Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

1. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

2. General Reference Bible Encyclopedias Bible Dictionaries Atlases Concordances Special Resource Tools Books, monographs Periodical Databases Electronic resources Bibliographies Unpublished materials Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

3. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Begin with general reference works. • These resources provide an overview of the material. • Once this information has been mastered, it is comparatively easy to move on to specific resources as you gather additional data.

4. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Task number one is to become familiar with a few proven general reference works—e.g., encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.—that are designed by their arrangement and treatment to be consulted for definite items of information.

5. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • These resources give an overview of the subject. • Once you have defined the parameters of your topic, you can enlarge your understanding by reading more specialized monographs. • This done you will be in a position to read with greater understanding the kind of information contained in journal articles.

6. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • As you begin to evaluate general reference works, you should focus on the following specifics: • Accuracy • Authority • Scope • Currency of the information • Arrangement (including ease of use) • Special features

7. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • As you use the general tools— • Take note of the writer’s and observe how he unfolds the subject matter. • Learn about those who have contributed in one way or another to the body of knowledge that has grown up around the subject. • Plot the topic’s historic development.

8. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • As you use the general tools— • Ascertain the limitations and scope of your topic. • Check the bibliography at the end of the article. (Is it impartial?) • Learn the representative works on this topic. • Note when these contributions were made.

9. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • “Who are the ‘Kluniaks’?” • Checked the index volume of James Hastings’ Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. • There found a lengthy article on “Monasticism” with an entire section devoted to the founding of the Cluniacs. • This article, together with other resources located through the bibliography, took only a few moments to locate.

10. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • “Who are the ‘Kluniaks’?” • The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics (often cited as HERE), edited by James Hastings ( 12 vols. plus index; 1908-27), is a comprehensive work with long, scholarly, signed articles dealing with “all the religions of the world and all the great systems of ethics,” together with a wide variety of theological and philosophical topics.

11. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • “Who are the ‘Kluniaks’?” • It incluces a discussion of religious beliefs and customs, and moral practices. Also to be found within these volumes is data on anthropology, folklore, mythology, biology, psychology, economics, and sociology—and the people and places connected with a variety of diverse events or practices. Extensive, though now dated, bibliographies conclude most articles. A comprehensive index, together with a list of articles titles and an exhaustive subject index conclude the work.

12. R BL31 .E44

16. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • “Who are the ‘Kluniaks’?” • “Cluniacs” or “Cluny” or “Monasticism” not found in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible or Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible.

17. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • “Who are the ‘Kluniaks’?” • If you cannot get to a larger took like Hastings with an index, consult tools like: • The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church • The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church • The Wycliffe Biographical Dictionary of the Church • Who Was Who in Church History

20. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, edited by that master cataloguer James Hastings, assisted by John A. Selbie, et. al., 13 vols. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1908-12) has given way to a revision under a new title, The Encyclopedia of Religion, ed. Mircea Eliade, 15 vols. and index vol. (New York: Macmillan, 1987). Abbreviated EnRel, this work concerns itself with almost every conceivable topic germane to the religions of the world and should be consulted on theologically significant biblical terminology. “Baptism,” for example, is treated in its Hindu, Jewish, Moslem, and Polynesian contexts, to mention but a few. (Danker, 157)

21. R BL31 .E46 1987 R BL 31 .E46 R BL31 .E46

22. ISBE “Atonement” ISBE “Atonement”

25. IDB “Atonement” IDB “Atonement”

27. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Dictionary • Technically a Bible dictionary is an alphabetical arrangement of the words found in the Bible with definitions or explanations attached. • By definition it should be limited to biblical terms only. • Are many terms not strictly biblical, but closely related—canon, millennialism, typology, versions, etc.

28. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Dictionary • Technically a Bible dictionary is an alphabetical arrangement of the words found in the Bible with definitions or explanations attached. • By definition it should be limited to biblical terms only. • Are many terms not strictly biblical, but closely related—canon, millennialism, typology, versions, etc.

29. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Dictionary • Technically a Bible dictionary is an alphabetical arrangement of the words found in the Bible with definitions or explanations attached. • Such topics may be covered in an appendix or additional volume. • By including such topics in spite of the definition. • By calling the work an encyclopedia.

30. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Encyclopedia (instruction in a circle) • A series of articles embracing the whole range of a discipline, usually in alphabetical order. • Religious encyclopedias deal mainly with theological terms, ecclesiastical and exegetical history, the history of religion, patristics, biography and other general themes with little reference to purely biblical details.

31. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Encyclopedia (instruction in a circle) • Bible encyclopedias by definition treat biblical material and topics directly related to the Bible completely and thoroughly.

32. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • How do I decide which to consult? • For quick reference or basic information (e.g., I am working on another topic, but encounter a term I am not that familiar with and need quick information) go to a Bible dictionary.

33. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • How do I decide which to consult? • For-- • 1) probing the parameters of a topic; • 2) finding very specific information; • 3) ascertaining who the leaders are (were) in contributing to the growth of knowledge in a particular area. • Consult an encyclopedia.

34. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. • 1) Size. • The average Bible student may not need the large four- or five-volume encyclopedia. • On the other hand, the teacher and preacher cannot get along with a one-volume dictionary.

35. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. • 2) Date. • Authors and editors of smaller works are more likely to put out new editions in order to keep up with the rapid advance of knowledge. • This is a much more difficult undertaking for the larger works.

36. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. • 2) Date. • But be careful about making the date of publication too important. • “Even though a century has passed since the first volume was published, many articles in these pages are still superior to, and more comprehensive than, articles on the same subjects appearing in any other similar work.” Wilbur M. Smith in the Introduction to the1968-70 reprint of M’Clintock and Strong.

37. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. • 3) Signed articles. • Articles in the larger encyclopedias (and sometimes the smaller dictionaries) have been written my many different authors. • Their names or initials appear at the end of the articles. • This is important for your citation of the article. • This may also help you to judge the general trend of the article.

38. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. • 4) General trend of the work with regard to theology and biblical criticism. • How to determine? Analyze key articles. • Look at the article on Isaiah in Encyclopedia Biblica; T. K. Cheyne the editor and also the author of the article. • “It is too bold to maintain that we still have any collection of Isaianic prophecies which in its present form goes back to the period of that prophet.” (Vol. 2, p. 2193)

39. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. (Barber’s answers) • 1) Is it authoritative? Is the editor a person of repute? Have the articles been signed (the assumption being that if a person’s name concludes the article, he or she will have taken extra special care in writing it)? Are the contributors people of established reputation?

40. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. (Barber’s answers) • 2) Why was this work written (i.e., what need did the editor seek to meet), and for whom? (This information is generally found in the Introduction or Preface.)

41. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. (Barber’s answers) • 3) What is its scope? (i.e., is the coverage comprehensive?) Are the articles long or short? Is the thrust biblical or theological, denominational (e.g., Roman Catholic, Mennonite, Reformed, etc.), inter-faith, national or international?

42. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. (Barber’s answers) • 4) How up to date is it? Is it an entirely new work, or has it been based on an earlier edition with the same or a different title? How reliable are the maps, charts, money conversions, et cetera?

43. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Factors in deciding which tools to use. (Barber’s answers) • 5) What are the recognizable strong points? What features make this work superior to any others? Does it have any weaknesses or acknowledged limitations?

44. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Dictionary • Technically a Bible dictionary is an alphabetical arrangement of the words found in the Bible with definitions or explanations attached. • Such topics may be covered in an appendix or additional volume. • By including such topics in spite of the definition. • By calling the work an encyclopedia.

45. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Why should I own or at least regularly consult several? • For serious work I cannot be satisfied with partial evidence. • Libraries keep a vast range of books because no one book contains all the information one needs or desires. • Especially true of dictionaries; need the up-to-date for latest discoveries; need the old ones for quality.

46. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • Why should I own or at least regularly consult several? • Using a variety of tools helps one to learn to judge the quality of evidence he finds; that is part of the maturation process as a student and scholar.

47. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • The use one may make of these volumes will vary from time to time. Perhaps one of their chief values, in addition to the capsuling of information, is the select bibliographies the larger works offer on most subjects. These must, of course, be brought up to date, but not all the standard works of yesteryear are antiquated in all their parts, and the supplementary volumes will help keep one abreast. To save time in research, it is wise to go directly to any index or index volume appended to the work. If the dictionary includes an index of Greek terms, additional resources are opened. Thus one can readily find Benjamin Warfield’s article on “Little Ones,” HDCG, vol. 2, which illumines such passages as Matt. 18:6; Mark 9:42; and Luke 17:2. Most commentaries carry only a few lines of explanation. Warfield expends almost six columns in an effort to demonstrate that the phrase has reference to the humble disciples of Jesus.

48. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • It is wise to keep in mind the varying accents of the different dictionaries and encyclopedias. If, for example, the subject is “Baptism;’ it might be well to get the general picture out of one of the standard Bible dictionaries, but for specific Jewish considerations JE should be consulted. For an exalting religious experience as well as an unanticipated exegetical reward James Cooper’s article on “Nunc Dimittis,” HDCG vol. 2, should be read, but for liturgical fortunes CE is the work to check.

49. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • A random comparison of entries suggests the importance of making use of more than one dictionary. For example, ISBE not only contains specific entries on Bible commentaries and Bible dictionaries but also lists outstanding commentaries at the end of each article on a biblical book, whereas ABD offers no such detailed information in these two categories. Although the number of volumes in ABD exceeds those in ISBE, the latter has eleven columns in the entry “Apostolic Council,” and ABD only three under “Jerusalem, Council of.” (Danker, 151)

50. Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias • A certain amount of ingenuity must be held in reserve to tap these catalogued treasures. A case in point, when looking for older material on concordances I had no difficulty in finding an excellent treatment under “Concordances” in M’Clintock and Strong, but I had to go to “Greek Language” to check on older editions of New Testament grammars and lexicons. Sometimes the encyclopedia is itself inconsistent. Schaff.Herzog, for example, carries an article on New Testament lexicons but none on New Testament grammars. Such differences in the selection and arrangement of material can be most frustrating.