True condensation never interferes with the essential substance of a text.” “It does not cut out whole blocks of text, but is instead a line-by-line cutting process. This is possible through the special technique of condensation which we have developed, and we are the only ones in the world, really, who practice it. “But the Digest Bible offers the whole Bible, reduced by 40 percent. “Of course, these have their own purposes to serve,” he said. Other Bibles made to simplify the text are always either full-text versions or simple abridgments. It is not easy to read the full, original Bible in any version. “The original full-length Bible is very long and tends to be obscure in many places,” he said. Walsh explained why Reader’s Digest undertook this project. “The actual condensation has occupied seven editors for three years.” “We began our preliminary studies five years ago,” he said. Walsh said work on the new Bible was painstakingly cautious. We used only words that actually appeared in the RSV, preferably in the same book we were working on.” By contrast, in condensing ordinary literature, he said, it was proper with the author’s permission in bring in words that would fit in context. In working with the Bible, however, unlike other books, “we could not use any words that came from our editors. As an example, he said editors will change a word or phrase to clarify or shorten it. “We had to adapt it to some extent because of the nature of the Bible,” he said. Walsh said that though the condensing technique developed by Digest editors for the Bible was basically the same one used for other books, there were some differences. He had the sole right of final approval.” Attempts to reach Metzger about the work have been unsuccessful. The work, as it proceeded, was reviewed by him. The initial discussions on each book took place with him. “In fact,” said Walsh, “he was in on it from the beginning. Walsh said Reader’s Digest editors who had professional knowledge of condensing procedure were “specifically trained to work on Bible text.” After that everything was reviewed by Metzger. Bruce Metzger of Princeton Theological Seminary.” (He is a New Testament scholar, chairman of the RSV Bible Committee, author of numerous commentaries, and historical and literary studies.) Jack Walsh, who is overseeing the Bible project, did say that work on it was being done under the direction of “one of the world’s most respected Bible scholars, Dr. Publication date is September 1982, but so far, Digest editors are saying little about it. Editors of the Reader’s Digest are nearing the completion of a major book-condensation project: the entire Bible.
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