Pastoral Theology: Biblical Studies

We have a subscription to the Philosophy  and Biblical Studies modules of the Oxford Bibliographies Online.  Selective committees of specialists have created biblliographies of what they consider core materials for study in the areas covered by the modules.  Try either or both modules below to see how the database works.  Note: there are a few categories in the Philosophy module of interest to philosophy of religion and other theology-related areas, and vice-versa.  Also, check out the links, LINUS or the Journal Page to see if LMU owns the book or article.

There are numerous Reference books on the Bible and on religion and individual religions. You can browse physical volumes in the REF BS section. They range from dictionaries to encyclopedias, from concordances to commentaries. Some are also online, but many are not. Use LINUS and the Getting Started page in this guide to search for books.  Try to find the best reference book for your particular purpose, rather than just stick to one format! A Reference librarian can help with this. ASK!

Dictionaries

• Penguin Dictionary of the Bible A good recent one-volume dictionary.
  

Word Study Tools

• The Anchor Bible Dictionary (6 volumes)
  A good place to look up Biblical words, concepts, and people. Good background as you begin your study.
  Note: also available as a searchable database on the LOGOS Bible Software CD-ROM, networked on the Reference area computers in the Library.

• Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (15 volumes) (Botterweck) REF BS 440 .B5713                                               A highly professional Bible tool, using very focused in-depth articles to cover the linguistic history and usage history of the Hebrew and Aramaic words in the Hebrew Testament.

Concordances

• NRSV Concordance Unabridged REF BS 425 .K645 1991 NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION

• Analytical Concordance to the Bible (Young) REF BS 425 .Y7 1955 KING JAMES VERSION

• Synopsis of the Four Gospels : Greek-English edition      
  This book lines up the pericopes/stories in each Gospel with the same or similar stories in the other Gospels. The outline of all the combined Gospel stories at the end of this book is an easy way to find the specific verses for the specific pericope you want.

Atlases

• Biblica: The Bible Atlas "A Social and Historical Journey Through the Lands of the Bible."
• Oxford Bible Atlas Genesis to Revelation, full-color maps.

"Combination Tools"

• Oxford Bible Studies Online A mixed database of book and periodical articles, essays, pictures, maps, etc.  A good place to start Bible research.
  

• Bibloi CD-ROM database -  Contains the Bible in the original languages and in several translations (including the NRSV), as well as dictionaries and other Biblical tools.  You can pull up the text in both English and the original language. Bibloi gives you the possibility to create your own word or phrase concordance for a Biblical word or phrase.  Be sure to pick the translation you are using (unless you read Hebrew and/or Greek).  Access in the Library; set computer to PC/Windows platform, then go into Programs and select Bibloi.

To find books on an individual book of the Bible, use LINUS, our online Catalog.

Search LINUS, the LMU Library Catalog

LINUS is in transition to a new system of cataloging (called 'RDA') which will eventually make for a more complete searching experience.  During this transitional period, most of the Biblical Subject Headings will be changing to the new, simpler system.  However, some materials (chiefly e-books) are placed in LINUS by vendors outside LMU; for these outside entries, only the older system (Bible.  O. T. ....  and Bible.  N.T.  ...) will work.

NOTE:  The LINK+ catalog is also in transition!  Use both the older O.T./N.T. formulas and the new wording when searching LINK+!

Try these formulas as SUBJECT HEADINGS (use dropdown) in LINUS above to see the difference:

Bible [which book..(which chapter... which verses)] - Commentaries for the bulk of our holdings

Bible [which Testament...which book ... (which chapter ... which verses)] - Commentaries for only e-books entered into LINUS from outside LMU

Examples:

Bible. Genesis - Commentaries  This heading will create a list of books and most e-books which are formal commentaries on Genesis.

Bible. O.T. Genesis - Commentaries This heading will list only those e-books that are entered into LINUS from outside LMU

Bible. Mark - Commentaries  Gets over a hundred titles, including books and most of the e-books.

Bible. N.T. Mark - Commentaries  Gets very few, if any titles.

Bible.  Matthew I-Xiii - Commentaries  Gets a title focused on Chapters 1-13 of the Gospel of Matthew.

Bible. N.T. Matthew I-Xiii - Commentaries Gets no hits.

Bible. Peter. 2nd - Commentaries   Use this formula for numbered epistles, e.g. 1st Corinthians, 2nd Thessalonians, etc.

Bible. Luke - Criticism, interpretation, etc.  Lots of results (Searches for books/e-books that critique the Bible that are not strictly commentaries)

Bible. N.T. Luke - Criticism, Interpretation, etc.  A good number of e-books only.  But not nearly all the books and e-books we have for you.

These are sample one-volume commentaries on the WHOLE BIBLE. See below for volumes on a particular BOOK of the Bible.

Multivolume works like the New Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible [REF BS 491.2 .N484 1994] cover one or more Biblical books per volume. There are several multivolume commentary sets in the Main Stacks. Ask for help finding them.

Link to 'Bibliotheque' to reach catalog:  http://biblio.ebaf.info/