A new Lectionary arrived in Roman Catholic churches across England, Wales and Scotland a few weeks ago. Though it was officially approved in July 2023 and scheduled for release for this Advent 2024, all the way back in April, it would seem that many Roman Catholics affected by the change are struggling to find copies. The Lectionary has not been updated since 198. It was formerly based on the Jerusalem Bible with the Grail Psalms; starting in Advent, the Lectionary will use the English Standard Version—Catholic Edition for readings and the Abbey Psalm and Canticles.
The ESV will sound a little different to British ears long accustomed to the JB. Where there was a much more free translation in the JB, the ESV is “essentially literal”, that is, it seeks to translate the thoughts and idioms of the original authors as closely as possible to the original language. As the ESV put it, “it seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and exact force of the original.” The Abbey Psalter is really an updated version of the Grail edition. A big change will be the numbering system of the Psalms since it will now follow the earlier Hebrew numbering system instead of the Septuagint/Greek translation.
Why is this important? The movement in Rome has been to translations of the Mass which are closer to the literal meaning of the Latin and which use words formerly deemed too technical (like consubstantial in the creed). Now this movement has shown up in the tightening up of the translation of the Scriptures used in the Mass. Both of the translations were changed in part to support both the need for accuracy and the poetic sound of words when read aloud. For Lutherans who have hitched their wagon to the ESV, for good or for ill, it is good news to see some of the English speaking world follow suit.
The English Standard Version stands in the line of William Tyndale’s New Testament of 1526; the King James Version of 1611 (KJV), the English Revised Version of 1885 (RV), the American Standard Version of 1901 (ASV), and the Revised Standard Version of 1952 and 1971 (RSV). I am sure that we would all argue about nuances within each of these translations but the family is solid and the ESV is reliable. While every translation strikes a place somewhere between literal precision and readability, between “formal equivalence” in expression and “functional equivalence” in communication, the ESV is at least rid of most of he cultural adaptations that have plagued other modern versions. In other words, it honors the pronouns of God without getting into the debate about pronouns today, among other things. The ESV is the preferred Bible translation for many international ministries, including the Gideons International, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Awana, and others. The ESV is also used extensively by a host of major denominations, churches, and church networks, including the Southern Baptist Convention, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the Evangelical Free Church, the Anglican Church in North America, and the Presbyterian Church in America. Now the Roman Catholic churches across England, Wales and Scotland have joined the list.
Though my typical choice for reading is the KJV (probably due to my age!), it is not a bad thing for the liturgical churches and those with more conservative leanings to gather around one translation. It is good for the ESV but it is also good for us. While I am not quite ready to give the ESV an unqualified endorsement, I do think it is our best option available. I am happy some of the English speaking Roman world has agreed.
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