And Inspiration - NRSV - The C. S. Lewis Bible

With hundreds of study bibles available today, why do we need another one? And what good is a study Bible whose commentary is filtered through a single person or theme? I've long been leery about these types of study bibles. Whether it be the Joel Osteen bible or the American Patriot bible, the Reformation study bible or the Grandmother's bible, you can find a study bible centered around many religious celebrities and themes.
(Check out this blog for a whole list of crazy-themed bibles.)

In one sense, these bibles can be beneficial. They recall the ancient Jewish tradition of following a particular Rabbi, diving into his school of thought, and adopting his interpretations as your own. Focusing on a singular teacher or theme can advance you far in the spiritual life if that person or theme offers deep of truth.

But this can also be dangerous. Our diverse selection of study bibles allows anyone to personalize their Scripture study to their own tastes. Instead of grasping the dens texture of Scripture--as Fr. Barron is fond of saying--we are left with a filtered, partial faith. Instead of receiving the Word of God as it is, we become consumers who pick and choose interpretations that satisfy our own tastes.

Lewis, of all people, understood this well. I think Lewis would be somewhat embarrassed to have a study bible with his name on the cover. He had a profound love and honor for the Bible, but never would have considered himself enough of a theologian to provide worthy commentary.

With all of that said though, the "C.S. Lewis Bible" deserves to be reviewed on its own terms. Despite my general concern toward study bibles, this really is one of the better ones I've come across--truly an impressive effort. The book's advisory board is a "who's who" of Lewis experts, and it's clear that they combed each of Lewis' works to unveil each reference to Scripture.

The "C.S. Lewis Bible" includes over 600 readings from Lewis' works, and also a scriptural index in the back. The index makes it easy to find what Lewis had to say about different scriptural passages.

Interestingly, the "C.S. Lewis Bible" doesn't just include selections from Lewis' non-fiction works, but also his Narnian chronicles and personal letters to friends and strangers. Narnia's creation story is highlighted alongside Genesis' and Lewis' personal letters are juxtaposed with Paul's.

In terms of design, this is one of the most beautiful books I've read recently. The typography and page design give the book an antiquated, literary feel, recalling Lewis' post as an English professor at Oxford. You can almost picture Lewis sitting in his study, Bible on one side of his desk, ink and blank paper on the other, jotting down his commentary with exquisite penmanship.

If you're hunting for more serious theological commentary, you should definitely look elsewhere (I strongly recommend the Ignatius Study New Testament as an excellent alternative). But if you are a fan of Lewis' writings and appreciate his unique thoughts on Scripture, you will surely be intrigued by the "C.S. Lewis Bible".

My daughter told me about getting this on her Kindle, and I was so intrigued, I looked it up and ended up ordering it for my Kindle. What a blessing to be reading the scriptures with excerpts and commentaries from CSLewis' writings like The Great Divorce, and Mere Christianity, as well as letters he wrote to friends. It enriches the Word and satisfies my love for the great literature of one of the best writer's of apologetics and Christian books in the 19th century. The price was good, and I know I will enjoy this as long as I keep my Kindle charged! I love the speed with which it arrived on my Kindle, as well! Thank you

I suspect that if a publisher had proposed the idea of a "C.S. Lewis Bible" to Lewis during his lifetime, Lewis would have recoiled in horror and embarrassment at the thought! Lewis was not and did not consider himself a trained theologian nor an accredited Biblical scholar. That being said, this wonderful volume doesn't present Lewis as any type of final authority on the interpretation of the texts; instead, it just sprinkles throughout a great many of Lewis's genuinely profound and theologically learned musings, opinions and commentary on the various Bible passages--writings drawn from Lewis's fiction, nonfiction and correspondence over his lifetime.

As he was writing in the mid 20th century, I find Lewis's thoughts to be a helpful bridge between the ancient texts and the modern Western world that we find ourselves in.

Many study Bibles produced today have so many special features, notes, etc. that can become distracting from one's reading and meditation upon the Word. That is why I find this Bible edition rather refreshing. I grew up reading the RSV and internalizing its syntax and cadences, and no other translation since has ever seemed natural to me since I recall the verses in the RSV wording. Thus the NRSV, as an updated version of the RSV, seems to me like coming home.

Reading this particular edition is a special pleasure due to the many short quotes from CS Lewis which are sprinkled throughout in relevant sections. Many of these quotes are from letters or other documents which are not widely available, making this Bible a good resource just to read them. I find the quotes well-suited to stimulate reflection, in a way as though CS and I are sitting by the fire together, discussing the passage and reflecting. I find it to be a very pleasant and engaging experience.

This edition also has an index of CS Lewis' quotes, by source and also by Biblical text. In addition there is a concordance to facilitate looking up familiar verses. While there are no maps or other study aids, these are readily available from other sources.

The NRSV is such a solid Bible for personal study (and can be helpful even in a preaching setting). I love the flow and the beauty that it draws out of Scripture.

With the words of C.S. Lewis added, this product brings together two beautiful worlds. Lewis was such a wise person, with a depth of experience and a clearly incredible relationship with God.

For me, this product is a phenomenal Bible for personal study!

I bought this as a 1st anniversary present for the hubs (paper anniversary) and he absolutely loved it. He is a huge C.S. Lewis fan so when I saw this, I knew I had to buy it. This is your standard bible, but excerpts are pulled from various C.S. Lewis works that align with the bible passage you are reading. It definitely makes what you are reading more applicable and interesting.

I looked everywhere for this C. S. Lewis Bible in leather, and the store was the only place I found it for a reasonable price. I was a little nervous at first, since I bought it used, but it doesn't appear that it actually has been used. Very pleased with this product.