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EduServe Chapel Resources:
Christian, Jewish, & World Religions Set forth below are some additional resources with respect to religious and spiritual literature. Resources listed here are by no means exhaustive. In addition to the following, the reader is encouraged to consult with authorized persons and institutions representative of one's own faith. Christian Resources
The Holy Bible is made available today by authorized Christian
compilers and translators and distributed
by publishers and Christian churches and
communities worldwide. Although there are
many versions, some bearing the accompanying
stamp, photos, messages, art prints, and/or
footnotes pertaining to their particular
denomination or branch of Christianity and
related literature, the original sacred text
of each version of The Holy Bible is said to be essentially the same text,
regardless of translation. Two Christian
versions most popular in the West are those
authorized by the Roman Catholic and Protestant/Non-Roman
Catholic churches. These two Christian versions
of The Holy Bible are the Vulgate version (Roman Catholic)
and King James version (Protestant and non-Roman
Catholic). (Other translations, including
early Greek, Syriac, Old Latin, Coptic, Alexandrian,
and later Wycliffe, Tyndale, Genevan, and
Lutheran, have come down throughout the ages
and have enlightened, informed, and engaged
readers fruitfully.) The Vulgate version
is the older surviving compiled text. The
King James version is said to be the most
poetic or artistic. Both have been faithfully
copied and translated from the original languages
by Christian scribes and preserved by Christian
communities from the earliest letters of
the Apostles (1st century A.D.). The Holy Bible, Roman Catholic versions, has been translated into contemporary world languages from the early Latin language version called the Vulgate (4th century A.D.), which was translated from the earliest Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew language versions. The Holy Bible, King James Version, has been translated into contemporary world languages from the early English language version (16th century A.D.), which was translated from the earliest Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew language versions. The Holy Bible, New King James Version, is a translation into modern languages; e.g., the old English word "Thou" is replaced with the modern word "You." The Nelson Study Bible, copyright 1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., contains the New King James Version, plus articles, maps, charts, footnotes, overviews, outlines, and other guides to more detailed knowledge, experience, and understanding of the sacred scriptures. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 and later editions, translated into contemporary world languages, sets forth tenants of the Roman Catholic faith. Also contains church policy statements with respect to contemporary and public policy issues. Catechisms of Protestant and Non-Roman Catholic Churches, most current editions of each denomination, i.e., Greek and Russian Orthodox, Reformed (Calvinist), Lutheran, Moravian, Anglican and Episcopalian, Presbyterian (containing former Puritan and Congregational), Methodist, Baptist, Mormon, Christ Scientist, etc., set forth tenants of Christianity according to each faith. Biblical Judeo-Christian Resources
As the Jewish sacred scriptures provide historical
reference for the Christian sacred scriptures,
both the early Hebrew and Christian sacred
scriptures are contained in The Holy Bible, which is comprised of both "Old"
(Jewish) & "New" (Christian)
Testaments. The Old Testament, called The Hebrew Bible, was translated from the original Hebrew
that has been faithfully copied by Jewish
scribes and preserved by Hebrew communities
from approximately 1440 B.C. As recorded
in the The Holy Bible, New Testament, Jesus Christ restates in
abbreviated and modified form the timeless
"Great Commandment" (Mark 12:29-30), the original version of which was written
by Moses as recorded in the Old Testament
(Deuteronomy 6:4-9; cf 11:13-21and Leviticus 19:18). Moreover, "The Ten Commandments," written by Moses as recorded in the
Old Testament (Exodus 20:1-17; cf. Deuteronomy
5:1-22) is referred to in the New Testament
(Matthew 5:17-20; 22:37-40. Luke 2:39-40).
Of course, Jewish sacred scriptures, including
The Law, Histories, Poetry, and Prophecy,
can be accessed in the original Hebrew language
and in modern translations of same through
authorized Jewish sources. World Religions Resources
In the interests of greater understanding
among neighbors near and far who are representative
of the world's diverse religious heritages,
topics of world religions set forth in modern
encyclopedias and made available in public
libraries are recommended as general, often
comprehensive, introductions. Encyclopedia Americana and Encyclopedia Britannica, for example, inform with respect to religions
through articles about the founder/s, leaders, and
related aspects of each faith, written by
indigenous scholars and authorities representative
to each religious tradition. Books called Surveys of World Religions are published and distributed by major secular and religious publishers. Many are popular versions with photos, art work, anecdotes, etc. Some are more detailed religious versions used for study, teaching, and seminary purposes. Some are more scholarly versions with extensive footnotes and related documentation. Perusing these can help readers to select those texts that best fit respective needs and interests. Selecting a text that is generally non-biased with information about each faith authored by leader/s and scholar/s indigenous to each helps to increase reliability or authenticity and accuracy. Finally, going to the original source, in this context, reading the authorized, sacred text of a religious faith is essential to forming a more accurate or more perfect understanding of same. A word of caution is offered. Before venturing forth into any one or more of the many world religions, wisdom advises that it is best done after a reasonable if not thorough acquaintance, study, and practice of one's own faith to enable some root or stability and depth, bredth, height of perspective to enable one's approaching the "foreign" religion with adequate respect and perspective.
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