The Living Word: A joint partnership of 'America' and the American Bible Society

The EditorsOctober 30, 2013

The editors of America are excited to announce the launch of “The Living Word: Scripture in the Life of the Church,” a two-year, multi-platform project in collaboration with the American Bible Society aimed at promoting deeper engagement with the Bible. Editor-in-Chief Matt Malone, S.J., writes that this project represents a “two firsts”for the publication: “It is the first time America has undertaken such an ambitious program of content devoted to a single subject,” and the first extensive partnership “with an interdenominational Christian ministry that has been engaging people with God’s word for nearly 200 years.”

2015 marks the 50th anniversary of "Dei Verbum: The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation," the groundbreaking document of the Second Vatican Council, and while the church has been greatly enriched by the fruits of modern biblical criticism in the intervening decades, new challenges and opportunities have also emerged.

Through this unprecedented partnership, America and the American Bible Society will examine how the church can more fully realize the conciliar vision of a more biblically literate and personally engaged Catholic population and will model that engagement through the inventive use of twenty-first century social communications. “The Living Word” project will include commissioned articles in print and online, Web-only content such as blogs, podcasts and videos and live events to connect authors and readers across all platforms.

Content for "The Living Word" will be organized around five themes drawn from "Dei Verbum": Conversion through Scripture; Praying with Scripture; Worshipping with Scripture; The Aesthetics of Scripture; and The Theology of Scripture. Here we present the first articles and multimedia features highlighting this partnership, as well as a series of resources on Scripture.

Articles and Multimedia Features

"A Journey through Holy Week"

A seven day series of reflections featuring commentary by James Martin, S.J., Kerry Weber, Kevin Clarke and other members of the America team.

"Jesus and the Bullied," a Bible Journey

In this 7-day guided reflection, Brian B. Pinter offers passages from the Bible on the theme of taunting and reconciliation and explores what the example of Jesus can offer. Sign up to recieve daily reflections by email or text message.

"Words that Heal: Finding Strength in Scripture"

Kathleen Norris, March 10, 2014

"Bite-Sized Bible: Digesting God's Word in 140 Characters or Less"

Rob Weinert-Kendt, February 14, 2014

"Jesus and the Bullied: What Scripture teaches us about taunting"

Brian B. Pinter, February 6, 2014

"The Bible Reborn: Rediscovering the riches of Scripture"

Dianne Bergant, January 20-27, 2014

"The Word Made Digital: Who to follow and what to watch for while engaging the Bible Online"

John W. Martens, December 19, 2013

Take an Advent Journey with the editors of America.

These daily Scripture reflections start on Sunday December 1 and continue until Christmas Eve. Featuring commentary by James Martin S.J., Kerry Weber, Luke Hansen, S.J., Raymond A. Schroth, S.J., and the rest of the America staff.

"Partnering to Promote 'The Living Word'" (November 11 Podcast)

Robert Briggs of the American Bible Society talks about the two-year collaboration between America and ABS.

"The Gift of the Word: The achievements and challenges of 'Dei Verbum'"

Richard J. Clifford, S.J., November 11, 2013

Resources

Explore a dozen different Bibles: this resource from the American Bible Society allows the reader to compare notes and scholarly introductions on any section of the Bible from a variety of translations and editions.

Find out which Bible is best for you, explore maps from Biblical times or choose a Bible reading plan on this page collecting a variety of resources from ABS.

See centuries of biblically inspired art, and to learn about the institute that helps preserve these masterpieces, at the Museum of Biblical Art.

The Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship is a leading Institute on Biblical research and public education on the Bible.

Prayer on the go: sign up for Scripture study and reflection by email or cell phone.

Lecture Series & Notable Dates

Scott Hahn, "The Sacramentality of Scripture," Wednesday, April 30, 2014

James Martin, S.J., Thursday September 18, 2014

Amy Jill-Levine, Thursday March 12, 2015

All talks will be held at 6:30 p.m at the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, N.Y. RSVP to MSarci@AmericanBible.org.

Dr. Roy Peterson becomes the 28th president of ABS on January 15, 2014. Congratulations!

The Editors

Show Comments (

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William Atkinson

10 years 5 months ago

The essence of any and all biblical research and activity must and I put emphasis on the MUST take in Biblical Archeology and Biblical Anthropology, there has been so much misinterpretation and personal suggestive information into bible coping and writings in the last 2000 years that sometimes the message gets distorted and adjusted to meet political, church's, self, and personal attitudes reflected in the hand copied and reproductive printings that so much confusion takes place causing the readers to turn away from the original message of the writers and authors. It is our hope, those that take up biblical studies and spiritual direction that this joint effort on America and The Biblical consortium of the American Bible Society to present a good reference when dealing with the political, spiritual, and religious interpretive meanings of the scriptures, and especially exposing the areas that are challenging to historians. The more all peoples reflect back on the realities of scripture the more the areas of differences and confusion crop up and the need to tell it all becomes more and more apparent in this world of truths and reality.

Thomas Farrelly

10 years 5 months ago

Perhaps at some time the Vatican department which selects the weekly First Reading, taken from the Old Testament, will come to understand that many of their selections are totally meaningless to a modern Churchgoer. Many a Sunday I listen to and read the First Reading, and wonder, "What in the world does this have to do with me or with anyone in this church?"

Yvonne Wilber

10 years 1 month ago

Perhaps, Mr Farrelly, if you were to read the Old Testament and take advantage of various study materials, you would apprehend the text more fully, and see how it corresponds with the Christian life and witness. You certainly cannot expect a short reading and a ten minute homily to be sufficient for developing your biblical knowledge and contextualizing it to your daily life. Also, the Sunday readings correspond with the rest of the readings during the week, and place the Sunday reading in its biblical context. Perhaps you can avail yourself of daily Mass, or reading the missal for the day?

Frank McManus

10 years 5 months ago

--There are no Catholic Bibles in the bibles.org link (i.e., NAB, NJB, etc.). I guess NRSV will do. --The link to the Richard Clifford article doesn't work.

Tim Reidy

10 years 5 months ago

The Clifford link is fixed, thanks!

John Mitchell

10 years 2 months ago

@frank we add translations as we hear from people and we gain permissions. Please note, based on feedback like yours we added the NABRE translation. You can read the NAB Bible on Bibles.org at: http://bibles.org/eng-NABRE/Gen/1

Peter Fitzpatrick

10 years 5 months ago

I find Mr. Atkinson's comment very difficult to read. I admit that I am 85 years of age, and consequently the fault may be entirely mine. I suggest, however, that the first sentence is a "run-on" sentence. Moreover, the great emphasis on MUST regarding biblical archeology and biblical anthropology at the beginning, and never referred to specifically again, makes me wonder just what is the point the author is trying to make. Secondly, I submit that the second sentence is no sentence at all. What really is the author trying to say? I think I do understand the third and final sentence. I think also that this final sentence may be the main point of the comment, but I am not sure.

Des Farrell

10 years 5 months ago

I had a giggle Peter Fitzpatrick, very clear and funny!

Richard Melka

10 years 5 months ago

This is a great project. I am 80 and Scripture is a most important part of my spirituality and look forward to what I will learn from this collaboration. http://melkaplace.com

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