When I first started this blog I was really interested in figuring out which translations were the most accurate and best for me to use. This also gave rise to my desire to learn some Greek and I actually started that process. Over the last six months I have become increasingly aware of a black mark that taints many of the blogs that I read, and which exists even further out than blogdom. I’m referring to the translation wars and the debates that seem to distract us from more useful investigations into scripture. As I was listening to Romans being read aloud last week, I couldn’t help but hear some of my frustrations about this situation in one of the passages. Forgive me while I reinterpret the following:
- Now you, if you call yourself a Christian; if you rely on your preferred translation of scripture and boast in God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by that translation; if you are convinced that your translation is the best guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in that translation the most valid embodiment of knowledge and truth—
You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against paraphrases of scripture, do you paraphrase? You who say that people should not read inclusive language translations, do you use inclusive language? You who abhor ‘biblish’, do you use religious terminology? You who boast about your preferred translation, do you dishonor God by deriding other translations? As it is written: God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
I want this post to be my plea to you to avoid funding the translation wars. Be an advocate for peace in these conflicts and value the translations of scripture as the divine words of God himself. Devote more of your energy to promoting or supporting the translation of scripture into languages that don’t have even one copy yet, and be thankful that you have so many to choose from. Finally, lets spend our energy looking into the scriptures themselves instead of wasting it on tearing down one translation only to build up another. I’ve been meaning to say something about this for a while, and it has been too long in coming.
September 14, 2008 at 2:25 pm
A good post, Nathan, and there’s something here for everyone to think about. Here’s something I rewrote along a similar vein a little over a year ago:
September 14, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Good post, Nathan. I’m still thinking about this one. I’ll have to learn not to be trigger happy on this matter.
September 14, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Amen and amen. As one who works for an organization that stewards several translations, I can say all the more, we shouldn’t be sniping at each others’ work. We’re fond of quoting Billy Graham when asked what his favorite translation was. He said something along the lines of, “Whatever a person will read.” (Boo on me for paraphrasing. But did you get the point?)
I appreciate your point about the black mark on blogdom and beyond. We need to be so careful what we say; we need to build up rather than tear down.
September 14, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Yeah. I have wondered on occasion what the translators who worked on the TNIV, ESV, or even The Message feel like when their sacrifices to translate the words of God fall victim to attacks by their fellow believers. We should be ashamed sometimes, but we have the power to improve things somewhat.
September 14, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Amen! I’ve grown weary of the debate as of late. You’ve expressed what I’ve been thinking as well.
September 14, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Excellent post. That second paragraph in the quote should be read a few times (by me anyway) realizing many of those things could be reversed.
I decided a while ago to point out things in certain translations that I like instead of what I don’t like although the occasional comment slips in.
I hope my current comparison series doesn’t fall into this category. The different translations can really shed light on what the author’s intent is.
Jeff
September 14, 2008 at 5:46 pm
I hope my current comparison series doesn’t fall into this category. The different translations can really shed light on what the author’s intent is.
I wouldn’t put it in that category at all. Removing the translation references help us to gain insight into different ways that scripture can be interpreted into English, while helping to remove the bias we may have towards translations. I can’t wait for the follow up post to your comparison series.
September 14, 2008 at 5:48 pm
gosh – sage turned prophet here…..
September 14, 2008 at 10:43 pm
If we have to compare translations, maybe we should just remove the various labels and see how they compare (similar to a blind taste test). Maybe some of the translations we thought we didn’t like might turn out to be ones we find are good ones. This might prevent some personal biases we all have?
September 14, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I agree Kevin. In fact it was suggested by a couple of us on TC’s blog last week. I believe Jeff and TC have both done a post recently where they removed the translation references. It’s been done in the past as well, but would benefit future discussions also. Obviously not something to be done across the board, but it might help improve the current atmosphere I think.
September 15, 2008 at 12:49 am
I guess I don’t understand the problem. The master text is the Hebrew (and the Greek) — it is certainly fair game to criticize translations, especially in those traditions which elevate translations to authoritative status.
September 15, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I would agree that all translations can be criticized and that they each have positives and negatives to them. However what I am referring to is some of the attitudes people have where they are very judgmental towards people who use a translation that they don’t happen to like. The extreme case of this would be sects like the KJV-only crowd, etc.
Personally I would rather see us discuss the merits of particular translations as we delve into the scriptures, rather than to focus on pointing out all of the (perceived) flaws. Mostly it is the attitudes that I have a problem with, I enjoy criticism and reading it when it is of the healthy variety.
Hope that clarifies things a bit.
September 15, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Amen to that Nathan. It’s something our biblioblog readers probably want at about this point in time. Otherwise, we develop into something like that of the ESV-cultlike following or the KJV-onlyism.
September 19, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Belatedly:
Okay, so which ancient manuscripts, or worse, which readings in ancient manuscripts do you prefer?
No matter where you go, you gotta choose.
September 19, 2008 at 9:59 pm
That is a bit vague and I think besides the point. There is no need for exclusion necessarily. As for simple preference I am likely too ignorant to have one (yet).