I just found the first single-column edition of the NABRE I’ve ever laid eyes on. Behold the Catholic Journaling Bible from Our Sunday Visitor press!
This edition has generous margins with ruled lines for notes and a beautiful single-column type setting. The footnotes are printed in double-column format in a readable sans-serif font. Overall, the finish of this Bible is nice. The hardcover has a classic feel, and the paper is smooth to the touch. There is moderate ghosting of text from subsequent pages, but the Bible text appears to be line-matched throughout. I didn’t notice any trouble reading the text because of ghosting. There are two significant physical drawbacks: a relatively small font size (I’d guess it’s no larger than a 9 point, maybe 8), and a glued binding.
I think Our Sunday Visitor could convert this from a specialized Bible to a general purpose Bible with a few changes: remove the note lines and increase the font size, keep the same type setting, and produce a sewn binding instead of a glued binding. A bible like that would be a home run!
I haven’t found this in my local bookstore unfortunately:(
But nonetheless I sm debating whether to purchase it. Since getting the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible NT, I have been wanting to write in almost all of my Bibles some in-the-moment personal notes and breakthroughs. Journaling Bibles are awesome for this because of their wide margins. I am just unsure that I want to take notes with the NABRE. Not that I don’t like it. I love it! It’s my FAVORITE translation, I just would prefer to make many study notes in a Bible with the exact same notes as the ICSBNT. But I go back and forth between wanting this and not getting this.
Most likely I will get it though 🙂
Tyndale Publishers will publish the Inspire Catholic NLT Journaling Bible on 11-6-18. They are taking preorders on their web page and have a Facebook page also. There is also a catholic bible journaling group on Facebook. Sharon
Thanks for the information, Sharon! It’s always good to hear about new bibles and resources available for Catholics.
Whoa!!
Marc,
Thanks for continuing to carry the torch after Timothy’s retirement.
Recently I was looking for a note taking bible and this NABRE was my first choice. While researching, the print looked kinda small in the samples, and a couple of reviews on Amazon mentioned the same. I never could find the font size in any listing, so I called Our Sunday Visitor. The lady was very nice but did not have the font size. She did say it was “tiny”. I asked her to pass along my wish for a large print version.
I ended up buying an ESV Large Print Journaling Bible. It is serving the purpose but has the following disadvantages:
– no Deuterocanon
– printed in China. My personal policy is to make this my last choice. In this case it was the only choice.
– just as expensive as my printed in USA bibles.
Now back to the OT prophets.
Mark
You’re very welcome, Mark! Yes, I was struck immediately by how small the font is in this bible. It’s still readable for me, but definitely smaller than I’d like. If you prefer large print, this bible would definitely not work for you.
I can understand why they made it so small. They had to print all the NABRE footnotes, as well as include ample margin space. If they made the print larger, the bible would be very thick. Its current size is nice for holding in the hand or carrying. Even a small increase in font size would make it thicker or larger, and it would become a desktop bible — not easily carried or used on the go.
I suppose this is another case when it would be nice to have a NABRE text bible without the notes. That would allow for a bigger font without increasing the bible’s dimensions.
Hiya Mark!
I emailed Christian Books since they always answer (very quickly) any questions concerning their products. The font size for this Bible is not even listed in their description on their website. Anyways, They said in the e-mail “about 8” point font.
That sounds about right, Erap10. It looks really small in person.
Erap10,
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately 8 point is where my eyes start to struggle. Recently purchased a Revised English Bible (Cambridge hardcover) from Christian Books which is listed as 8 point. After about 1/4 of a page my eyes feel strained. I even purchased a more powerful pair of reading glasses and it did not help.
For now I’m using the ESV version but had to get a seperate notebook to make my notes for the deutrocanon. And patiently awaiting a larger print Catholic note taking bible.
Mark
I also have the Cambridge hardcover REB. I don’t have the NABRE Journaling Bible in front of me to compare, but I’d say the text is at least as small as the Cambridge REB. It might be slightly smaller.
Marc,
Sounds like a bible made for young people !!
🙂
Mark