So says the Spring 2015 Director’s Update of the WELS Hymnal Project, issued May 10, 2015, by Project Director Michael Schultz, in the section entitled “Scripture Committee (SC)” – a committee of the Project chaired by Rev. Jonathan Schroeder.
You will recall that the WELS has targeted 2017 as the date for the publication of the new Wisconsin Synod hymnal and at the same time recall that the WELS and ELS have jointly worked together on The Wartburg Project, with the goal of producing a Lutheran translation of the Bible. You might also recall that the WELS has long used the NIV 1984 (no longer in print). In their review of the NIV 2011 (which has not been without its own controversy), WELS could identify only 200 instances in which they referenced the 1984 NIV over the 2011 and only four instances in which the translation from 1984 would be used over 2011. While this comes as not necessarily a surprise, it does raise questions about the ambitious undertaking of an entirely new translation from Lutheran sources. Only time will tell. . . BTW you can already check out what The Wartburg Project has done so far or look at these:
Matthew – Kindle Sample Matthew
Psalms – Kindle Sample Psalms
Passion History – Northwestern Publishing House NPH Complimentary Copy
6 comments:
Doesn't NIV stand for Not Inspired Version?
"Nice," but who will bother to read the the new Warburg bible other than WELS and ELS members. A new bible translation will do nothing to solve the problems in those respective church bodies.
I will stay with the KJV and NKJV. I am not a theologian, but somehow it seems to me that many so called new translations do not add as much clarity as claimed, and I wonder how much personal linguistic interpretation is added. The word of God, as reflected in the KJV and NKJV, is "quick and powerful and sharper than a double edged sword." I suppose others have their own opinion on the matter. I can't say who is right or wrong, but if the KJV was around for the longest period, hundreds of years, I do not need a contemporary translation. The NKJV, having no "Thou" or Kings English, is my choice.
The vocal majority of the WELS is not happy about the synod leadership's love for the NIV11. (And I say this as a millennial who has grown up memorizing NIV84.) It was a top-down decision that was inexplicably vetted by the 2013 synod convention. We knew, just KNEW, that the so-called "eclectic" method was just a Trojan horse for the NIV11.
I admire the Wartburg Project, because it was done in the face of liberals who said it would be too expensive, implausible, sectarian, etc. I hope that more than just the WELS and ELS are able to use it. I think there are no intentions to copyright it and restrict its use, as CPH has done with the ESV.
CPH does not own the copyright to the ESV but uses it under license from Crossway Bibles -- a liberal and generous usage they do allow!
Actually, the WELS Hymnal's target date is 2013 (30th anniversary of CW) but NPH is pushing the committees to beat that deadline by a year or two or three (but not by six).
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