Nearly 600 study groups sent in some 1,600 pages of Bible study notes for consideration in the forthcoming Anabaptist Community Bible. In addition, Bible scholars and pastors wrote study notes to accompany each book of the Bible, and historians added biblical reflections from early Anabaptists.

These three types of notes — community reflections from study groups, Anabaptist history notes from historians, and biblical commentary from scholars and pastors — will appear in the margins of the forthcoming Anabaptist Community Bible.

Over an intense three-day meeting the weekend of Aug. 12-13 in Waterloo, Ont., the Anabaptism at 500 advisory group was able to work through notes from the entire Bible.

“It was a genuine review together, as we each brought our best wisdom to the text,” said project director John D. Roth. “The goal was not to eliminate the theological diversity in the notes but rather to ensure that many eyes reviewed the commentary, to eliminate redundancy, and to pare back to fit into the allotted space. It was a joy to work with such a gifted and committed group.”

Roth collated the three types of notes and created a document for each of the 66 books of the Bible in June, July and early August. The advisory group then reviewed those notes. At times the group worked as a whole and at other points the group split into smaller groups to work book by book.

“The theological breadth of the church comes through in these notes, as each group found different points of connection to highlight,” said Amy Gingerich, MennoMedia executive director and publisher. “As Anabaptists, we believe that God shows up when we do Bible study together, and that comes through in the notes.”

The Anabaptist Community Bible, a project of MennoMedia, is the first Bible with commentary developed from an Anabaptist perspective. It is being designed for a broad range of Anabaptist readers to draw readers deeper in faith and provide opportunities for reflection. MennoMedia is raising $1.5 million to bring this project to completion.

Advisory group staff include Roth, Gingerich, Mollee Moua as managing editor, and Sara Versluis as MennoMedia staff editor. Advisory group members include Sarah Augustine, Korey Dyck, Dennis R. Edwards, Hank Johnson, Gerald J. Mast, Jonny Rashid, Lisa Weaver and Sara Wenger Shenk.