is very orthodox in his belief. I'm not going to review the book here, but only issue this challenge: after you've read both books, ask yourself which seems the more logical? Which writer seems to be working from accurate historical knowledge? Which writer seems to write from a position of real humility and generosity toward his fellow believers, including the ones with whom he disagrees? Which seems the more informed? Which seems to be writing more out of a sense of Christ's commandments to love God and neighbor than our of a sense of simply accusing the "other guy" of being the source of all the world's evil? Which one seems to be building up rather than tearing down? Which writer evinces more real hope and joy? Which demonstrates the fruits of the spirit and the spirit of the beatitudes more clearly? What are the potential fruits of Ham's view of the scriptures and the world as opposed to Olsen's?
Blessings to all.The Mosaic of Christian Beliefs: Twenty Centuries of Unity & Diversity
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Product Group: Book
Publisher: Living Stream Ministry (1994-01)
ISBN: 1575933942
EAN: 9781575933948
Dewy Decimal #: 220
Paperback: 1346 pages
SKU: 071708039
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...the book was stored and the cover has a minor crease. otherwise the book is clean, tight and very good shape. nice small, convenitnet for purse, etc.
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Customer Reviews
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Best study Bible, hands down
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-07-18
50 out of 51 customers found this reveiw helpful
The Recovery Version (RcV) is usually published as a composition of four distinct items: the RcV Bible translation; the RcV Bible footnotes; RcV Bible outlines; and RcV Bible cross-references. Different editions of the RcV include various combos of each of these items, sometimes New Testament only, and sometimes the whole Bible. I will comment separately on each of these components, referring mainly to the New Testament editions.
BIBLE TEXT TRANSLATION
I read the Bible in five languages (including Hebrew and Greek), and this is definitely one of the best translations out there. In fact, although I personally prefer translations based on the Byzantine/Majority Text (for which I highly recommend Jay Green's Literal Translation of the Bible and the New King James Version), the Recovery Version is the best Critical Text (Nestle Aland) translation with which I am personally familiar. The RcV doesn't follow the dynamic equivalence philosophy, which I personally cannot stand (NIV, TNIV, CEV, and so on--note: the NIV was my first Bible, and after five years of careful reading and marking up, I finally had to drop it, especially after I learnt Hebrew and Greek myself); it is solidly in the literal translation camp, and is written in very clear English. In my opinion, it most stands out above other translations in the following two of its translation principles:
* Its treatment of Greek prepositions is the best I've seen in any English translation, such as eis (into/unto) and para (from/with), bringing out the fine riches usually accessible only to a Greek reader.
* Its careful and faithful treatment of words referring to the parts of man is unparalleled: psyche (soul/soul-life); sarx (flesh); pneuma (spirit); neshema (breath); ruah (wind/air/spirit/breath). This translation makes crystal clear the Biblical distinctions in the three parts of man--spirit, soul, and body--and presents the flesh in both its good and bad aspects, as the Greek and Hebrew clearly do; thus the English reader can see for themselves the full range of Biblical usage of these critical words. For example, compare the translations of Heb 4:12; 1Th 5:23; 1Co 2:14; 2Pe 1:4 with other Bible versions.
FOOTNOTES
Although the RcV is in itself an excellent translation, by far the most outstanding feature of this edition is the footnotes. These range in length and scope from one-line grammatical notes to two-page theological essays. Although I am not a theologian, my personal studies of theology and history fully affirm for me the RcV's claim to be a "crystallisation of the understanding of the divine revelation which the saints have attained to in the past 2000 years." I have met for many years in Christian circles as diverse as the emotional, experiential Pentecostals to the rationalistical, theological Calvinists, and the RcV footnotes spans them all. It focuses on experiencing Christ as life in the Bible, but it solidly grounds the key Scriptural doctrines. It affirms all Biblical truths (e.g., BOTH predestination and free will; and BOTH that tongues still exist as a genuine gift and that tongues are the least of all the gifts, certainly not for everyone). It has intimate and tender notes that just cause your heart to soar in love for Christ (for example, see Mat 26:8n1; 1Co 2:9n3; Heb 12:2n2), and detailed, thick theological expositions that span the entire Bible on key items (for example, see 1Jn 1:6n6 [truth/reality] and 2Co 13:14n1 on the classic doxology).
One of the aspects in which the RcV notes never cease to amaze me is in how intricately they use the Bible itself as the basis for interpreting the Bible. An excellent example is in how the footnotes on John 3:14-16 completely expand and enlarge on the classic verse John 3:16. You thought you knew everything about that verse until the RcV interprets it in the context of the verses immediately surrounding it, in the context of the chapter, of the book, and of the entire Bible.
I own many Bible commentaries, including three that focus specifically on Bible difficulties or hard questions, and the RcV trumps them all. I only used to refer to them occasionally, but now I refer to the RcV daily, as it sheds light on passages both apparently simple and hard. Of course, no Bible commentary will answer every question you have, but the RcV answers far more than any other one I own. And its interpretations are particularly compelling, because of its principle of using the Bible itself to interpret the Bible, rather than man's clever imagination; thus the footnotes usually refer extensively to other Bible verses.
OUTLINES AND CROSS-REFERENCES
Although the footnotes are the most outstanding feature, the Bible outlines and cross-references contain amazing light. In every other Bible I've had, I've learned to skip the outline headers as I read, since they didn't add much other than helping me quickly find the verse I'm looking for. However, the RcV outlines contain amazing revelation. For example, I can never forget the first time I read through the outline of the Gospel of John, and saw that Jesus Christ, the God-Saviour, is Life Himself. Life is not a thing; Life is a living person who has come to meet the needs of every man, meeting us in every situation.
I usually read the electronic version of the RcV (available directly from the publisher, Living Stream Ministry), and the cross-references have made me click-happy, clicking from one reference to another. I used to own a Thompson Chain Reference Bible, which was the best cross-reference Bible I had known priorly. However, I eventually gave it away when I realized that I just wasn't using it anymore. The RcV cross-references reference more or less the same key verses, and even more, linking not only literal co-references, but linking verses based on those that convey the same revelation. The footnotes are also heavily referenced with related Bible verses that shed further light on the verse at hand.
CONCLUSION
I could say a lot more in praise of this study Bible (I've read the whole New Testament with all the notes, and should finish the Old Testament with notes in about a month), but I think this suffices. I heard that DL Moody said something to the effect that if he were stuck on a desert island, as long as he had a Bible and CH Macintosh's Notes on the Pentateuch, he would be a happy camper. Well, if all you had today was a copy of the Recovery Version with footnotes, you would have the Bible plus a devotional and theological library in your hands. I repeatedly thank God for giving the Body of Christ such a gift, and for placing it in my hands.
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A Bible that does not Water Down the Truth
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-02-08
12 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
This bible has been handsdown the greatest help to my Christian growth. The translation is as accurate as LSM claims, and the cross references help greatly for study. The footnotes, however, are what make this bible truly unique. The notes have been accused of being unorthodox or against traditional Christian theology, but I find that an astute reader and a educated Christian find that to be false. What causes the to-do is that these notes are painfully accurate. Sometimes it is painful to acknowledge where we have gotten away from the pure Word of God, and these notes certainly don't pull any punches. Any Christian who is truly looking to practice the Christian life according to the Divine Word, and not according to human tradtion, will find great help in these footnotes.
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extremely insightful
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-01-03
7 out of 9 customers found this reveiw helpful
this is one of the few versions that has so much insight into each verse that is continuous and not detached from every other verse. it provides deep and valuable explanantions that helped me tremendously as a young believer and now as i understand a little more. it is by no means an excuse to not use your mind to engage the text and the Spirit Himself; it is simply an aid. the person who placed the poor comment below is obviously just stating their narrow and subjective experience which is usually distasteful and hardly helpful. He/she is precisely why you should buy this bible and peruse it for yourself.
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Word of righteousness
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-06-23
12 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
I would highly recommend this bible to any seeking believers. The accuracy and clarity of translation and especially the footnotes was a big help to me. For example, in reading Matthew chapter 1, I never thought that Jesus' genealogy means anything other than a historical record. However, through the footnotes I was amazed to see the significances behind these names in the genealogy. You are missing out if you haven't read that part. The footnotes really unlock the riches in the bible. I agree some of the footnotes was not easy to take but this is the word of righteousness as solid food that will cause us to mature in our Christian life.
Anyway, just taste and see that the Lord is good!
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Just read the translation...
Rating (4)
Date: 2006-05-09
9 out of 15 customers found this reveiw helpful
As a student of New Testament Greek I have been impressed by the accuracy of the translation of this Bible since I was directed to it by my professor, who happens to be Greek. He reccomended this version as a good example of how to stay true to the Greek text, but strongly cautioned us to ignore the footnotes because the person who worte them was very obviously not of the same level of expertise as the translators. After spending time with this Bible I can wholeheartedly second his opinion. I give it four stars because of the quality of the translation, but the biased and inaccurate footnotes cost it the fifth star.
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by Bruce J Malina
Product Group: Book
Publisher: John Knox Press (1981)
ISBN: 0804204233
EAN: 9780804204231
Dewy Decimal #: 225.9
Paperback: 169 pages
SKU: 052508081
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
"More than any other book, this one introduces students to another time and another place, what Karl Barth long ago called "the strange new world of the Bible".---Dennis C. Dualing, Professor of Religion Canisius College, Buffalo, New York.
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Customer Reviews
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great insights
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-11-11
For years, I have been trying to discover the cultural background of the New Testament. Malina answered a lot of my questions in very helpful ways. I enjoyed the variety of subjects that he covers, and his paragraphs comparing contemporary and first century cultures were quite helpful. The concepts he describes in the first century Mediterranean culture exist in many cultures today, which can be useful if one is involved in any cross culture work. This book made my research and teaching deeper and more interesting. I would highly recommend it to any Bible scholar. (I am a minister and seminary student.)
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Very informative and fascinating
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-09-01
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book provides great insights into the culture of 1st century Palestine and gives fascinating insights into the psychology of the individuals present in the world of the New Testament. While other books cover well the radical challenge that the teacher Jesus made to financial and political systems of the time, this book makes very clear that the revolution he really sought was one involving consciousness itself - an entire (and to some, incredibly threatening) transformation of foundational values. Very readable as well, not too academic or full of needless jargon.
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Insights into the 1st Centruy World
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-11-23
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
If you ever wanted to read the Bible and truly understand the text behind the text, then this is the book you want to read.
Malina does a wonderful job of giving us insight in to the world that is 1st Century Judea. He brings out the cultural scene of the times to aid us in the understanding of what it was like to be someone in this time period.
Malina breaks down the culture based on the 4 levels of understand. They include kinship, power, religion and economics. He discusses the impact that kinship and power had on this era and how these two items were most prevalent in terms of how people viewed each other. Kinship is broken down into blood lines, where you were born, gender issues and so forth in a way that amazes a reader when it comes to truly seeing the time. Power discusses the fine art of challenge and repose and how challenge was used to try to break down status of an individual (why do you think the Pharisees asked Jesus so many questions???? To lower his power. Funny how Jesus always wins.). Malina discusses the impact of shame and honor and how that plays a role in the family and community.
For anyone who really wants to understand the message behind the text of the Bible this is a must have volume for your library.
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Good information
Rating (4)
Date: 2006-02-09
14 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
Malina's book was written for "the beginning student of the New Testament" and he has achieved his goal, although intermediate and advanced students will benefit as well. He covers a wide range of subjects (e.g., honor and shame, group vs individual personality, social status, envy, kinship and marriage, clean and unclean) with sufficient depth to get his points across. Personally I would have preferred more in depth discussions and certainly more documentation, but perhaps that would have made a much larger book.
Malina's discussion provide insights into the broad sociocultural and psychological constructs which were operational at the time of the 1st millenium. Thus, they help us understand the customs and language of the New Testament where we might otherwise fail to grasp a critical saying or event. For example, his chapter on envy puts into perspective one of the chief motivations for the conspiracy to kill Jesus, which might otherwise not be apparent. In this same vein, his chapter on maintaining social status goes a long way toward explaining what appear to be strange greetings between Jesus and his prospective followers.
The book is not perfect. The writing style tends toward the academic, yet it lacks the true scholarly flavor some might be searching for. Perhaps this comes from the attempt to make academic material more accessible to the general public. I certainly recommend it as a supplementary text for anyone interested in understanding Jesus and his time period.
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Great, but Dry
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-01-05
4 out of 5 customers found this reveiw helpful
All in all, I've been very pleased with this purchase. The book came to me highly recommended and I wasn't disappointed. I would caution the reader though when I say that the book is more than a little dry. Also, Malina tends to rely on abstract models to make his point, which is fine, but may not work well for some. On the whole, though, the book is indispensable and will serve anyone well.
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Product Group: Book
Publisher: Living Stream Ministry (1994-01)
ISBN: 157593907X
EAN: 9781575939070
Dewy Decimal #: 220
Paperback
SKU: 042608021
Condition: Used: Good
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Customer Reviews
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Best study Bible, hands down
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-07-18
50 out of 51 customers found this reveiw helpful
The Recovery Version (RcV) is usually published as a composition of four distinct items: the RcV Bible translation; the RcV Bible footnotes; RcV Bible outlines; and RcV Bible cross-references. Different editions of the RcV include various combos of each of these items, sometimes New Testament only, and sometimes the whole Bible. I will comment separately on each of these components, referring mainly to the New Testament editions.
BIBLE TEXT TRANSLATION
I read the Bible in five languages (including Hebrew and Greek), and this is definitely one of the best translations out there. In fact, although I personally prefer translations based on the Byzantine/Majority Text (for which I highly recommend Jay Green's Literal Translation of the Bible and the New King James Version), the Recovery Version is the best Critical Text (Nestle Aland) translation with which I am personally familiar. The RcV doesn't follow the dynamic equivalence philosophy, which I personally cannot stand (NIV, TNIV, CEV, and so on--note: the NIV was my first Bible, and after five years of careful reading and marking up, I finally had to drop it, especially after I learnt Hebrew and Greek myself); it is solidly in the literal translation camp, and is written in very clear English. In my opinion, it most stands out above other translations in the following two of its translation principles:
* Its treatment of Greek prepositions is the best I've seen in any English translation, such as eis (into/unto) and para (from/with), bringing out the fine riches usually accessible only to a Greek reader.
* Its careful and faithful treatment of words referring to the parts of man is unparalleled: psyche (soul/soul-life); sarx (flesh); pneuma (spirit); neshema (breath); ruah (wind/air/spirit/breath). This translation makes crystal clear the Biblical distinctions in the three parts of man--spirit, soul, and body--and presents the flesh in both its good and bad aspects, as the Greek and Hebrew clearly do; thus the English reader can see for themselves the full range of Biblical usage of these critical words. For example, compare the translations of Heb 4:12; 1Th 5:23; 1Co 2:14; 2Pe 1:4 with other Bible versions.
FOOTNOTES
Although the RcV is in itself an excellent translation, by far the most outstanding feature of this edition is the footnotes. These range in length and scope from one-line grammatical notes to two-page theological essays. Although I am not a theologian, my personal studies of theology and history fully affirm for me the RcV's claim to be a "crystallisation of the understanding of the divine revelation which the saints have attained to in the past 2000 years." I have met for many years in Christian circles as diverse as the emotional, experiential Pentecostals to the rationalistical, theological Calvinists, and the RcV footnotes spans them all. It focuses on experiencing Christ as life in the Bible, but it solidly grounds the key Scriptural doctrines. It affirms all Biblical truths (e.g., BOTH predestination and free will; and BOTH that tongues still exist as a genuine gift and that tongues are the least of all the gifts, certainly not for everyone). It has intimate and tender notes that just cause your heart to soar in love for Christ (for example, see Mat 26:8n1; 1Co 2:9n3; Heb 12:2n2), and detailed, thick theological expositions that span the entire Bible on key items (for example, see 1Jn 1:6n6 [truth/reality] and 2Co 13:14n1 on the classic doxology).
One of the aspects in which the RcV notes never cease to amaze me is in how intricately they use the Bible itself as the basis for interpreting the Bible. An excellent example is in how the footnotes on John 3:14-16 completely expand and enlarge on the classic verse John 3:16. You thought you knew everything about that verse until the RcV interprets it in the context of the verses immediately surrounding it, in the context of the chapter, of the book, and of the entire Bible.
I own many Bible commentaries, including three that focus specifically on Bible difficulties or hard questions, and the RcV trumps them all. I only used to refer to them occasionally, but now I refer to the RcV daily, as it sheds light on passages both apparently simple and hard. Of course, no Bible commentary will answer every question you have, but the RcV answers far more than any other one I own. And its interpretations are particularly compelling, because of its principle of using the Bible itself to interpret the Bible, rather than man's clever imagination; thus the footnotes usually refer extensively to other Bible verses.
OUTLINES AND CROSS-REFERENCES
Although the footnotes are the most outstanding feature, the Bible outlines and cross-references contain amazing light. In every other Bible I've had, I've learned to skip the outline headers as I read, since they didn't add much other than helping me quickly find the verse I'm looking for. However, the RcV outlines contain amazing revelation. For example, I can never forget the first time I read through the outline of the Gospel of John, and saw that Jesus Christ, the God-Saviour, is Life Himself. Life is not a thing; Life is a living person who has come to meet the needs of every man, meeting us in every situation.
I usually read the electronic version of the RcV (available directly from the publisher, Living Stream Ministry), and the cross-references have made me click-happy, clicking from one reference to another. I used to own a Thompson Chain Reference Bible, which was the best cross-reference Bible I had known priorly. However, I eventually gave it away when I realized that I just wasn't using it anymore. The RcV cross-references reference more or less the same key verses, and even more, linking not only literal co-references, but linking verses based on those that convey the same revelation. The footnotes are also heavily referenced with related Bible verses that shed further light on the verse at hand.
CONCLUSION
I could say a lot more in praise of this study Bible (I've read the whole New Testament with all the notes, and should finish the Old Testament with notes in about a month), but I think this suffices. I heard that DL Moody said something to the effect that if he were stuck on a desert island, as long as he had a Bible and CH Macintosh's Notes on the Pentateuch, he would be a happy camper. Well, if all you had today was a copy of the Recovery Version with footnotes, you would have the Bible plus a devotional and theological library in your hands. I repeatedly thank God for giving the Body of Christ such a gift, and for placing it in my hands.
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A Bible that does not Water Down the Truth
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-02-08
12 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
This bible has been handsdown the greatest help to my Christian growth. The translation is as accurate as LSM claims, and the cross references help greatly for study. The footnotes, however, are what make this bible truly unique. The notes have been accused of being unorthodox or against traditional Christian theology, but I find that an astute reader and a educated Christian find that to be false. What causes the to-do is that these notes are painfully accurate. Sometimes it is painful to acknowledge where we have gotten away from the pure Word of God, and these notes certainly don't pull any punches. Any Christian who is truly looking to practice the Christian life according to the Divine Word, and not according to human tradtion, will find great help in these footnotes.
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extremely insightful
Rating (5)
Date: 2007-01-03
7 out of 9 customers found this reveiw helpful
this is one of the few versions that has so much insight into each verse that is continuous and not detached from every other verse. it provides deep and valuable explanantions that helped me tremendously as a young believer and now as i understand a little more. it is by no means an excuse to not use your mind to engage the text and the Spirit Himself; it is simply an aid. the person who placed the poor comment below is obviously just stating their narrow and subjective experience which is usually distasteful and hardly helpful. He/she is precisely why you should buy this bible and peruse it for yourself.
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Word of righteousness
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-06-23
12 out of 14 customers found this reveiw helpful
I would highly recommend this bible to any seeking believers. The accuracy and clarity of translation and especially the footnotes was a big help to me. For example, in reading Matthew chapter 1, I never thought that Jesus' genealogy means anything other than a historical record. However, through the footnotes I was amazed to see the significances behind these names in the genealogy. You are missing out if you haven't read that part. The footnotes really unlock the riches in the bible. I agree some of the footnotes was not easy to take but this is the word of righteousness as solid food that will cause us to mature in our Christian life.
Anyway, just taste and see that the Lord is good!
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Just read the translation...
Rating (4)
Date: 2006-05-09
9 out of 15 customers found this reveiw helpful
As a student of New Testament Greek I have been impressed by the accuracy of the translation of this Bible since I was directed to it by my professor, who happens to be Greek. He reccomended this version as a good example of how to stay true to the Greek text, but strongly cautioned us to ignore the footnotes because the person who worte them was very obviously not of the same level of expertise as the translators. After spending time with this Bible I can wholeheartedly second his opinion. I give it four stars because of the quality of the translation, but the biased and inaccurate footnotes cost it the fifth star.
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