Thomas Nelson is publishing two new children’s Bibles: The Skateboard Bible (Jan. 10) features graphics designed to capture the attention of boys. The Ballerina Bible (Feb. 21) has three-dimensional rosette/tulle and jewel embellishment to appeal to girls. Both use the International Children’s Bible translation.
Counterpoint’s Dogen’s Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries, published in December, contains three separate translations and commentaries on the first chapter of The Shobogenzo by Eihei Dogen Zenji, considered the founder of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism. The translations and commentaries on this 13th-century key Zen Buddhist text were done by Nishiari Bokusan, Shohaku Okamura, Shunryu Suzuki, Kosho Uchiyama, Sojun Mel Weitsman, Kazuaki Tanahashi, and Dairyu Michael Wenger.
DK Publishing throws the book at biblical illiteracy with The Illustrated Bible Story by Story (Mar.). The 512-page text retells key stories, adding maps, notes, and full-color photographs to provide explanation and context; it also includes a variety of reference appendices. The team behind the book is headed by editor-in-chief Michael Collins, who also did DK’s Vatican.
Zondervan is partnering with digital Bible maker Glo Bible and producer Mark Burnett and his wife Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel) to launch the Bible360 app, which presents the Bible with video as well as interactive and social media features. Bible360 uses Glo Bible's platform and the NIV translation from Zondervan. The app is available in both free and premium versions; the premium version will allow users to access more content and have the ability to sync across various devices and platforms, including the Mac, PC, iPad and iPhone. Burnett and Downey’s ten-part Bible series will air on The History Channel in 2013; video from the series will then be integrated into the Bible360 app, which is now available at all iTunes stores internationally.
The Common English Bible has been adopted by a number of Web sites, including BibleGateway.com, --according to Alexa, the highest-ranked site for Bible search activity worldwide), which uses the new translation for Verse of the Day free e-mail subscription. Patheos.com, an international online hub for faith communities, also is using the Common English Bible translation for its Daily Verse, which appears on its Library Bible Resources page, Evangelical Portal, and Progressive Christian Portal. The free-to-search text of the Common English Bible, including the Apocrypha, is available online. A Bible Passage Lookup widget is available for use on personal Web sites. The completion of the Common English Bible after four years of translation work was named one of the top 10 religion stories of 2011 by the Religion Newswriters Association.
