Help Deciding on a Resource

[Robb B]

The sale for Apple's 30th Anniversary is a great opportunity to purchase some new resources. Right now I am trying to decide between the IVP Reference Collection and the Anchor Bible Dictionary. I've read some reviews on both sets' printed editions, but I'd like to know which one the Accordance user community would recommend that I purchase. Thanks for your input!

[Gregory Dietrich]

Robb,

 

I'll be honest, I don't know much about ABD except that David Lang spent a ton of time and effort making it (I learned that at Wheaton training). I do know this though, my IVP Dictionary books are some of my favorite resources I have. I own both the Accordance modules and many of the print versions. They are very articulate and maintain a fairly conservative approach. If I were at your juncture, I would definitly be going with IVP.

 

GAD

[Robb B]

Gregory, thanks for your response! I much appreciate it. Any other input from anyone?

[George Lozano]

Gregory, thanks for your response! I much appreciate it. Any other input from anyone?

 

 

I agree with Gregory, go with the IVP module.

 

From all accounts, the ABD is a great resource and I hope to buy it sometime later this year. I purchased the IVP module a year ago when it was on sale and I have not been dissapointed. First, it is an absolutely great value when you consider the number of books you get and how much they would all cost. Before I made my purchase I listed how much it would cost me if I purchased each volume separately from Amazon versus the Accordance module. The difference in price was staggering. Second, while focused on the NT, it contains articles on a broad number of topics, many of which are very detailed. I especially like the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. It is a very unique resource. Third, I appreciate the conservative viewpoint of the contributors.

 

If you have to chose between the IVP and the ABD, especially if you use it for preaching, I definitely would recommend IVP. Get the ABD later.

 

George

[Helen Brown]

It all depends what you are looking for. My feeling is that:

 

Anchor Bible Dictionary is the best, in-depth, and up to date resource of its kind. It gives you "more than you will ever want to know on any topic in or about the Bible" as I tell our customers. The writers are mixed in their theological backgrounds, though, so you may not always agree with them.

 

The Essential IVP Reference Library has an excellent set of dictionaries and commentaries that represent the best modern conservative scholarship. It is solidly conservative, and the dictionaries do not cover the breadth of material that is in ABD, but it does have a broader range of types of resource.

[RPat]

Hi:

 

My recommendation is, if you can, go to a University or Seminary Library and look through the ABD (Anchor Bible Dictionary) and the IVP materials to see which has the focus and type of scholarship you're looking for.

 

Since these all available in print you can get a good idea if they meet your requirements. As Helen pointed out the scholarship ranges widely in the ABD. This is not a problem if you are a critical reader and are looking for up-to-date scholarship, etc.

 

In addition, many articles in the ABD assume you have a base in modern historical and biblical scholarship. It has no problem throwing words like "Heilsgeschite"; "Weltanshung", J, P, LBE, Elohist etc. around. If you love that level of reading, then its great!

 

Feel free to ask any additional questions.

 

Blessings,

 

Rich

[Robert Floyd]

In addition, many articles in the ABD assume you have a base in modern historical and biblical scholarship. It has no problem throwing words like "Heilsgeschite"; "Weltanshung", J, P, LBE, Elohist etc. around. If you love that level of reading, then its great!

 

I'm not a theologian, nor do I play one on TV. However, I enjoy using the ABD for my personal study/class preparation. It is a challenging read, but that's the point: I learn something interesting every time I hit it. I definitely don't agree with all the theological perspectives, but I always come away with my mind stretched a bit, A Very Good Thing.

 

When I run across a term I don't understand, it's a simple matter to copy it into the Safari search bar and do a little digging that way. At some point, I may pick up the IVP collection, but my next planned purchase is the NIDNTT (too bad it isn't on sale this month).

 

One example of how the ABD helps me: last Wednesday, during Bible study, a question came up regarding canon and how books were determined to be part of it. I was able to run out to the car, grab my PowerBook and run a quick ABD search for canon, which produced some insights that were useful for the discussion (I wasn't teaching the class).

 

Accordance and a laptop are a potent combination. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to use my laptop as my sole teaching tool for Bible study classes. If it wasn't a 17" behemoth, I'd probably already be doing so.

 

Robert Floyd

Durham, NC

[Joel Brown]

One example of how the ABD helps me: last Wednesday, during Bible study, a question came up regarding canon and how books were determined to be part of it. I was able to run out to the car, grab my PowerBook and run a quick ABD search for canon, which produced some insights that were useful for the discussion (I wasn't teaching the class).

 

Accordance and a laptop are a potent combination. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to use my laptop as my sole teaching tool for Bible study classes. If it wasn't a 17" behemoth, I'd probably already be doing so.

 

Robert Floyd

Durham, NC

 

Though I'll be the first one to admit I'm a bit biased, I've been using my laptop (and just my laptop) in Bible Studies for 2 years now, and that only started then cause thats when I got my first laptop. When I ever have to lead a study too, all of my research and presentation is done on Accordance, using just that and an outline I've prepared in Pages. Personally, I've even braved bringing the laptop instead of a Bible to church a few times, but I still feel pretty awkward doing that, so its not often. I also know that whenever the lead programmer leads his own bible study, its been almost completely Accordance based for 5+ years, with everything on just the laptop and projector. Of course, having that type of power is actually a bit dangerous, as often an instigator (usually me ) will ask some question regarding the Greek or Hebrew behind it, knowing how easy it is to get to, which then gives us a 20 minute tangent. I could go off for 10 minutes about all of the times people know I'm using Accordance and ask me to look something up in either the original languages, Atlas, Timeline, or commentary.

[William Varner]

Let me disagree with some of your respondents. I think that ABD has it over the IVP Reference Books. I have most of the IVP in hard copy. They are good, but ABD sets the standard. Yes, I know about the higher-critical tendency of some authors, but you may be surprised what you read in that regard from some IVP authors. And there is a large number of evangelical contributors to ABD. I like the different ways in which one can search ABD, but maybe the search features in IVP are the same. There are also some topics in ABD that are not in IVP (remember, ABD comprises 5 huge volumes). I have forgotten what the price is for the IVP, but cost may be a factor, although not a big one.

 

Will