Professor wants all to read one Bible

indystar/religion news service ^ | 012404 | Douglas Todd

[InvisibleChurch]

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- An American academic wants to see a Bible translation, put together by scores of conservative scholars, become the one Bible everyone uses.

Alan Jacobs, an English professor at Wheaton College near Chicago, said the new English Standard Version Bible, whose translation was overseen by Vancouver's J.I. Packer, is the only one with the potential to become the universal Bible of all English-speaking Christians.

[sweet_diane]

"We are using it in our church. BUT, the "one Bible for all" smacks of the legalism of the King James only group."

Our Pastor uses ESV for the most part. I too use several translations, tho currently only have NIV and KJV readily at hand. My KJV ONLY friends attend legalist churches and won't even touch my NIV Bible. One dear friend of mine secretly reads the NKJV at home for study, but wouldn't dare take it to church with her.

real shame. But I must admit my own avoidance of the Living Bible translations.. call me old fashioned! lol

[joesbucks]

What I find is the unbelievable amount of difference between denominations. There are those who believe once saved, always saved vs backsliders are no longer heaven bound.

There are those who believe only dunking during baptism is acceptable and those who believe in sprinkling.

There are those who believe that baptism is necessary for salvation while others believe it's only an outward sign to others of acceptance.

There are those who baptize in the trinity, yet others believe that only in the name of Jesus is appropriate (ala John the Baptist).

Still yet others believe that only the outward showing of the holy spirit through tounges is evidence of salvation.

Is it any wonder we can't figure out how to be of service when we can't even agree on how to achieve salvation. Even by the "Perfect Book", we are lost on the most basic of tenents of how to achieve eternal service to God.

I live in a large midwestern city, the 32nd largest metropolitan area in the nation. There are over 125 different denominations (not individual houses of worship) listed in my yellow pages. Over 125 different beliefs and ways to be of service to Christ, God and His kingdom. Yet there is one God and one Way.

Christians need to go into a period of deep prayer, meditation and thought in order to determine how to serve God. Not our version of service, but God's way.

[BlackElk]

Awwwww!

[ninenot]

Your comment is very much in the spirit of recent Vatican rumblings about "sacred space, sacred time..."

The idea is to ELEVATE the minds and hearts of the faithful.

[sweet_diane]

"I'd say getting people to read ANY Bible would be a more worthwhile effort."

While so many of my KJV ONLY brothers and sisters in Christ totally disagree with your statement, I couldn't agree more!

I remember watching a film many years ago about a many in a foreign country where Bibles were strictly prohibited. He was starving for God's word and whenever he'd get his hands on even a page from a Bible, he'd write it on his body... I don't think he was too concerned about the translation.

[MissAmericanPie]

As far as I am concerned we already have the bible everyone should read, the King James. One passage in the King James can have layer upon layer of meaning, that gets lost in translations.

"Deep calls to deep at the crashing of the waves", in the King James, God is able to pull us into ever deeper waters of understanding. This is lost when there is a flat surface translation.

[Lazamataz]

I want only one form of cheese.

In particular, brie.

[swampfox98]

LOL

[scripter]

For instance, there simply IS no rational defense for Christian translations continuing the LORD/Lord/Lord GOD insanity, instead of simply saying "Yahweh" when the text says "Yahweh."

I would love a good modern English translation that listed the actual name for God instead of LORD/Lord/Lord God. In doing so, we easily see what characteristic of God the writer was conveying - which I want to know. Because of that I often consider copying some modern version and making the change myself.

[TigersEye]

Oh, a brieist eh? White cheddar is beddar.

[cpforlife.org]

I think I see what you mean.

But we must acknowledge that while The WORD is Living, it speaks One only Truth through all generations.

"Jesus never had any problem with other so-called "prophets" competing against Him"

He most certainly did! Matthew 12:30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters."

Now, if you meant "Jesus never had any problem with those who collaborate with Him in the Truth" or near to that...?

And here you and I illustrate the problem with "translations" CHRIST DOES NOT CONTRADICT HIMSELF, He does not have multiple personalities. But if we have as many "translations" as there are, we, the body of Christ suffer from disunity.

We probably all use more than one translation. Each, of course receive different messages and inspirations from reading the same passage in different seasons; and that is good, as the WORD is Living. But multiple "translations" sadly, ends up changing the INTENT of the Author.

Hopefully we can agree He does NOT want the meaning to be "mis-translated"?

[sweet_diane]

"But I must admit my own avoidance of the Living Bible translations"

I need to clarify that I do believe the Holy Spirit speaks to us regardless of which man-made book we hold in our hands.

[Lazamataz]

Oh, a brieist eh? White cheddar is beddar.

I declare war on you heathen infidel Cheddarians.

You will worship the One True Cheese.

[TigersEye]

I'll take smoked gouda for Buddha, Alex.

[TigersEye]

There are a lot of holes in that theory.

[joesbucks]

What I find is the unbelievable amount of difference between denominations. There are those who believe once saved, always saved vs backsliders are no longer heaven bound.
There are those who believe only dunking during baptism is acceptable and those who believe in sprinkling.

There are those who believe that baptism is necessary for salvation while others believe it's only an outward sign to others of acceptance.

There are those who baptize in the trinity, yet others believe that only in the name of Jesus is appropriate (ala John the Baptist).

Still yet others believe that only the outward showing of the holy spirit through tounges is evidence of salvation.

Is it any wonder we can't figure out how to be of service when we can't even agree on how to achieve salvation. Even by the "Perfect Book", we are lost on the most basic of tenents of how to achieve eternal service to God.

I live in a large midwestern city, the 32nd largest metropolitan area in the nation. There are over 125 different denominations (not individual houses of worship) listed in my yellow pages. Over 125 different beliefs and ways to be of service to Christ, God and His kingdom. Yet there is one God and one Way.

Christians need to go into a period of deep prayer, meditation and thought in order to determine how to serve God. Not our version of service, but God's way.