Yale Bible Commentary and Yale Bible Dictionary

I've been looking at the Yale products as they have been highly recmmended on the forums multiple times. The wiki, however, seems to indicate that the Yale products follow a much more liberal tradition where I am much more conservative. The question then is, first, how far leaning are the Yale products and how apparent is their stance in the work? Also, is the dictionary also a long this line or is it more neutral? What are the more conservative options as opposed to the Yale items? I really want to pick up one good academic commentary and one solid accademic encyclopedia ontop of my TDNT (and hopefully soon to have BDAG/HALOT) resources.

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Rick

As far as the dictionaries go, I understand that the ISBE is more on the conservative side: http://www.logos.com/product/3875/international-standard-bible-encyclopedia

I do like both dictionaries. I have only bought AYBD recently and have not used it as much as ISBE.

Mike Aubrey

The wiki, however, seems to indicate that the Yale products follow a much more liberal tradition where I am much more conservative.

That might be true for Yale Anchor Bible (I don't know how conservative you are), but the dictionary has contributors from across the spectrum, including many respected conservative scholars.

Milkman

I have both as well. Being more "conservative" in my theology - Reformed Baptist - I use ISBE much more than the other. However the Yale does have much to offer.

Alexander

What about for a commentary? Do you use the WBC more than the Yale then?

Ben

I wouldn't say "liberal" so much as "scholastically neutral" (which may equate to "liberal" in some minds); its authors come from all kinds of traditions.

Matthew C Jones

The question then is, first, how far leaning are the Yale products and how apparent is their stance in the work?

I am conservative too. Your impressions are correct. AYB is fairly liberal. I value Anchor Yale Bible because of that fact. The commentary gives me insight into how the other guys think. The collection of authors goes from moderate to liberal and several who do not hold to plenary inspiration and a few are not believers in the divinity of Christ. I would not use this commentary for sermon preparation. I also would not make it my only commentary. I would choose Word Biblical Commentary or NICOT/NICNT first.

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary is more encyclopedic in nature. It's liberalism is only slightly detectable but the depth of content coverage is good. I like the ISBE. But if you add AYB to ISBE I suspect your favorite will soon become Anchor.

one other thought; The AYB did a great job in selecting which author would address which book.

Praiser

I've been looking at the Yale products as they have been highly recmmended on the forums multiple times. The wiki, however, seems to indicate that the Yale products follow a much more liberal tradition where I am much more conservative. The question then is, first, how far leaning are the Yale products and how apparent is their stance in the work? Also, is the dictionary also a long this line or is it more neutral? What are the more conservative options as opposed to the Yale items? I really want to pick up one good academic commentary and one solid accademic encyclopedia ontop of my TDNT (and hopefully soon to have BDAG/HALOT) resources.

I would definitely get the Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. I use it alot and do not consider it as liberal as the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary.

If you do not have NICOT/NICNT, I would choose it over the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary. The NIC is one of my first go to commentaries.

I agree that Anchor Yale Bible Commentary can be very uneven and extremely liberal in some volumes for my taste, but it does get me thinking. I agree with Super Tramp's review. I'm glad to have the Anchor Yale Bible Commentary since it is referenced in other works quite often, but I don't consider it one of my main research commentaries.

You might want to check out the comparisons here http://wiki.logos.com/Resource_Review From your post, you may already have visited it.

George Somsel

I've been looking at the Yale products as they have been highly recmmended on the forums multiple times. The wiki, however, seems to indicate that the Yale products follow a much more liberal tradition where I am much more conservative. The question then is, first, how far leaning are the Yale products and how apparent is their stance in the work? Also, is the dictionary also a long this line or is it more neutral? What are the more conservative options as opposed to the Yale items? I really want to pick up one good academic commentary and one solid accademic encyclopedia ontop of my TDNT (and hopefully soon to have BDAG/HALOT) resources.

I have both the AYBD and ISBE. I rarely use the ISBE. It simply isn't as academically rigorous. I also have the AYB commentaries. They are much like other commentaries in the respect that they aren't all at the same level. The AYB commentary on Revelation, e.g., is waaaay out in left field (It posits that much was from the school of John the
Baptist) and is being rewritten. I find such proposals stimulating even though I don't always agree.

Philana Crouch

I don't have the commentaries, but I own both AYBD and ISBE, and use both regularly. While AYBD can be somewhat liberal (I don't agree with it on some things, usually regarding dating of a book, authorship, or historicity of an event), I still find that it gives information and cultural background that is very useful. When I am looking into issues of historical dates, or authorship I use ISBE more, but find AYBD helpful for giving a lot of information. Both are good. So as far as the AYBD I would recommend getting that one, and if you don't own it yet, add ISBE as well.

Blessings,

Philana

Jack Caviness

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary is more encyclopedic in nature. It's liberalism is only slightly detectable but the depth of content coverage is good. I like the ISBE. But if you add AYB to ISBE I suspect your favorite will soon become Anchor.

My experience is the opposite. I use ISBE more than AYBD.

George Somsel

The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary is more encyclopedic in nature. It's liberalism is only slightly detectable but the depth of content coverage is good. I like the ISBE. But if you add AYB to ISBE I suspect your favorite will soon become Anchor.

My experience is the opposite. I use ISBE more than AYBD.

That's because you're an old codger, Jack. After all, I'm only going to be 39 on my next BD. [;)]

Mark Barnes

I've been looking at the Yale products as they have been highly recmmended on the forums multiple times. The wiki, however, seems to indicate that the Yale products follow a much more liberal tradition where I am much more conservative. The question then is, first, how far leaning are the Yale products and how apparent is their stance in the work? Also, is the dictionary also a long this line or is it more neutral? What are the more conservative options as opposed to the Yale items? I really want to pick up one good academic commentary and one solid accademic encyclopedia ontop of my TDNT (and hopefully soon to have BDAG/HALOT) resources.

I am fairly conservative theological, and own both the Anchor sets. Whilst the Anchor commentary can be helpful, I couldn't recommend it if you want "one good academic commentary". Describing it as liberal' isn't exactly accurate, although it's certainly well-received in liberal camps. But it certainly doesn't treat the Bible as inspired by God, and several volumes are written by people who do not even profess to be Christian.

If you want a commentary at that level, but coming from a conservative tradition, then the NICOT and NICNT is definitely a better option - and in my view far better than WBC as well. Other possibilities include the BECNT, Pillar and NIGTC sets, although they're all both NT only and incomplete.

The AYBD, on the other hand, is very useful. This thread explains why: http://community.logos.com/forums/t/22656.aspx

That said, if you don't already have it, I might well be tempted to purchase IVP Reference Library instead. It's cheaper (which might release some dollars for the commentary), and at times has more depth. It's more consistently evangelical too, though that matters less with dictionaries than commentaries in my view. Having said that it's coverage is not as good a AYBD.

Mike Childs

Alexander,

I am about as conservative as one can be, but I don't want my mind so closed that I can't get any ventilation in there. [;)]

I have Anchor Yale Dictionary, and find it very useful. It scholarship is a little more up to date than the others. I use the New Bible Dictionary first, along with IVP Dictionaries. NBD is a brief but good one volume dictionary, and with Don Carson as editior, it's evangelical. Then for deeper study, I go to Anchor Yale Dictionary. Dictionary articles tend to be primarily concerned with facts, and AYBD does a good job. I just stay aware of its theological bias - and my own.

I do not have the Yale Commentaries, but hope to one day. I am sure I would not agree with some of their views, but I can take what is good. I want to know their views and understand them. I use NICOT/NT and Word Biblical as my "go to" commentaries. Of course, I treat them the same way.

I find some help in even more liberal commentaries. William Barclay, for example, is extremely helpful in New Testament background. But I noted in using his commentary on Luke today that he doesn't seem to believe in the virgin birth. Still, he was helpful on many things.

mab

Commentary sets, as a rule of thumb, are usually uneven, so I would say you should be inclined to cherry pick. I have some Anchor volumes in print that are quite good regardless of theological slant, and I'd be inclined to add some more if I could afford them. I'm not sure whether I'll add the set to Logos. Maybe...

AYBD is a different animal. I'm sure there's some opinion masquerading as scholarship, but it's not the only place you should be looking. Along with NBD and ISBE, you are likely to have the background info you need.

Dictionaries excel at providing context so your framework of biblical events are seen in the period that they took place.

JAIN THOMAS

I am a conservative too. But when you approach the bible, nothing would influence you to interpret it. I would say your mind should be 'tabula rasa' (blank slate). More clearly an impartial approach. You won't get actual meaning, if you have a preconceived conservative or catholic or Jewish or Christian perspective.

Brother Mark

Its difficult to add anything meaningful to excellent posts already here (special recognition to Mark Barnes, and SuperT)... that being said, I'm of the "where ever you are I'm to the right of you" conservative ilk; and I find the AYBD to be the most detail oriented of my 45 Logos Bible Dictionaries, and I appreciate the depth of scholarship. With regard to commentary sets, I endorse anything by Wiersby, Pink, or Ironside, the Pillar set is good, The Preacher's Commentary is very readable and heavy on application rather than scholarship, some of the WBC is great (and some of it: no so much). I think you'd benefit from studying the recommendations from the bestcommentaries web site (which has a conservative slant)... and finally I recommend D.A. Carson's New Testament Commentary Survey which will give you the straight skinny on liberal vs. conservative slant in commentary sets.

Praiser

). I think you'd benefit from studying the recommendations from the bestcommentaries web site (which has a conservative slant)... and finally I recommend D.A. Carson's New Testament Commentary Survey which will give you the straight skinny on liberal vs. conservative slant in commentary sets.

Add Rosscups Commentaries for Biblical Expositors to this group.

George Somsel

Its difficult to add anything meaningful to excellent posts already here (special recognition to Mark Barnes, and SuperT)... that being said, I'm of the "where ever you are I'm to the right of you" conservative ilk; and I find the AYBD to be the most detail oriented of my 45 Logos Bible Dictionaries, and I appreciate the depth of scholarship. With regard to commentary sets, I endorse anything by Wiersby, Pink, or Ironside, the Pillar set is good, The Preacher's Commentary is very readable and heavy on application rather than scholarship, some of the WBC is great (and some of it: no so much). I think you'd benefit from studying the recommendations from the bestcommentaries web site (which has a conservative slant)... and finally I recommend D.A. Carson's New Testament Commentary Survey which will give you the straight skinny on liberal vs. conservative slant in commentary sets.

It puzzles me that one would choose a commentary based on it "slant." Are you simply seeking someone to confirm your already determined view on a subject? It seems to me that, whether a commentary is "conservative" or "liberal", if it's right, it's right.

Brother Mark

It puzzles me that one would choose a commentary based on it "slant." Are you simply seeking someone to confirm your already determined view on a subject? It seems to me that, whether a commentary is "conservative" or "liberal", if it's right, it's right.

I quite agree with, "if it's right, it's right". I was simply rendering my opinion in response to the thread author's original premise with regard to good commentary sets and dictionaries from a conservative perspective. This implied (at least to me) that he'd already determined that a conservative "slant" is right. Neither I nor you (presumably) know whether he prefers to read conservative commentators exclusively, or broadens his horizons by looking at more than one side of the translation and application running gun fights (okay, /hyperbole).

In any case, and my personal preference, is to look deeply into as many viewpoints as time permits, and sift the facts out of the denominational (or other) bias as much as possible. The blessing (and curse) of Logos is that I own so many perspectives that I almost never have the time to read them all. I appreciate both the humor and wisdom of MPseminar's Mo Proctor who says.... keep reading commentaries until you find one that agrees with you.

George Somsel

I appreciate both the humor and wisdom of MPseminar's Mo Proctor who says.... keep reading commentaries until you find one that agrees with you.

Unfortunately, that seems to be how some operate. It makes me wonder why they bother with commentaries at all when they could simply render their own opinion. Perhaps they feel insecure and need someone to bolster their position.

Dan Francis

What about for a commentary? Do you use the WBC more than the Yale then?

AYBC is very uneven and i use WBC much more often… I value having the AYBC but if i hand;t got it on pre pub for a great deal with monthly payments i would't have got it. I do tend to be more liberal but find WBC to be very insightful. Often Anchor is dry and often technical with little theological insight… that is some volumes other volumes are superior in my mind to WBC, but every series has strengths and weaknesses….

-Dan

PS: I love ISBE but in general find AYBD a bit more useful. I want and have both if i could only have one Yale would likely be it for me.

Josh

It puzzles me that one would choose a commentary based on it
"slant." Are you simply seeking someone to confirm your already
determined view on a subject? It seems to me that, whether a commentary
is "conservative" or "liberal", if it's right, it's right.

While I own many commentaries, I personally choose to use the ones that more closely align with my theological positions. This certainly is not because I want someone to confirm my position. I do this because I know these commentaries will be able to supplement my studies in a complementary way.