Posted on 11/29/2012 12:44:22 PM PST by marshmallow
Check back tomorrow as I'm giving away a complete Verbum Basic package from Logos. It includes 226 books and resources —a digital library worth over $2,700!
NOTE: Despite my enthusiasm, I don't work for Logos nor do I receive anything for promoting them outside of testing software. I'm just a huge fan of their products.
I've written twice before about the Logos Bible software. First I shared seven ways it can revolutionize your faith. Then I highlighted the new Logos Catechism app.
But since then, Logos has made several huge improvements. The biggest is that they've re-branded their Catholic arm, "Verbum." This short video from Andrew Jones, Director of Catholic Products, covers more of the biggest improvements:
In my mind, Verbum remains the greatest Biblical tool ever available to the Church. I can't imagine what St. Jerome, St. Augustine, or St. Thomas would have done to get their hands on it.
Thanks to Logos, I got to test-drive the Verbum software, and here are my impressions of their newest features:
1. Verbum, the Catholic Logos.
The newest and most obvious development is Verbum, a separate Logos product line for Catholics. When the company first started, Logos was initially geared toward Protestants. So it was exciting when, a couple years ago, they began moving into the Catholic market. Their early Catholic products were limited to just a few books by the saints and a couple by modern theologians, but it was still encouraging. Over the years they added more titles, including the Catholic editions of the Church fathers, stripped of any anti-Catholic commentary.
But with Verbum, they've taken a huge leap forward. Verbum is still under the Logos umbrella, but it's a specially designed product line and a whole new experience. Recognizing that Catholics study the....
(Excerpt) Read more at brandonvogt.com ...
....does no good, if you won't read the Bible itself.
My husband was one of the beta testers of the original Logos programs. He loves them.
Reality is wasted on the obtuse.
Catholic or Protestant, Logos is the most powerful Bible study program out there. I’m actually hoping they will expand the system to include normal college texts as well.
However, this type of software is killing our (myself included) ability to do real, serious scholarship. It makes it too easy to find little factoids just as you need them, and most of us (myself included) do not commit the kind of study time required to make ourselves true scholars of the Word.
Remember the good old days when you had to spend hours and hours in the library, pouring over book after book, taking stacks of notes to bring together a cogent argument? With Logos’ powerful search engine, you can search your entire library (mine includes some 500 volumes or so) in seconds. And, in the old days, how often while you were searching for information to support your argument, you were instead forced to read (skim over) counter-arguments? By learning the other side’s opinion, you have to form a solid argument for your position.
Consequently, the seminary I briefly attended discouraged the use of Logos. It’s great software. Perhaps, too great.
And, to give my answer to a question raised in the original article: Had the Church Fathers had access to this software, they might not have become the scholars that we treasure today.
Me2. Awesome and FREE. Though some of the plugins have to be purchased if you want to. However, 'for sale' plugins are not required, and I have yet to need any of them.
Many Bibles,concordances, commentaries, maps, and etc. A very, very good tool.
Physician, heal thyself. The Word of God has no equal, needs no defense and has the Truth which sets us free.
While I love (and i mean LOVE) the smell of dusty old tomes, and while I do remember the old days fondly, I am going to have to kindly disagree. Going digital has expanded my knowledge exponentially. Probably more because of the ability to copy/paste than any other thing... And searching text is awesome. I can remember some little bit, plug it into the search engine and be brought directly to the quote I want.
And what you say about 'finding things along the way' still happens for me anyway. The search feature often brings up something I wasn't looking for that hits me in the back of the head.
The only thing I find about digital books is that they can too easily be altered compared to good old paper, and one can programatically sway results by omission and redirection... It is subject to the whim of those doing the programming.
That is not an accusation against anyone particularly - but with everything moving toward 'the cloud' and electronic text, the next tyrant (probably a world tyrant) will have a much easier go at propaganda.
Therefore, I strongly encourage you to read the Bible ... all 73 Books of it.
Therefore, I strongly encourage you to read it ... All of it ... not just the abbreviated version that too many Christians hobble themselves with.
I intended to direct #13 to your attention ...
As it stands now the pretense that non-Catholics are more focused on Scripture than Catholics are is a joke since non-Catholics don't even accept the entire Bible.
So, yes, Physician heal thyself of the hypocrisy you're neck deep in.
Hopefully there is for computers in regards to this new program, one for Apple Mac users as well.
bfl
There are a number of Catholic FReepers here that read the Bible regularly, and I tip my hat to all of them for doing so. But generally speaking, "Catholics don't read the Bible" is a perception with some basis in fact. Even with the "whole Bible", polls shows that most Catholics don't bother to any of it:
According to a study released in September by Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion, evangelical Protestants are a whopping eight times more likely than Catholics to read the Bible on a weekly basis. Of course, the survey only looked at private Bible reading; it did not take into account the Scripture passages Catholics take in at every Mass. Still, we tip our hats to our separated brothers and sisters in Christ for their zeal for the Word of God.
-- "Get Cracking, Catholics!", National Catholic Register, Publication dated November 18 2006
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.