CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible
This unique CSB study Bible now comes in a premium edition from Holman’s Handcrafted Collection.
I’m a bit of a history nerd, and one of my favorite courses in seminary was Early Church History. I loved learning about the first leaders of the church and the theology that shaped early Christianity.
The CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible offers an opportunity to interact with the early church fathers while reading and studying the Bible. It’s one of the more unique ideas I’ve come across in the vast world of study Bibles, and I think it works really well.
Holman first published this Bible back in 2019, and now they’ve made it a part of the premium Handcrafted Collection.
Watch the video below to see a full walkthrough of the CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible, and keep scrolling to read my full review with high-resolution photos.
CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible – Overview
The CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible is a large Bible that measures 6.75” x 9.125” x 1.75”. This Handcrafted Collection comes with premium features like an edge-lined goatskin cover, Smyth-sewn binding, double-sided ribbons, and art gilded page edges. Previous editions in hardcover and LeatherTouch are also available. Overall, this Bible looks and feels great on the outside, and I’m a big fan of the soft and pebbly cover.
Inside, you’ll find a common study Bible layout with scripture on the top part of the page in two-columns, and study notes on the bottom portion of the page in three columns. What makes this Bible so unique is that the study notes are all from early church fathers from the second, third, and fourth centuries (people like Irenaeus, Origen, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Augustine, Athanasius, etc.) As you read the text, the study notes offer insights from histories greatest Christian thinkers.
In addition to these study notes, the Ancient Faith Study Bible includes articles, biographical profiles, book introductions, a concordance, maps, and a biographical index. The text is a 9pt font (Bible Serif), and the paper has a yellowish tint (a not to the historical theme). It’s a full Bible, but it offers quire a bit of content that you won’t find anywhere else.
FEATURES
• 9pt typeface
• 6.75” x 9.125” trim size
• 2” thick
• Study Notes from the Early Church Fathers
• Book Introductions
• Articles and Biographical Profiles
• “Twisted Truth” call-outs
• Smyth-sewn binding
• Art gilt page edges
• Double-sided ribbon markers
• Textual footnotes
• Concordance
• Full-color Bible Maps
• Biographical Index
Challenging Engagement
There is an article at the front of the Ancient Faith Study Bible from Trevin Wax (former Director for Bibles and Reference for Lifeway) that is quite insightful. In it, Wax discusses the fact that a Bible like this, filled with notes from a wide array of historical people, will offer some challenges to the modern reader. We might not necessarily agree with everything we read from these thinkers, but we still have the opportunity to interact with them in a unique way. There are a handful “Twisted Truth” call-outs in this Bible that highlight certain places in which the thinking of an early church father went against the grain of orthodoxy, but for the most part readers are given the opportunity to engage with the ancient leaders of the church on their own terms.
I have a feeling that many Christians today have had very little interaction with the majority of these early church fathers (I know that was true of me prior to my time in seminary), and I think a Bible like this one gives people a nice chance to become more familiar with the theology that shaped the early church.
Right For You?
If you’re a fan of history or want to immerse yourself in the thinking of the earliest era of Christianity, the CSB Ancient Faith Study Bible is certainly a Bible worth adding to your library. It’s quite unique in the world of study Bibles, and I think it works very well.
BUY THIS BIBLE*
Handcrafted Collection
• Amazon ($143)
• Christianbook.com ($110)
Imitation Leather
• Amazon ($63)
• Christianbook.com ($47)
Hardcover
• Amazon ($37)
• Christianbook.com ($29)
*Pricing and Availability subject to change, and some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you purchase something after clicking the link. Many of the Bibles I review have been provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
