Writing in your Bible

[Big Chris]

So, do you write in your Bible? How about in your study Bible? I remember when I first decided to start writing in my Bible, to be honest, it took some time, since I was a little apprehensive about writing in a book that contained the Holy Scriptures.  However, once I started to write in my Bible, it opened up the Scriptures to me in a new way. I began feeling like I was interacting with the text on much greater level than before. Not only was I scribbling additional notes and commentary that I found to be useful, but also thoughts and inspirations that came through my reading. Over time I came to develop a system of how I personally annotated my Bible.

I am curious to read if any of you regularly write in your Bible's. Do you have a system?

[Iconodule]

I hate writing in books- it just feels wrong. I think I have some weird book fetishism because I feel like I hurt them by writing in them.

I also can't stand Stephen Mitchell and his garbage Tao Te Ching "translation" but that's another topic.

[JamesRottnek]

I hate writing in books- it just feels wrong. I think I have some weird book fetishism because I feel like I hurt them by writing in them.

This.

[JamesR]

No because it feels to Protestant to me; keeping my notes written within the Bible seems kind of sacreligious like I am defiling the Scriptures with my own notes and opinions. Instead, I prefer to keep a notepad nearby to conduct my writings.

[JamesRottnek]

No because it feels to Protestant to me; keeping my notes written within the Bible seems kind of sacreligious like I am defiling the Scriptures with my own notes and opinions. Instead, I prefer to keep a notepad nearby to conduct my writings.

It's a good thing that the men copying Mark didn't think the same way.

[Big Chris]

No because it feels to Protestant to me; keeping my notes written within the Bible seems kind of sacreligious like I am defiling the Scriptures with my own notes and opinions. Instead, I prefer to keep a notepad nearby to conduct my writings.

I'm too lazy to keep a separate journal.

[orthonorm]

If you are not writing in your texts, you ain't reading.

[GabrieltheCelt]

If you are not writing in your texts, you ain't reading.

This.  I would also like to add "highlighting".

[GabrieltheCelt]

I also can't stand Stephen Mitchell and his garbage Tao Te Ching "translation" but that's another topic.

I can't stand gooseberry cobbler. 

[genesisone]

I rarely make notes or do highlighting in my "good" Bible - simply because I don't want it to be a journal. I can keep a separate notebook if I like, and have done so. However, on a couple of occasions in the past, when I wanted to do a more detailed study, I bought an inexpensive edition - there are cheap paperback editions in the $5-10 range, and even less especially NT only - for marking up.

[LBK]

Question for those who contemplate writing annotations in their Bibles/NTs: Would you consider drawing on, or marking your icons? or annotating your service books? Food for thought.

Far better to have a notebook, appropriately indexed, for one's thoughts and musings.

[primuspilus]

Yeah, I cant write in my bible.

I get irritated when someone lays something on top of it, like a cup of coffee or some piece of mail or something. I find it very disrespectful and I have to move it off immidately.

PP

[recent convert]

A dollar store chain in our region has the KJV for $1; I use one that I bought from there for highlights, notes etc. I figure  there is no need to add notes to the Orthodox Study Bible.

[WeldeMikael]

Same for me.

So I bought a very cheap Bible (the Louis Segond translation (french Bible) .

I allow myself to write on it not because it's a cheap Bible, but because of the "aspect" of the Bible (yes that's kind of weird)

In Christ,
WM

[LBK]

Same for me.

So I bought a very cheap Bible (the Louis Segond translation (french Bible) .

I allow myself to write on it not because it's a cheap Bible, but because of the "aspect" of the Bible (yes that's kind of weird)

In Christ,
WM

That still sounds like cheating. A Bible is a Bible.

[Hiwot]

I hate writing in books- it just feels wrong. I think I have some weird book fetishism because I feel like I hurt them by writing in them.

I absolutely can relate, on the occasion I have underlined something in them, even though I have used a pencil, I felt very guilty for doing that. so now my Bible is full of bookmarks I can write on but  which can sometimes be very annoying as they tend to spill all over the place if I am not careful. I have to come up with  something better  

[Hiwot]

Yeah, I cant write in my bible.

I get irritated when someone lays something on top of it, like a cup of coffee or some piece of mail or something. I find it very disrespectful and I have to move it off immidately.

PP

+1

[Schultz]

With the exception of the dedication and/or family tree pages at the front (or back) of a given Bible, I can't bring myself to write in one, or any book, for that matter.

I used to get into arguments with professors in college who expected us to mark up our books, write in margins and whatnot.  They would think I wasn't doing my reading.

Then I'd whip out the ol' black and white composition book that had entire passages copied out by hand in it.  If I actually write it, I will remember it.  Most backed off, but a couple still thought I was crazy.  

[Big Chris]

Same for me.

So I bought a very cheap Bible (the Louis Segond translation (french Bible) .

I allow myself to write on it not because it's a cheap Bible, but because of the "aspect" of the Bible (yes that's kind of weird)

In Christ,
WM

That still sounds like cheating. A Bible is a Bible.

And this sounds very legalistic.

I can appreciate treating the Bible with respect, and I can appreciate that "respect" is interpreted differently, but a Bible is a Bible, indeed, not a Qur'an.

[WeldeMikael]

Same for me.

So I bought a very cheap Bible (the Louis Segond translation (french Bible) .

I allow myself to write on it not because it's a cheap Bible, but because of the "aspect" of the Bible (yes that's kind of weird)

In Christ,
WM

That still sounds like cheating. A Bible is a Bible.

But I have 3 other Bibles, and I wouldn't dare to write on these 

[LBK]

Same for me.

So I bought a very cheap Bible (the Louis Segond translation (french Bible) .

I allow myself to write on it not because it's a cheap Bible, but because of the "aspect" of the Bible (yes that's kind of weird)

In Christ,
WM

That still sounds like cheating. A Bible is a Bible.

And this sounds very legalistic.

I can appreciate treating the Bible with respect, and I can appreciate that "respect" is interpreted differently, but a Bible is a Bible, indeed, not a Qur'an.

I ask again, Big Chris: Would you mark your icons, or, indeed, annotate your psalter?

[Hiwot]

With the exception of the dedication and/or family tree pages at the front (or back) of a given Bible, I can't bring myself to write in one, or any book, for that matter.

I used to get into arguments with professors in college who expected us to mark up our books, write in margins and whatnot.  They would think I wasn't doing my reading.

Then I'd whip out the ol' black and white composition book that had entire passages copied out by hand in it.  If I actually write it, I will remember it.  Most backed off, but a couple still thought I was crazy.  

Thank you!!! In school I used to see people line up their different color highlighters as they sit to read and just highlight nearly everything on their text book. I cant make myself not notice what they are doing and I get  strongly tempted to snatch it away and run, its like watching a horror flick and a bad one at that.

you are also right about rewriting stuff helping you remember it better, that was actualy how I used to study too.

[witega]

Question for those who contemplate writing annotations in their Bibles/NTs: Would you consider drawing on, or marking your icons? or annotating your service books? Food for thought.

Far better to have a notebook, appropriately indexed, for one's thoughts and musings.

I don't think this analogy holds for icons because there's a functionality difference. People aren't talking about doodling in the margins or drawing smiley faces in all the 'O''s. I can't think of a way that marking on one of my icons would make it more useful for its function. But people highlighting, underlying, and adding annotations in the margins of their bibles are doing so specifically to improve their understanding of the text. Indeed, they are simply doing by hand what the editors of the OSB and most other editions of the printed Bible did via typesetting--and which all would have been done by hand in any era before printing.
(And, btw, most clergy service books that I have seen have been annotated with additional notes and reminders by the priest on what he needs to be doing at this time, correcting translations, etc).



(I, on the other hand, am among those who can't bring myself to mark up any book.)

[Big Chris]

I ask again, Big Chris: Would you mark your icons, or, indeed, annotate your psalter?

Icons:  Why would I need to?

Psalter: Yes, provided there's enough space.  I already have intertextual references marked, for instance.

[ialmisry]

What about all those footnotes and marginal notes?  do they belong in the Bible?

[Agabus]

Dilemma solved: Notetaker's Bibles with margins designed just for that.

[Orthodox11]

I don't highlight or write in my Bibles, partly because I hate writing in books but mainly because nearly every word on the page ends up being highlighted or underlined, which defeats the whole point.

[GabrieltheCelt]

Question for those who contemplate writing annotations in their Bibles/NTs: Would you consider drawing on, or marking your icons? or annotating your service books? Food for thought.

Far better to have a notebook, appropriately indexed, for one's thoughts and musings.

Respectfully though, I see no difference between a "Study" Bible with it's copious notes and my Bible with handwritten notes. 

[Michał Kalina]

Some Priests treat altar Bibles as autograph books for high guests.

[Big Chris]

I don't highlight or write in my Bibles, partly because I hate writing in books but mainly because nearly every word on the page ends up being highlighted or underlined, which defeats the whole point.

Not unless you develop a system.

My system, for instance, is self-limiting.

[TITL]

This is funny. My mom asked me, not too long ago, to get into the habit of writing in my Bible as I'm reading. I didn't do it for a while because I didn't know what it was she expected me to write. I considered cheating off of her Bible, but she writes in Arabic, and I can't really read Anyway, as I was listening to sermons and reading Bible contemplations, I realized that these would make awesome notes! For example, a lot of verses are symbolic and have deeper meanings, so I would jot those down...etc.

It seems a lot of you think writing in a Bible is disrespectful. I never thought of it like that. I certainly would not put a drink or anything on top of my Bible or lean on it while I'm reading. The notebook idea is good, but it's not as convenient to carry around and I'm prone to lose it somewhere. I have a case for my Study Bible with a pencil inside, and since I carry it around a lot, it's just easier to write on the pages (before I forget).

My grandfather's Agpeya is probably quadruple it's size since he bought it because of all his notes and pictures and whatever else he keeps in there. He passed away, but I love opening it up (like an ancient treasure) and reading his short prayers and words of wisdom (it's not all in English though ).

I really should learn to read Arabic. It makes life so much easier.

[JamesRottnek]

This is funny. My mom asked me, not too long ago, to get into the habit of writing in my Bible as I'm reading. I didn't do it for a while because I didn't know what it was she expected me to write. I considered cheating off of her Bible, but she writes in Arabic, and I can't really read Anyway, as I was listening to sermons and reading Bible contemplations, I realized that these would make awesome notes! For example, a lot of verses are symbolic and have deeper meanings, so I would jot those down...etc.

It seems a lot of you think writing in a Bible is disrespectful. I never thought of it like that. I certainly would not put a drink or anything on top of my Bible or lean on it while I'm reading. The notebook idea is good, but it's not as convenient to carry around and I'm prone to lose it somewhere. I have a case for my Study Bible with a pencil inside, and since I carry it around a lot, it's just easier to write on the pages (before I forget).

My grandfather's Agpeya is probably quadruple it's size since he bought it because of all his notes and pictures and whatever else he keeps in there. He passed away, but I love opening it up (like an ancient treasure) and reading his short prayers and words of wisdom (it's not all in English though ).

I really should learn to read Arabic. It makes life so much easier.

I think it's really just LBK who thinks it's disrespectful to write in a Bible; the other people who say they wouldn't seem to be more like myself, and have difficulty writing in books of any sort.

[TITL]

Who are LBK's?

[JamesRottnek]

Who are LBK's?

LBK is the username for one of the St. Patrick icon-avatar users.

[TITL]

Oh 

That's kinda embarrassing. Just ignore me.

[orthonorm]

This is funny. My mom asked me, not too long ago, to get into the habit of writing in my Bible as I'm reading. I didn't do it for a while because I didn't know what it was she expected me to write. I considered cheating off of her Bible, but she writes in Arabic, and I can't really read Anyway, as I was listening to sermons and reading Bible contemplations, I realized that these would make awesome notes! For example, a lot of verses are symbolic and have deeper meanings, so I would jot those down...etc.

It seems a lot of you think writing in a Bible is disrespectful. I never thought of it like that. I certainly would not put a drink or anything on top of my Bible or lean on it while I'm reading. The notebook idea is good, but it's not as convenient to carry around and I'm prone to lose it somewhere. I have a case for my Study Bible with a pencil inside, and since I carry it around a lot, it's just easier to write on the pages (before I forget).

My grandfather's Agpeya is probably quadruple it's size since he bought it because of all his notes and pictures and whatever else he keeps in there. He passed away, but I love opening it up (like an ancient treasure) and reading his short prayers and words of wisdom (it's not all in English though ).

I really should learn to read Arabic. It makes life so much easier.

I think it's really just LBK who thinks it's disrespectful to write in a Bible; the other people who say they wouldn't seem to be more like myself, and have difficulty writing in books of any sort.

Really most single volume Bibles aren't just meant to be written in due to how they are published.

It would be pointless and ultimately destructive.

[TITL]

I only read the Orthodox Study Bible and NKJ, but I wouldn't downgrade any Bible because of it's version. A Bible is still the word of God, even if translated differently. 

[Asteriktos]

Congrats on your 3000th post!

Really most single volume Bibles aren't just meant to be written in due to how they are published.

If God had not intended for us to write in them, then he wouldn't have divinely inspired people to break the text up into chapters and verses, thereby leaving blank space.

[TITL]

90th post.

OCD.

[Benjamin the Red]

I can't bring myself to mark up books in generally, and I especially wouldn't mark up a Bible.

The one exception I make is actually service books. Now, not nice books such as, say, the HTM Psalter or a Jordanville/STS Horologion. My parish uses the little St. Vlad's service booklets (the ones for all the special services like Christmas, Holy Week and Baptisms) and we'll make server's annotations in the margin so we remember when we need to prep the censer, lower/raise the lights, etc.

[GabrieltheCelt]

Who are LBK's?

Wha?!?!  When it comes to Icons, LBK is only the most knowledgeable poster to ever have graced our forum.  If he hasn't written a book on Icons, he could easily do so. 

[TITL]

Icons? He writes them?

[GabrieltheCelt]

..., and I especially wouldn't mark up a Bible.

 To me, note taking is vastly different than "marking up" a book.  When I hear or read the words "marking up", I associate it with a little kid making scribbles with a crayon or pen.    

My wife, God love her, gets bent way out of shape when I "dog ear" a page to mark where I am.  I must remember to buy some "official" bookmarks someday.  

[GabrieltheCelt]

Icons? He writes them?

I don't think he 'writes' or 'paints' (whichever word fits your fancy) Icons.  He's just extremely knowledgeable about them. 

[JamesRottnek]

Congrats on your 3000th post!

Really most single volume Bibles aren't just meant to be written in due to how they are published.

If God had not intended for us to write in them, then he wouldn't have divinely inspired people to break the text up into chapters and verses, thereby leaving blank space.

Damn, had I realized it was coming, I would have made it more memorable.

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