Any advantages to the RSV-CE over 2CE?

Russ of Tokyo · #1 Dec 13, '10, 4:57 pm

I almost put this question in an existing thread, but I didn't want to hijack it and take it in a different direction from the question of the original poster (who happened to be me!).

I have noticed that after the 2006 Ignatius RSV-2CE came out, the RSV-CE continued to be published, and new CE based products have been produced or will be produced, such as the Truth and Life Audio Dramatized Audio Bible which came out recently and the Catholic Scripture Study Bible which is soon to be released. Also, even Ignatius Press continues to produce the CE, and apparently has no plans to produce a pocket size 2CE, but continues to sell only the pocket size CE.

Judging from this, it would appear that the difference between the two editions must be a non-issue for a lot of people, and that many or most people still prefer the CE over the 2CE. Am I correct, or are there other reasons (perhaps lack of access by the majority of publishers to the 2CE or maybe a large number of CE Bibles still in stock that need to be sold before they can produce the 2CE)?

Do any readers here prefer the CE over the 2CE?

CalCatholic · #2 Dec 13, '10, 8:12 pm

I think it comes down to whether a person likes the 'thees and thous' or not. I think Ignatius will continue to offer both the RSV-CE and the RSV-2CE, and they should. There are people on both sides, the CE has been around since 1966 so there will be many more people using it rather than the 2CE. But every time Ignatius has a list of their top ten selling books, the RSV-2CE is continually in it, sometimes occupying two places in the top ten. The new Ignatius Catholic Study Bible uses the RSV-2CE. I think there is plenty of room for both translations.

fonz · #3 Dec 15, '10, 1:26 pm

Hi Russ,

I am Old School. So, I prefer the original version, i.e. CE.

It sounds better when read - more academic & beautiful, you know.

Russ of Tokyo · #4 Dec 15, '10, 3:26 pm

I just noticed that the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9 ff has retained the old pronouns (Thy and Thine) even in 2CE. They let this prayer remain in the form which is familiar to us all. I was surprised, but I think it is a good idea. I'm sure a lot of people would not agree, though.

BenFischer · #5 Dec 15, '10, 4:16 pm

Besides the thees and thous, already mentioned, the only substantial difference between the to is Isaiah 7, where CE has "a young woman will conceive and bear a son" while 2CE has the more Christian "virgin" instead of "young woman".

Scepter Press, the other publisher of the RSV in English, or at least the only other one I know of, translates that as "virgin" and only has 1 "Catholic Edition". At least in the Navarre Bible it's printed that way.

I guess if you like your beer cold and your coffee hot and your Hebrew Bible Hebraic, then "young woman" with a footnote indicating that it contextually means "virgin" is for you. For myself, I see no advantage of the 1CE over the Ignatius 2CE or the Scepter edition.

Joe Kelley · #6 Dec 15, '10, 4:44 pm

Note that thee and thou were the second person singular in older English. As in other languages the second person singular was restricted to close friends and relations. They conveyed a close intimacy with God which is lost in the modern you.

Manfred · #7 Dec 15, '10, 5:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ of Tokyo

I almost put this question in an existing thread, but I didn't want to hijack it and take it in a different direction from the question of the original poster (who happened to be me!).

I have noticed that after the 2006 Ignatius RSV-2CE came out, the RSV-CE continued to be published, and new CE based products have been produced or will be produced, such as the Truth and Life Audio Dramatized Audio Bible which came out recently and the Catholic Scripture Study Bible which is soon to be released. Also, even Ignatius Press continues to produce the CE, and apparently has no plans to produce a pocket size 2CE, but continues to sell only the pocket size CE.

Judging from this, it would appear that the difference between the two editions must be a non-issue for a lot of people, and that many or most people still prefer the CE over the 2CE. Am I correct, or are there other reasons (perhaps lack of access by the majority of publishers to the 2CE or maybe a large number of CE Bibles still in stock that need to be sold before they can produce the 2CE)?

Do any readers here prefer the CE over the 2CE?

While the RSC-2CE is the work of a publisher, albeit a respected one, the original RSV-CE, with the 1965-66 copyright, is the work of the Catholic Biblical Association of Great Britain. Up until 1998, a Lectionary based on the RSV-CE was allowed to be used in the USA, so it has had some "official" status accorded it. That Lectionary is still used in some other English-speaking nations to this day. The RSV-2CE, to my knowledge, is used in only one Lectionary, in the Antilles, I believe.

To me, the RSV-2CE does not STRICTLY conform to Liturgiam Authenticam, and I like to consider it "a work in progress". Until further progress is made, I'll stay with the original RSV-CE.

Russ of Tokyo · #8 Dec 16, '10, 1:24 am

I read how one blogger took a concordance and compared the two versions and counted over 2500 changes in the 2CE!

http://catholicbibles.blogspot.com/2...2ce-redux.html

And I found a list of some of those changes here:

http://web.archive.org/web/200712180.../RSVCEdiff.htm

But notwithstanding, judging from the comments of readers here, it would seem that the changes are not significant, and that most people here see the two versions as continuing indefinitely on parallel tracks with some preferring the CE rather feeling that the 2CE must increase while the CE must decrease.

That's good to know. I have the 2CE but I might also get a copy of the CE since it is available in so many more sizes and bindings.

Manfred · #9 Dec 16, '10, 5:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ of Tokyo

And I found a list of some of those changes here:

http://web.archive.org/web/200712180.../RSVCEdiff.htm

Russ,

Excellent find! I was part of the "live" debate in 2006 when mmortal (his CAF screen name) first compiled this list. Unfortunately, the CAF server crash of 2006 and the fact that mmortal pulled this from his school's website made me think this list was lost. THANK YOU for finding it; it is a very useful tool.