The British and Foreign Bible Society are out with what they bill as "The Poverty and Justice Bible."
Using the Contemporary English Version, the editors of this special volume include a mid-section commentary on poverty and justice and their place in the text of scripture, both Hebrew and Christian. However, the stunning feature of this edition is that every passage dealing with poverty and justice is marked in bright, what should be called "inescapable orange!"
Care to guess how many verses come up orange?
Over 2,100!
Here's an excerpt from the "First Word" introduction positioned in the middle of the volume:
Not long ago, a Christian leader bumped into the inventor of one of those popular courses that introduce people to the Christan faith. They had literally collided while cycling by the beach!
"So what's your course about, then?" asked the Christian leader.
"Oh, its about the basics of the Christian faith, that's what it's about," came the reply.
"So you mean things like care for the poor, the sick, those infected with HIV/AIDS and the rejected of our world? Those kinds of things?"
"No, no," came the reply. "Not those, just the basics."
But how can the issues of poverty and justice be left out of "the basics" if they are so deeply enshrined in the Bible's pages? It's a question you might like to discuss with your friends or church. And turning the pages of The Poverty and Justice Bible will help you find the answer.
Why not order you a copy or several to share with others today? Visit the Amazon.com link to the right and below to benefit Central Dallas Ministries.
.
Using the Contemporary English Version, the editors of this special volume include a mid-section commentary on poverty and justice and their place in the text of scripture, both Hebrew and Christian. However, the stunning feature of this edition is that every passage dealing with poverty and justice is marked in bright, what should be called "inescapable orange!"
Care to guess how many verses come up orange?
Over 2,100!
Here's an excerpt from the "First Word" introduction positioned in the middle of the volume:
Not long ago, a Christian leader bumped into the inventor of one of those popular courses that introduce people to the Christan faith. They had literally collided while cycling by the beach!
"So what's your course about, then?" asked the Christian leader.
"Oh, its about the basics of the Christian faith, that's what it's about," came the reply.
"So you mean things like care for the poor, the sick, those infected with HIV/AIDS and the rejected of our world? Those kinds of things?"
"No, no," came the reply. "Not those, just the basics."
But how can the issues of poverty and justice be left out of "the basics" if they are so deeply enshrined in the Bible's pages? It's a question you might like to discuss with your friends or church. And turning the pages of The Poverty and Justice Bible will help you find the answer.
Why not order you a copy or several to share with others today? Visit the Amazon.com link to the right and below to benefit Central Dallas Ministries.
.
3 comments:
Others have highlighted different specific aspects of the Bible. Why not justice and poverty, which are so central? What a great concept!
I'd like to point out to those who give short shrift to justice and poverty, but are fully engaged in attacking abortion rights and gay marriage. Simply on a word count basis, how is this bibical?
I like to ask Christians if they've ever failed to pick up a hitchhiker. 100% have said yes. Then I ask what is the scriptual basis for passing them by. You sure can't answer by quoting Jesus.
WOW...Imagine having a bible that highlights what Jesus seems to have highlighted. I am very encouraged by this publication. I had given up on Christianity in my youth, because it seemed that what Jesus said, and what was focused on in solid churches were not that similar. But wasn't He the main man? I can't wait to see how the red letters are handled...as many of what were red in my earlier bible are sure to be orange in this one.
Jeff...You are right to point out the shortcomings of Christians. But it is interesting that you use the Phrase "abortion RIGHTS" and then "Gay MARRIAGE"
I think that many of the mistakes made by Christians over the years have been derivatives of their pursuit of rights, and public standing, and comfort in their pet areas of interest. Your mentioning those reminds us that we humans of every philosophical path look for things like significance. Yet we want an easy path to it, rather than taking the harsh truth of reality, and dealing with it.
Therefore we want to call it a right that a woman can still a beating heart within her, ignoring the inherent right of that heart to beat, just as we have ignored the words of Jesus to feed, clothe, visit and heal the least among us, because they fit a profile that we "Christians" can say are not worthy of our charity.
I think both issues are more complex than a simple statement here can present, but many of the roots are the same. We want to find the "simple"and easy solution to the difficult challenges of life.
Jesus chose the path that ultimately led to Calvary, and a tortuous death, because he chose to not leave us to our own devices. Then he challenges us to leave those devices, and pick up that ancient torture device, and follow Him.
Post a Comment