BRiefs

Newest Bible Translation Makes Debut

The American Bible Society has published a new translation of the New Testament, The Bible for Today’s Family: The Contemporary English Version. Based on the original Greek text, the translation is an attempt to present a more understandable version of the New Testament, aimed at young people, by using contemporary language, word order and sentence structure. The project, six years in the making, combined the efforts of over 100 translators, English language specialists and biblical authorities, as well as Protestant and Catholic clergy. An illustrated children’s version is now available, and a complete Bible, with both the Old and New Testaments, is scheduled for publication in 1996. Inquiries should be addressed to the American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, NY. 10023.

Musical Chairs

James VanderKam, formerly professor of religion at North Carolina State University, has left to become professor of Old Testament at Notre Dame University. One of the world’s leading experts on the Book of Jubilees, a second-century B.C. pseudepigraphic work purporting to be the secret revelation of the angel of the Divine Presence to Moses, the 45-year-old VanderKam assumed the seat that was vacated by John Collins in August. He had taught at North Carolina State for 15 years.

VanderKam will continue his work on unpublished Dead Sea Scroll texts and will chair the Ancient Manuscript Committee of the American Schools of Oriental Research at the Annual Meeting this November in Kansas City. His two-part article on the Dead Sea Scrolls and early Christianity begins in this issue (see “The Dead Sea Scrolls and Early Christianity: Part One”).