Office Bearers

GS 1971 ARTICLE 33 – Revised Standard Version

Committee I presents:

Materials – Agenda 8

  • C, 1 – Report of  the  Committee, appointed by Synod Orangeville, 1968.
  • C, 2 – Letter from the Church at Burlington­ East, Ont.
  • C, 3 – Letter from the Church at Toronto, Ont.
  • C, 4 – Letter  from  the  Church  at  Smithers, B.C.
  • C, 5 – Letter from the Church at Burlington­ West, Ont.
  • C, 6 – Letter from the Church at Brampton, Ont.
  • C, 7 – Letter from the Church at Lincoln, insofar  it  refers to the above matter.
  • C, 8 – Letter from the Church at London.
  • D, 9 – Letter from the Church at Smithville, insofar  it  refers to the above matter.
  • S, 1 – Letter from Mr. J. DeKoning, insofar it refers to the above matter.

Observations

  • 1.  Rev. M. VanBeveren, upon the request of the Committee, took the place of Rev. J. Mulder when the latter left Coaldale for Cloverdale.
  • 2. The Committee recommends:
    • “a. That Synod appoint a Committee to investigate further the matter of textual criticism (e.g. footnotes), and to bring recom­mendations for alterations to the attention of the Standard Bible Committee;
    • b. That Synod decide that although certain renderings in the King James Version are to be preferred over those in the Revised Standard Version, and although recommendations for alteration in those cases should be brought to the attention of the Standard Bible Committee, there is no valid reason to state that the Revised Standard Version is unacceptable for use in the worship services.”
  • 3.  The thoughts, expressed in the various letters, received in con­nection with this matter, vary from “Wait, see, and review after 1972″ to “recommend use of the Revised Standard Version by all Churches.”
  • 4. Reference is made to the decision of Synod Homewood-Carman, 1954, art. 71, and Orangeville, 1968, art. 45.
  • 5.  It appears that the Committee did check available criticism.
  • 6. The Committee could not find anything which would warrant a statement that the Revised Standard Version should be called un­ acceptable for use in the worship services.

Considerations

  • 1.  Synod 1954 decided to recommend the use of ‘the King James Ver­sion, but only because its faithfulness to the Scriptures has never been in doubt.
  • 2.  The Committee came to the conclusion that no valid reasons have been adduced to state that the Revised Standard Version is un­ acceptable.
  • 3.  The Committee did not find any proof of an unscriptural character or influence.
  • 4.  It appears that different translations of a word or text in several instances are a matter of preference and exegesis rather than of principle.
  • 5.  The Committee did find some cases in which the translation of the Revised Standard Version can justly be criticized.
  • 6.  It appears that it is still possible to send in criticism until September 1972, which criticism may be included in and may in­fluence the new edition of the Revised Standard Version to be ex­pected after 1972.
  • 7.  It is warranted to continue the Committee, since so far they have not sent in any suggestions for change or improvement of the Revised Standard Version, and have made some valuable sug­gestions, e.g. the suggestion to have such passages of which it is not certain that they belong to the original text put between brackets rather than at the bottom of the page.

Recommendations

  • 1.  That Synod approve of the action of the Committee to invite the Rev. M. VanBeveren to take the place of the Rev. J. Mulder.

ADOPTED

  • 2.  That Synod declare, on the ground of the report of the Committee, that no valid reasons have been adduced why the Revised Standard Version should be declared unacceptable for use by the Churches.

ADOPTED

  • 3. That Synod continue the Committee on the Revision of the Revised Standard Version, with the mandate:
    • a.  To invite the co-operation of all the Church members to send in any criticism on the Revised Standard Version they may have.
    • b. To receive, scan, and judge the criticism received and to pass it on to the Standard Bible Committee, and to do this before the deadline of September 1972.
    • c.  To continue with their work of checking the Revised Standard Version and to pass on also their own criticism of same.
    • d.  From time to time to inform the Churches about ‘the results of their investigations.

ADOPTED