Stefana Dan Laing, an associate professor at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, spent the evening of Jan. 27 celebrating the launch of the new CSB Women’s Study Bible.
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She and her husband, John, are active in Alabama Baptist life and involved in a variety of ministry efforts.
Sharing with the group of about 50 at the Global Center on campus, Laing, general editor for the new Bible, acknowledged plenty of study Bibles already exist. Why be so excited about another one?
“Women’s ministry — and the world — has changed in the past 20 to 30 years,” she said. “We believe one of the best ways to equip Christian women in this moment as everything is shifting is to draw them back to basics, particularly the timelessness of the Scripture.
“We want to equip them with a study Bible that will illuminate the text in its historical and cultural context situated within the larger history of the church and model sound interpretation,” she explained. “We want to model that through the study notes and other materials available.”
‘Not about women; it’s about God’
Laing noted, “We want to … provide a robust Bible … helpful to a woman as she studies and helpful to those [she is] discipling. Our study Bible treats the reader as a student of the Scripture first and as a woman second. It is not about women; it is about God. The Scripture is about God and speaks to women and to men. It is for us (to) learn about God … and be confronted by the text.”
Beeson Dean Doug Sweeney and his wife, Wilma, were among those in attendance at the launch event. They shared their excitement over the work Laing has done through extensive research, collecting of materials and developing the final version of what is now available. She’s the first from Beeson to serve at this level related to new Bible releases, he said.
“Several of us have helped with study Bibles over the years, though no one has put as much work into a single study Bible as Stefana,” said Sweeney, who contributed to Crossway’s Church History Study Bible.
Beeson’s contributions to study Bibles
Others from Beeson who have contributed to Bible projects include:
•Paul House served as general editor of the ESV Concise Study Bible as well as on the original translation team for the Holman Christian Standard Bible and New Living Translation.
•Mark Gignilliat served as adviser on The Voice Bible paraphrase (contributed introductions to the Minor Prophets in the forthcoming ESV Junior Study Bible).
•Allen Ross (retired) was on the original translation team for the New Living Translation.
•Ken Mathews served on the original translation team for the New Living Translation.
•The late Calvin Miller served on the original translation team for the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
•Brent Kinman served on the original translation team for the Holman Christian Standard Bible.
•Frank Thielman served on the translation oversight committee for the English Standard Version.
•Tim Tennent contributed to the NIV Study Bible.
And those with Beeson ties who assisted with the new CSB Women’s Study Bible are:
—Sydney Park, faculty, note writer for the Gospel of Mark, 1 Corinthians and a number of focused articles in those books.
—Noel Forlini Burt, alumna, note writer for the book of Jonah.
—J. Norfleete Day, emerita/retired faculty, note writer for the Gospel of John.
—Kristen Padilla, former staff, note writer for the book of Amos.
For more information on the new study Bible, visit bhpublishinggroup.com.
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