From the Christian Telegraph 2/1/2012 http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue15329.html
In the midst of the Great Apostasy, I suppose this shouldn’t be too surprising. But it is to me anyway.
Father and Son removed from Bible translations to avoid offence
Three major Christian organisations in America have removed the words “Father” and “Son” from many of their Bible translations for fear of offending the Muslim community, it has been claimed, reports Christian Concern for our Nation.
Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Frontiers have replaced the words “Father” and “Son” with substitutes such as “Lord” and “Messiah” in many of their new translations, according to Biblical Missiology, a network of missionaries, theologians and church leaders in America.
Yet Wycliffe claims that the changes are justified in order to avoid misunderstanding or confusion by Muslim readers.
These translations have appeared in many countries including Malaysia, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh and across the Middle East.
Amongst some of the changes:
• Frontiers has produced a Turkish translation of Matthew, distributed by SIL, which uses “guardian” for “Father” and “representative” or “proxy” for “Son.”
• Wycliffe/SIL have produced ‘Stories of the Prophets’, an Arabic Bible that uses “Lord” instead of “Father” and “Messiah” instead of “Son.”
• Frontiers has produced the ‘True Meaning of the Gospel of Christ’, an Arabic translation which removes “Father” in reference to God, and removes or redefines “Son” e.g. the Great Commission in Mt 28:19 reads, “Cleanse them by water in the name of God, his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.”
• SIL consulted on the Bengali ‘Injil Sharif’, which translates “Son” as “Messiah” and “Son of God” as “God’s Uniquely Intimate Beloved Chosen One.”
Criticism
The new translations have been heavily criticised by church leaders for failing to preserve the original text of Scripture.
In particular, Christians from the countries where these new translations are being used have complained that the translations are harming their work. Christian churches in Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Middle East, Turkey, and Malaysia have asked these agencies to stop producing these translations, but to no avail.
Related articles
- New Bible Versions REMOVE ‘Father’ and ‘Son Of God’ Because It Offends Muslims (atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com)
- New Bible yanks ‘Father,’ Jesus as ‘Son of God’ (trinityspeaks.wordpress.com)
- Denying the Son (davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com)
- New Bible Versions REMOVE ‘Father’ and ‘Son Of God’ Because It Offends Muslims (thelukewarmchurch.wordpress.com)
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