14 Oct GS 1989 art 88

Posted at 13:03h in CanRC, GS 1989 by

GS 1989 ARTICLE 88 – Committee I presents: Agenda Items VIII, H, 1, 2

A. MATERIAL:

  • 1. Report of the Committee on Bible Translations.
  • 2. Letter from the Church at Smithville, ON.
  • 3. Letter from the Church at Carman, MB.

B. OBSERVATIONS

  • 1. The Committee met once on September 10, 1987, to discuss the mandate.
  • 2. The Committee reports that it decided that the time schedule was too tight to make submissions to the RSV Bible Committee, since this Committee was to give their work to the publisher by mid-1988.
  • 3. The Church of Smithville notes with concern that the RSV Bible Committee is proposing to eliminate “masculine-oriented language so far as this can be done without altering passages that reflect the historical situation of ancient patriarchal culture, and of masculine-oriented society.”
  • 4. The Church at Carman expresses concern about the direction the RSV Committee is taking in translating Scripture, specifically with its intention to “eliminate masculine-biased language pertaining to people, where such changes do not violate the sense of the original text.” Further, the Church at Carman proposes that Synod instruct the Committee on Bible Translations to scrutinize the new edition of the RSV, as well as the latest edition of the New King James version as a possible alternative translation for future use in the churches.

C. CONSIDERATIONS

  • 1. Synod note that the Committee met very infrequently, given its mandate.
  • 2. Because of changes in regard to the elimination of masculine-biased lan- guage, further scrutiny of the New RSV Bible appears to be desirable.
  • 3. Based on information received from the RSV Bible Committee, there will not be substantial changes in the forthcoming edition of the RSV.

D. RECOMMENDATIONS

Synod decide:

  • 1. to thank the Committee for the work it has done and the Report it submitted.
  • 2. to continue the Committee with the following mandate to the Committee:
    • a. to scrutinize the NRSV Bible as soon as it becomes available with respect to faithfulness in translation, particularly in regard to the use of so-called inclusive language.
    • b. to provide information about its findings to the churches and report to the next General Synod.

ADOPTED

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