Kindred Bibles

Feb 15

Introducing a new visual Bible that invites readers to experience the Word renewed.

When the folks at KINDRED reached out to me about doing a review of their new line of Bibles, I visited their website and was immediately impressed by what I found. KINDRED publishes individual books of the Bible that are beautifully designed and filled with vibrant, full-colors of images.

My review copies arrived a few weeks ago, and I what I saw online is even more impressive in person. Yes, the KINDRED Bibles will look good on your coffee table, but they also invite you to study the Bible in a fresh way, and I think that’s something many of could use these days.

Keep scrolling for a closer look at The Gospel According to Luke, and make sure you watch my video walkthrough before you go.

KINDRED Gospel of Luke – Overview

After initially releasing the The Gospel According to Mark last year, KINDRED is now set to release a new edition of the Gospel According to Luke, with more releases scheduled for the coming months that will expand their line even further to include all four gospels as well as several other Old Testament and New Testament books.

KINDRED Bibles are an A4 size, which is 8.25” wide and 11.75” tall. They have a sewn binding and are perfect bound for a very clean and modern look. The heavy stock paper has a gloss finish, and the photos are full color. KINDRED notes in their marketing materials that none of the photos feature any man-made materials, which means that what you’re seeing are natural elements of creation as you read through the text.

The text of scripture is a 10pt typeface that is spaced generously and features bold verse numbers. KINDRED uses the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), a Catholic translation that includes an extensive set of cross-reference notations, which are included next to the text in an offset color and smaller font size.

As you can see from my photos, the combination of all of these elements creates a beautiful and unique Bible-reading experience.

FEATURES
• 10pt type size
• 8.25” x 11.75” trim size (A4)
• Sewn Perfect Bound
• Full Color Photography
• Printed on Heavy Stock Gloss Paper
• New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
• Cross-references & translation notes

Accessible and Reflective

I love what KINDRED’s website states about their design philosophy:

Our intentional design approach maintains the biblical texts' sacred nature while creating a more accessible and reflective bible experience... Precise typography detail and ample white space helps deliver and frame each biblical message. Photography is a complementary element to scripture that assists with reflection. We showcase stunning natural photographic features absent of anything man-made to bring the glory back to God.

I was drawn to those two words: accessible and reflective.

That’s exactly what this edition of the Gospel of Luke feels like to me. The uniqueness of this format is quite accessible, especially for those who may not be as familiar with the Bible and would feel overwhelmed with a more traditional format. With the intentional design of giving each passage of the text a fresh start and generous spacing, readers are invited to take their time and really immerse themselves in the words of Scripture. All of this is enhanced by the beautifully imagery, which certainly taps into that side of our brains that learns visually.

I mentioned in my recent video called “How I Study Books of the Bible” that I like to read an entire book of the Bible in one sitting when I set out on a new study, and I think the KINDRED Bibles are an excellent resource for doing just that. They draw you in and allow you to engage with the text in a meaningful way.

An Exciting New Bible-Reading Experience

It’s worth noting that KINDRED has several similarities with Alabaster, which I’ve reviewed in the past. Both brands create a version of individual books of the Bible that are clean, modern, and filled with vibrant imagery. But they’re also different in several significant ways: size, translation, paper type, photography, and inclusion of textual notes. I certainly think there’s room for both, not only in the Bible publishing world, but also on your desk or coffee table.

Bottom Line:
I think the folks at KINDRED have created something beautiful that will help a lot of people engage with the Bible in a fresh way, and I’m excited to add their upcoming editions to my Bible library.