William R. Farmer, Editor, The International Bible Commentary - Book Review

Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1998. Pp. 1918, plus Maps. Cloth, $89.95.

From the very beginning of their project, it was the intention of the editors to produce an ecumenical commentary for the twenty- first century. The Salvan Manifesto (pp. xvi-xvii) spells out the aims of the project, chief among them being to provide scholarly assistance to pastors, scholars, and educated faithful in all parts of the world who seek to find in the Scriptures the spiritual resources they need for presenting the Good News of salvation. In keeping with their objectives, the volume was completed in good time for it to be distributed worldwide by the year 2000.

This commentary's first edition was A CATHOLIC COMMENTARY ON HOLY SCRIPTURE (London, 1953). The present work is not just a new edition of an existing English commentary, but it is a completely new and globally oriented commentary in the spirit of Vatican Council II. It intends to be "Catholic" with both a capital C, i.e., Roman Catholic, and a lower case c, i.e., universal. It is truly international, including contributors from around the world. In addition, working within the framework of general principles of interpretation, non-catholic contributors could work with freedom, while the editors assured that on issues involving definite Catholic teachings the official Catholic view was presented faithfully. Following these principles, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE COMMENTARY is truly Roman Catholic as well as truly ecumenical and representative of a global perspective.

The tools of contemporary biblical scholarship, including the social context of biblical criticism, have been available to trained scholars for some time, and there is now also an immense literature at the disposal of the nonspecialist. Such knowledge, however, has not generlly informed the Church's preaching and teaching. Our commentary keeps the community of faith foremost in view during the task of scriptural interpretation.

At the beginning of the volume are two articles about how to use the commentary and the maps. It is helpful to look at these articles before proceeding to the interpretations of biblical books. Then there are over three hundred pages of general articles ranging in scope from the power of the Word of God, historical insights into the history of biblical interpretation, and some pastoral concerns (pp. 1-332). There is a gold mine of background and updated information on the state of the art in the progress of biblical scholarship in our time. After the commentaries there is a Pastoral Guide for the use of the Bible in preaching, a map index, and a collection of sixteen maps. As explained in "A Guide to Maps" (pp. xxxiv-lii), these make a powerful contribution to understanding the Bible with great economy of words. Maps can serve as a deterrent to undisciplined imagination and can point to the concreteness of the Bible, rooting it in its space, history, and geography.

The international character of the work is achieved through contributors from around the world, about one-fourth of whom are from the United States. Thus there is neither a uniform style nor a single perspective. In the voices of various countries, continents, and languages we can discern the nuances of various cultures emphasizing the universality of the Word of God and its impact on the human situation.

The body of the book (pp. 335-1879) consists of the commentaries, each of which is divided into two major parts: "First Reading" and "Second Reading." The "First Reading" gives background information along the lines of what has often been termed an "introduction." The "Second Reading" is the commentary on the text. Scattered throughout the commentaries are inserts that clarify key words and concepts, and provide explanations of terminology that may be unfamiliar to some readers. In some cases related extra-biblical literature is outlined (e.g., p. 362) and historical data enhances understanding (e.g., p. 1284). Along with bibliographies at the end of each section, this work brings a wealth of information together in one volume as an inestimable resource for reading, study, and presentation. It will have significant value for scholarship, for pastoral ministry, and for educational enterprises in churches, schools, and ecumenical situations.

Betty Jane Lillie
Athenaeum of Ohio
Cincinnati, OH 45230-2019

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