When searching for a Bible, most people either know what translation they are looking for or have no idea what the differences are. In fact some people don't even realize that there is a difference between Catholic Bibles and Non-Catholic versions. (There are books that have been EXCLUDED in certain Bible 'translations'; these are the bibles used by Protestants.) This translation of the Bible is CATHOLIC and is in fact often regarded as the most LITERAL translation of all the versions out there. I once heard a priest say that on the spectrum of literal to 'expressive' the Douay-Rheims "is a prime example of LITERAL." In other words it would be at the far end of that spectrum. He compared it to the New American Bible, or NAB, which is what the USCCB and Catholic Churches use. He said the NAB would be a '5', or smack-dab in the middle of the spectrum. A balance of literal translation and expressive or interpretive wording.
This Bible's Appearance and Box:
This Douay-Rheims Confirmation Bible is beautiful and comes in a nice storage box. The purpose of this Bible is as a gift, and it does a good job at that. The Bible's cover is 'hard-cover' and gold embossed. The pages are gold-leaf and even comes with a golden ribbon. This is the type of quality that you are looking for when giving a "gift bible."
The "extra" pages:
Before getting to the Biblical text, there are several gift pages to write on for keepsake purposes. Aside from that, this is a Confirmation Bible, so included are three sections of extra, colored picture pages. The first is the presentation or name-title page where you can write the name of the owner and your own well wishes. Following that are stories of Saints important to confirmation and information about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The next section contains Moral Questions that teens face, and Biblical and Catechetical answers to those questions. This is perfect for the child receiving this Bible, because it allows them to have those types of answers in something as authoritative and important as the bible. Along with these Q&As, there is also a section on Vocational Discernment. Again, appropriate for this Bible because of the target age-range of the recipients of this bible and their need for contemplation on vocational discernment.
Finally, there is a section dedicated to prayers. On top of the fact that this is most helpful in the bible, these prayers are duplicated in LATIN, which is a wonderful addition, especially since many who buy the D-R translation are attracted to the more traditional aspects of the Faith.
The Bible Books -translation, pages, and "look & feel":
Translation/Reading Level:
The D-R translation is a very literal translation from the Latin Vulgate. Because of this, the words used and sentence structure are a little more advanced, but are completely within the reading comprehension level of a child that has received Confirmation.
"Look & Feel":
This Bible is certainly a "gift" Bible. With the gold embossing, the ribbon book mark, and the hard-cover & gift box presentation, it is surely a keep-sake item. Strong enough to withstand years of use, but elegant enough to display on a bookshelf or desk.
Overall Opinion:
This Bible, and the others in this collection have become my new "go to" gifts for Sacrament Celebrations. The translation is authentic, orthodox, and literal. The presentation is elegant and beautiful, making it "gift-worthy." The price seems right, although you may be able to find other Bibles for less, you really get what you pay for with this Bible. Little else is needed for this gift, not even wrapping paper or a card, since the inside has a dedication page. If you know someone being confirmed this year - this gift is perfect. As a special note, for those worried that "everyone gets a Bible for confirmation" that may be true, but how many get Bible's as nice as this, and how many get a Douay-Rheims translation? If you need a Confirmation gift... this one is perfect. It is a great gift even for those teens that have been confirmed and are in need of a quality Bible with an orthodox translation.
I wrote this review of Douay Rheims Confirmation Bible for the Tiber River Blogger Review program, created by Aquinas and More Catholic Goods, your source for First Communion Gifts. For more information and to purchase, please visit Aquinas and More Catholic Goods.
Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.
I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.
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