Collection ID: RG 70

Collection context

Summary

Creator:
Standard Bible Committee
Date:
1939-1973
Abstract:
The collection includes agendas, notes and working drafts that document the Committee's progress in its translation revision work. There is a small amount of material related to Committee procedures and publicity material. There is interesting documentation of public reaction to the new Revised Standard Version. The Standard Bible Committee was organized in 1929 by the International Council of Religious Education. The Committee was authorized in 1937 to proceed with the revision of the English translation of the Bible. The Committee's work resulted in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. The Revised Standard Version of the New Testament was published in 1946, the entire Bible in 1952, and the Apocrypha in 1957. The work of the Committee was ongoing, to provide for future translation revisions.
Extent:
4.5 Linear Feet
Language:
English

Background

Rules or conventions:
Scope and Content:

Agendas, notes, and/or working drafts illustrating the progress of the Committee's work are available for all of the Old Testament except Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets, for most Apocryphal books, and for the entire New Testament. These documents are generally in a mimeographed format with holograph annotations. Documentation is more complete for the Old Testament and Apocrypha than for the New Testament.

The working papers of the Standard Bible Committee found in Series I, II, and III form the substantive core of this collection. Committee members known to be involved in the production of particular documents are noted. Series IV provides a small amount of additional information about Committee procedures. Series V, Presentation and Evaluation, includes publicity material and interesting documentation of public reaction to the new Revised Standard Version.

Biographical / Historical:

Shortly after the appearance of the American Standard Version of the Bible in 1901, newly discovered papyri gave Biblical scholars revolutionary insight into the language of the New Testament period. These texts provided a key to the exact meaning of obscure words, and contained many examples of the grammatical usage of the time. In response to this new knowledge, the Standard Bible Committee was organized in 1929 by the International Council of Religious Education. The Committee was authorized in 1937 to proceed with the revision of the English translation of the Bible.

The Revised Standard Version of the New Testament was published in 1946, the entire Bible in 1952, and the Apocrypha in 1957. The work of the Standard Bible Committee was necessarily ongoing, in order to keep future editions of the RSV on the forefront of new scholarship. In 1969 six Catholic scholars joined the Committee to assist in the preparation of an RSV edition which would be acceptable to both Protestants and Catholics. In 1972 an Orthodox Biblical scholar was also invited to join the Committee, as a step toward the preparation of a Bible produced and accepted by these three Christian traditions.

Members of the Old and New Testament sections of the Standard Bible Committee prior to 1952 included:

  • Luther A. Weigle, Yale University - Old Testament and New Testament, Chairman
  • Julius A. Bewer, Union Theological Seminary - Old Testament
  • Henry J. Cadbury, Harvard University - New Testament
  • Edgar J. Goodspeed, University of Chicago - New Testament
  • James Moffatt, Union Theological Seminary - Old Testament and New Testament, Executive Secretary
  • William R. Taylor, University of Toronto - Old Testament
  • Walter Russell Bowie, Union Theological Seminary - New Testament
  • George Dahl, Yale University - Old Testament
  • Frederick C. Grant, Union Theological Seminary - New Testament
  • Willard L. Sperry, Harvard University - Old Testament
  • Leroy Waterman, University of Michigan - Old Testament
  • Millar Burrows, Yale University - Old Testament and New Testament
  • Clarence T. Craig, Oberlin Graduate School of Theology - New Testament
  • Abdel R. Wentz, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg - New Testament
  • Kyle M. Yates, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - Old Testament
  • William F. Albright, Johns Hopkins University - Old Testament
  • J. Philip Hyatt, Vanderbilt University - Old Testament
  • Herbert G. May, Oberlin Graduate School of Theology - Old Testament
  • Harry M. Orlinsky, Jewish Institute of Religion - Old Testament
  • Fleming James, University of the South - executive Secretary of the Old Testament Section
Arrangement:
  • I. Old Testament
  • II. Apocrypha
  • III. New Testament
  • IV. Records of Committee Work
  • V. Presentation and Evaluation

Access

LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511, USA
Link to repository site
CONTACT:
203-432-5274
divinity.library@yale.edu