Light Speed Bible Released as Answer to Busy Lives
A new version of the Bible promises busy people to speed read the whole book just 24 hours.
by Jennifer Gold
Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2005, 18:21 (BST)
A new version of the Bible promises busy people to speed read the whole book just 24 hours. The new "Light Speed Study Bible" has a speed-reading approach with a contemporary version to help readers read through the whole Bible in no time.
The Light Speed Bible, which uses the Holman Christian Standard translation, is edited by William Proctor, graduate of Harvard Law School and former copy editor of New York, and published by Broadman & Holman Publishers. The Light Speed Bible does not leave out anything from the original Scriptures, according to editor Proctor.
Proctor says the idea is to empower people to read every word of the Bible fast, yes, but to understand it, too. He said studies show that factual comprehension increases for readers using speed techniques.
Key verses of the new edition have been underlined and the usual subheads have been inserted twice. Proctor’s plan is for readers to first scan a text at just five seconds a page. Then they go back and read mostly subheads and underlined words. Then they return for a third go-over. He calls the steps Light Speed, Landmark Speed and Learning Speed. Using this method, he aims for readers to reach 800 to 900 words per minute. An optional fourth step is a meditative speed, Proctor said.
According to Proctor, the Light Speed Bible is not to replace devotional reading, but getting through reading the whole Bible will enhance a reader’s study later on.
"The Bible is arguably the most-owned but least-read book in the world, a disheartening observation for those who know that the Scriptures can revolutionize lives and societies," the publisher said. An effective, accessible strategy for Bible reading is desperately needed, the publisher said.
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The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Monday, November 10, 2008, 17:51 (GMT)
Great idea! I looked through one of these at a leadership conference at Bethany World prayer center in Baton Rouge in October. Wow! I was very impressed. It leaves nothing out, and it makes the Bible easier to follow. I love the Bible, and read it everyday. Like this sight says, there are different speeds to read for different purposes, and I believe this Bible will be best used to equip new believers with solid Biblical understanding at a faster pace, because it is easier to follow, and less intimidating. Once they have read this Bible through a few times, they can move on to other, "deeper" Bibles. The great thing is that this is a tool to use to empower God's people with God's word so they can make their way to prosper, and not be defeated by the Devil in their lives because of a lack of Biblical understanding.
david mehaffie, Independence, Mo, usa
Added: Wednesday, July 25, 2007, 3:14 (BST)
I think we're are trying to accomodate ourselves too much. If Jesus could spend an entire night praying how is it that we cannot take at least half an hour out of our "busy" lives to read God's word. Does not God deserve the best of us? including the best of our time? Why not try the Daily Walk Bible, which is the bible divided so that you can read it entirely in a year, its very doable, and its not a synthesis of the bible, nor a shortened version of the bible.
God Bless!
Rita, santo domingo, Dominican Republic
