wfn.org | Re: United Methodist Daily News note 27

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (278
notes).

Note 277 by UMNS on Aug. 21, 1997 at 15:40 Eastern (2287 characters).

TEXT: 'New Interpreter's Bible' Half Completed
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                    465(10-21-71B){277}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470           August 21, 1997

Twelve-volume 'New Interpreter's
Bible' project half completed

     NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- With more than 165,500 copies
already printed, and the September release of the sixth of 12
volumes, The New Interpreter's Bible (NIB) project has reached the
half-way mark.
     The project was launched by the United Methodist Publishing
House here in 1990.  The first volume was released in 1994.
     The NIB replaces The Interpreter's Bible that sold 3 million
copies and stood as the top Bible commentary for 40 years.
     The new project includes the work of 97 authors from 21
Christian communions.  Seventeen writers were Roman Catholic, 16
United Methodist, 15 Presbyterian.  Six authors represent British
communions: three from the Church of England; two, Methodist; and
one Baptist.
     The diverse roster of writers includes 21 women, six African
Americans, five Hispanic Americans, one Native American and three
Asian Americans.
     Each volume contains general articles, the New International
Version of the Scripture, the New Revised Standard Version,
"Commentary" on the Scripture and "Reflections" on the Scripture.
     The Rev. Leander Keck, a professor at Yale Divinity School
and convener of the 11-member NIB editorial board, said the
"Commentary" is the "discipline interrogation of the text," while
the "Reflections" provide "the opportunity for the text to talk
back."  To pin down the historical meaning of the text and apply
the text to everyday life, the NIB uses the same author for both
commentary and reflection.
     In a review for Christian Century magazine, Presbyterian
pastor Patrick Willson of Fort Worth, Texas, wrote, "The editors
and contributors of the NIB have made a particularly strong and
brave attempt to interpret scriptures for our time.  The initial
offerings suggest that the NIB is the commentary preachers and
teachers need for years ahead."
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