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| − | The '''Thompson Chain Reference Bible''' is a topical study [[Bible]] originally published in 1908, and currently currently published by Zondervan. | + | The '''Thompson Chain Reference Bible''' is a topical study [[Bible]] originally published in 1908, and currently currently published by Zondervan. This approach is a terrific way to learn the entire Bible with its harmony among its different parts. |
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| | ==Description== | | ==Description== |
| − | As a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Genesee in New York, and disappointed with the study bibles of his day due to lack of material as well as cohesion, [[Frank C. Thompson]] in 1890 first wrote down his "thought suggestions" on paper and in the margins of his personal Bible. These in turn were seen by his parishioners, who, in addition to his wife, encouraged him to complete his work and get it published. Gradually, his "thought suggestions" went from one verse to the next related verse, connecting them into what he called "chains" of specific topics; the work was completed in 1908, and based upon the King James Version. In 1913 he would partner with B. B. Kirkbride and create a new publishing company, producing five editions over more than a century before the rights were sold to HarperCollins in 2020<ref>https://www.harpercollinschristian.com/blog/2020/12/03/harpercollins-christian-publishing-acquires-the-thompson-chain-reference-bible-assets/</ref>. Thompson himself would supervise each edition until his passing on May 3, 1940 in Santa Monica, California<ref>https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33694741/frank-charles-thompson</ref>. | + | As a minister in the [[Methodist Episcopal Church]] of Genesee in [[New York]], and disappointed with the study bibles of his day due to lack of material as well as cohesion, [[Frank C. Thompson]] in 1890 first wrote down his "thought suggestions" on paper and in the margins of his personal Bible. These in turn were seen by his parishioners, who, in addition to his wife, encouraged him to complete his work and get it published. Gradually, his "thought suggestions" went from one verse to the next related verse, connecting them into what he called "chains" of specific topics; the work was completed in 1908, and based upon the King James Version. In 1913 he would partner with B. B. Kirkbride and create a new publishing company, producing five editions over more than a century before the rights were sold to HarperCollins in 2020<ref>https://www.harpercollinschristian.com/blog/2020/12/03/harpercollins-christian-publishing-acquires-the-thompson-chain-reference-bible-assets/</ref>. Thompson himself would supervise each edition until his passing on May 3, 1940 in Santa Monica, California<ref>https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33694741/frank-charles-thompson</ref>. |
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| | With the publication of the fifth edition in 1988, the Thompson Chain Reference Bible contained more than 100,000 cross references on many topics, filed within a "topical index" at the end of the Bible itself, and arranged both numerically and alphabetically<ref>https://www.zondervan.com/p/thompsonchainreference/howitworks/</ref>. The chain system is unbiased; there is no running commentary within the text, leaving it one of the very few study Bibles which lacks this feature. In addition, the following additional helps were placed as instructional and educational material: | | With the publication of the fifth edition in 1988, the Thompson Chain Reference Bible contained more than 100,000 cross references on many topics, filed within a "topical index" at the end of the Bible itself, and arranged both numerically and alphabetically<ref>https://www.zondervan.com/p/thompsonchainreference/howitworks/</ref>. The chain system is unbiased; there is no running commentary within the text, leaving it one of the very few study Bibles which lacks this feature. In addition, the following additional helps were placed as instructional and educational material: |
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| | ::An index of topics and associated chains of texts. | | ::An index of topics and associated chains of texts. |
| | *Outline studies of the Bible | | *Outline studies of the Bible |
| − | ::Condensed outlines of each book, with a history of the Bible, and a brief history of the period between Old and New Testaments. | + | ::Condensed outlines of each book, with a history of the Bible, and a brief history of the period between [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s. |
| | *Analyses of the books of the Bible | | *Analyses of the books of the Bible |
| | ::Each book is given an analysis; what it's about, main theme and thought, central character, etc. | | ::Each book is given an analysis; what it's about, main theme and thought, central character, etc. |