Robert A.J. Gagnon, the Presbyterian Scripture scholar and Professor at Houston Baptist University whose work is wdely respected across denominational lines, is a particular authority in the matter of the Bible and homosexuality. Gagnon warned that the NRSVue “gaywashes” the Bible, writing in a January 5, 2022 Facebook post:
They have now changed ‘sodomites’ to the nebulous ‘men who engage in illicit sex,’ [in 1 Corinthians 6:9] which does not indicate to English readers the connection to homosexual practice provided by the Greek word, contrary to both morphology and context. A textual note added by the NRSVue committee claims that the term is unclear. It isn’t.
The footnote was later changed from “Meaning of Gk uncertain” to “Meaning of Gk uncertain, possibly men who have sex with men.” Nevertheless as to the main text, as Gagnon wrote in 2022:
The NRSVue now becomes the first major modern English committee translation of the Bible to eliminate any reference to homosexual practice.
Does arsenokoitai (ἀρσενοκοῖται), a Greek word used only twice in the New Testament, mean all same-sex relations or only illicit ones? It would seem that even the translators have trouble understanding or explaining the word. In a video address they address the gay-washing controversy (about the 40 minute mark). They take sharp exception to any suggestion that their vague translation of ἀρσενοκοῖται was ideologically motivated. Several times they reference how they were being called before “a body” to defend some of their choices. That “body” may well have been the USCCB. The end result remains and Rome has placed its stamp of approval on the changes -- just as many denominations have done although they to find support for their presupposition that gay is okay.
My point is simple. Translations matter. When a change of this kind occurs, it does not take long before the original is forgotten and the presupposition of Biblical silence on same sex relations becomes normative. Like Orwell often said, when we change the present then we are also erasing the history until it becomes remembered no more. God's order of man, wife, marriage, children, and family will soon become merely one among many so-called Biblically approved options open to the choice of the individual. It is not merely enough to own a Bible but to make sure you have one that is faithful. Of course, there is no perfect translation for all time and words do change in meaning and usage but when this impacts eternal truth and God's revelation, translations matter a great deal.
1 comment:
Words matter. Translations matter. Truth matters. Not all versions of the Bible are equal. I have my own point of view, as do others. Some have said certain versions correct or amplify linguistic meanings, archaic or erroneous nouns, and aid in our understanding. The KJV was my first Bible, however, some Christian folks criticize the “Thee” and “Thou” terms, which they consider extraneous, after all, they will say, “Jesus did not speak in the King James English of the 1600’s..” True. We know He spoke Aramaic and in the language of the Jews and Gentiles, The Samaritan woman at the well understood His words, and the Hellenized Jews understood the Disciples who witnessed to them in their own language. The wonderful thing about the KJV is how so many Bible translators, guided fervently by the Holy Spirit, managed to produce a Bible for the English speaking world. Even the Latin vulgate and Greek versions had a uniformity that is missing in the modern versions of today. So I read the old King James and the NKJV, and it serves the purpose. Probably the English Standard Version would be an alternative if needed to clarify some meaningful verses, but I think that, as you suggest, some newer versions may be ignorantly or willfully used to water down or whitewash truth. As words matter, the wrong word can be a euphemism to support an interpretation that was never intended. I suppose it was bound to happen, that “cultural” Christians would rather make the word of God say something that is not true, fully intending to fossilize the original meaning for the sake of being politically correct. Lord help us to be wise to these things, and to read and study only the faithful Bible versions in print. Soli Deo Gloria
Post a Comment