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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Douay-Rheims Version - HistoryThe Douay-Rheims Version, which contains the Apocrypha, is the foundation on which nearly all English Catholic versions are still based. It was translated by Gregory M...
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Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
What is the Douay-Rheims Version? The Douay-Rheims Bible is a foundational English translation of the Bible for English-speaking Catholics, originally translated from the Latin Vulgate by English scholars at the College of Douai and Reims in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, with its New Testament (Rheims) published in 1582 and Old Testament (Douai) in 1609-1610, later revised by Bishop Richard Challoner. It served as the primary English Catholic Bible for centuries and remains an essential version for traditional Catholics, known for its adherence to the Vulgate, extensive commentary, notes, and inclusion of deuterocanonical books. [Deuterocanonical means “second canon."] The deuterocanonical books of the Bible are not viewed as divinely inspired by Jews or most Protestants. Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians do consider them inspired. Characteristics: 1: Source Text: Translated from the Latin Vulgate, the standard Bible text for the Catholic Church for centuries, rather than directly from Hebrew or Greek. 2: Publication: New Testament in 1582 (Rheims), Old Testament in 1609-1610 (Douai). 3: Challoner Revision: The most common version today is Bishop Richard Challoner's revision (1749-1752), which updated the language for easier reading. [Challoner borrowed heavily from the language of the King James Version (KJV) while ensuring the text remained faithful to Catholic doctrine and the Latin Vulgate.] 4: Catholic Identity: It was the sole English Catholic Bible for over 300 years and includes books like Tobit and Judith, considered deuterocanonical, notes Wikipedia. 5: Style: Features rich, sometimes complex, language and extensive marginal notes reflecting Catholic tradition and polemics. [Polemic is something that stirs up controversy by having a negative opinion, usually aimed at a particular group.] 6: Provided English-speaking Catholics with their own Bible during the Reformation era, differing from Protestant translations like the King James Version. For over 300 years, it was the only authorised English Bible for Roman Catholics. Today, while newer translations like the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSV-CE) are more common in modern liturgy, the Douay-Rheims remains the preferred version for many traditionalist Catholics.
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