didache bibleSan Francisco, January 29, 2015The Midwest Theological Forum and Ignatius Press are pleased to announce the release of the Didache Bible, Ignatius Edition—an annotated Bible with commentaries based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Since its publication in 1992, the faithful have been richly blessed by the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This concise reference guide presents the basic tenets of the faith in an easy-to-understand and readily available format. Through its many references and quotes from the Bible, the Catechism beautifully manifests the truth that the Deposit of Faith, safe-guarded and transmitted by the Magisterium, is founded on both Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture.

While the Catechism has greatly benefitted from its many references to Sacred Scripture, there was, unfortunately, nothing that would allow the reader to go the other way around; that is, an annotated Bible with commentaries that referenced the Catechism.  Such a Bible would facilitate a better understanding of how a particular verse or verses are directly related to the teachings of the Catholic Church. We were further inspired by the address given by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in 2002 on the tenth anniversary of the publication of theCatechism of the Catholic Church in which he strongly advocated the use of Scripture in the Catechism as a means to explain the faith and emphasized how it was important to read Scripture within the living tradition of the Church.

By basing the commentaries on the Catechism and by referencing the relevant parts Catechism, the Didache Bible provides the reader with a means to better understand how the teachings of the Church are based on Scripture and how the living tradition of the Church interprets those verses of Scripture. This also enables the reader to go back to the original source and see what further information on a particular topic theCatechism offers. In this way, the Didache Bible not only helps the reader have a better understanding of Scripture but also of the Catechism, which is the surest interpretation of the faith.

Another important element of the Didache Bible is the apologetical explanations. These 105, one-page explanations cover topics that help the reader to understand the faith better and to explain the faith to others. The Didache Bible also offers a comprehensive glossary of Biblical terms, a topical index, numerous maps of the various places mentioned in the Bible, Introductions to the books of the Bible, timelines of Biblical events, and other helpful information, such as how to read the Bible.

For teachers and students—whether in Catholic high schools, parishes, homeschools, or in a family setting—the Didache Bible can be a useful instrument to help understand how the Word of God is interpreted by the Magisterium and how Scripture, along with Sacred Tradition, is the foundation of Catholic teaching. The Didache Bible is also a great tool for Bible study and for anyone wanting a more in-depth understanding of Sacred Scripture.

As Cardinal Francis George says in the preface, the Second Vatican Council “affirmed the importance of Sacred Scripture in the life of faith.” It is our hope that the Didache Bible will assist many people in understanding what the Bible says in the light of the teachings of the Church and in growing in their relationship with God.

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