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  • From: Nathan MacDonald <nm28 AT st-andrews.ac.uk>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Robert Alter on Translation
  • Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 08:55:52 +0000

Peter Kirk wrote:

"... and often overtly
slanted to a particular theological persuasion. ..." (Bill Rea)

Again, which ones are you talking about? I hope you are not confusing Bible versions with editions complete with study notes. For example you might find that the "Reformed Study Bible" and the "Spirit-Filled Life Bible" have the same text, just different notes.

Examples are easily adduced. NIV frequently pulls OT towards NT. Note Bruce Waltke on Ps 2 "Although on the historical level one migvht rightly opt for rendering the references to the king by lower case, on the canonical level one rightly opts for upper case, as in the NIV text. By using upper case in Psalm 2 the NIV translators expose their orthodox views not only of inspiration but also of Christology" ('Translation Problems in Psalms 2 and 4', in K. Barker [ed.], The Making of a Contemporary Translation [London: Hodder, 1987]) a view that conflicts with the translator's primary concern to preserve 'fidelity to the thought of the biblical writers' (NIV preface). Moberly points out a similar case in Hag 2.7 (TynBul 53 [2002], pp. 177-202).

Nathan MacDonald

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On 15/08/2003 01:55, Nathan MacDonald wrote:

Peter Kirk wrote:

"... and often overtly
slanted to a particular theological persuasion. ..." (Bill Rea)

Again, which ones are you talking about? I hope you are not confusing Bible versions with editions complete with study notes. For example you might find that the "Reformed Study Bible" and the "Spirit-Filled Life Bible" have the same text, just different notes.


Examples are easily adduced. NIV frequently pulls OT towards NT. Note Bruce Waltke on Ps 2 "Although on the historical level one migvht rightly opt for rendering the references to the king by lower case, on the canonical level one rightly opts for upper case, as in the NIV text. By using upper case in Psalm 2 the NIV translators expose their orthodox views not only of inspiration but also of Christology" ('Translation Problems in Psalms 2 and 4', in K. Barker [ed.], The Making of a Contemporary Translation [London: Hodder, 1987]) a view that conflicts with the translator's primary concern to preserve 'fidelity to the thought of the biblical writers' (NIV preface). Moberly points out a similar case in Hag 2.7 (TynBul 53 [2002], pp. 177-202).

Nathan MacDonald

OK, that's one example of theological slant, although it sounds covert rather than overt to me if it conflicts with the preface. And no doubt you could refer also to the New World Translation. But Bill seemed to be referring to Bibles which explicitly claimed a theological slant. I have not seen any, except arguably for the older Catholic Bibles. I thought maybe he had misunderstood the titles he had seen in bookshops as referring to different translations rather than different study notes.

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Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/






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