Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Saturday, July 6, 2002
Software Offers Hundreds of Volumes for Bible Study
by John Armistead
A computer-savy preacher is literally only a click away from in-depth Bible study with "Scholar's Library – Logos Bible Software Series X" (Logos Research Systems, $599.99).
The program contains a huge library of English Bibles, Bible dictionaries and concordances, commentaries, plus original language texts and tools. In all, more than 230 Bibles and Bible reference titles worth, according to the publisher, more than $5,000 are included in the package. The program is billed as "a comprehensive library for serious Bible Study using Greek, Hebrew, and English resources."
A search on a biblical verse or passage can produce the text in parallel English versions or do a quick exegetical study of the passage or search the entire library for references to the passage. The Bible student can enter a Bible passage (e.g., John 3:16) or, if the exact reference is not known, a phrase (e.g., "loved the world"), or a topic (like "world") and the software pulls out all the relevant material.
Fifteen English Bibles, four Bible dictionaries, two topical Bibles, plus various books on church administration, church history, and devotional literature can be summoned up with a quick double click of the mouse. The program also includes personal tools like a systematic daily Bible reading plan and prayer list.
"Scholar's Library" contains some indispensable scholarly tools (like the Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, and Dauber Greek Lexicon, Kittel's "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament" (abridged) and Nestle Aland 27th edition Greek New Testament text, Biblia Hebraica, Stuttgartensia, and Biblia Sacra Vulgata (the Vulgate)). The original language texts and the Latin text, however, are without critical apparatus, a serious deficit for a serious study of the text.
All the commentaries are quite conservative, some out of print (and out of date) and there is a decidedly Dallas Theological Seminary and premillenial dispensationalist perspective to the collection. The inclusion of a few more-to-the-middle-of-the-road works would have given better balance. Also, the "Home School & Christian Education" is primarily a collection of creationist and anti-evolutionary works.
Interestingly enough, the program contains two (and only two) Christian novels: John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," and Charles Sheldon's "In His Steps."
One of the frustrations of trying on the new software is that the package contains no operations manual and help files are rarely much help. On-line assistance, however, can be found from independent sources who have already stumbled along the same pathway as the novice user.
There are upgrade options available for the user, some free, others which can be purchased. It is hoped Logos will provide commentaries which will balance those currently available, and, at some point in time, offer critical apparatus for the Greek, Hebrew and Latin texts.
In spite of these lacks, "Scholar's Library – Logos Bible Software Series X" is well-worth having for the busy pastor. Sermon preparation time can be enhanced and quite possibly reduced without sacrificing the quality of the study. Both ministers and congregations can benefit as a result.
© 2002 by Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Used by permission.