DMcFadden
Puritanboard Commissioner
I had largely ignored the Common English Bible with its "24 faith traditions," "120 translators, 10 editors, and 77 reading group leaders." On first blush it sounded like the mainlines creating a gender inclusive, politically correct Bible.
Early press reports (cf. Time), explained that the effort was a consortium of mainline publishers: a coalition of Protestant denominational publishing houses owned by the United Methodist Church, one of the nation’s largest denominations, and the Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ.”
Then, after all of the hoopla in its rolling out, the fact that it made the CBA bestseller list for a recent month, and after noting that my seminary decided that the sunshine of Pasadena should fall upon the CEB as one of two approved translations for Biblical Studies classes (not too surprising considering 4 OT faculty and 4 NT faculty were involved in the translation), I decided to revisit the issue.
Accordingly my CBD discounted $19.49 CEB Common English Bible, Thinline Edition - Tan/Brick Red DecoTone arrived this week. I opted for it over the $29.49 CEB Reference Bible - Black EcoLeather since EcoLeather sounded like some spooky genetically engineered pigskin treated in corn fuel ethanol and approved by the EPA. And, I did not dare venture into such murky political waters so close to the Lord's Day.
Interesting. Gen 1.1 takes the somewhat controversial position of rendering it: When God began to create the heavens and the earth— the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters—.
Kidner summarizes the grammatical and theological issues:
Of course, opting to take the opening as a construct has the effect of removing the creation ex nihilo sense as the first phrase functions as a circumstantial clause.
"Son of Man" becomes "Human One" in the New Testament. Mark 10.44-45, for instance, sounds like this: Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people. ”
A text such as 1 Tim 2:11-15 sounds strikingly different from other English translations: A wife should learn quietly with complete submission. I don’t allow a wife to teach or to control her husband. Instead, she should be a quiet listener. Adam was formed first, and then Eve. Adam wasn’t deceived, but rather his wife became the one who stepped over the line because she was completely deceived. But a wife will be brought safely through giving birth to their children, if they both continue in faith, love, and holiness, together with self-control.
Joel Green has been quoted as explaining the popularity: "We wanted something that was an academically excellent translation from Greek and Hebrew, and one that reflected our strong position regarding women in leadership."
On the issue of propitiation, 1 John 2:2 explains, He is God’s way of dealing with our sins, not only ours but the sins of the whole world. 4:10 explains a little more (but not much) when it renders: This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins.
Has anyone examined it and want to weigh in on the translation?
Early press reports (cf. Time), explained that the effort was a consortium of mainline publishers: a coalition of Protestant denominational publishing houses owned by the United Methodist Church, one of the nation’s largest denominations, and the Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ.”
Then, after all of the hoopla in its rolling out, the fact that it made the CBA bestseller list for a recent month, and after noting that my seminary decided that the sunshine of Pasadena should fall upon the CEB as one of two approved translations for Biblical Studies classes (not too surprising considering 4 OT faculty and 4 NT faculty were involved in the translation), I decided to revisit the issue.
Accordingly my CBD discounted $19.49 CEB Common English Bible, Thinline Edition - Tan/Brick Red DecoTone arrived this week. I opted for it over the $29.49 CEB Reference Bible - Black EcoLeather since EcoLeather sounded like some spooky genetically engineered pigskin treated in corn fuel ethanol and approved by the EPA. And, I did not dare venture into such murky political waters so close to the Lord's Day.
Interesting. Gen 1.1 takes the somewhat controversial position of rendering it: When God began to create the heavens and the earth— the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters—.
Kidner summarizes the grammatical and theological issues:
Grammatically, this phrase could be translated as introducing a clause completed in verse 3 after a parenthetical verse 2: ‘When God began to create … (the earth was without form …), God said, Let there be light …’ This would not be saying that the undeveloped earth was not of God’s making; only that creation, in its full sense, still had far to go. But the familiar translation, ‘In the beginning God …’, is equally grammatical, is supported by all the ancient versions, and affirms unequivocally the truth laid down elsewhere (e.g. Heb. 11:3) that until God spoke, nothing existed.
Of course, opting to take the opening as a construct has the effect of removing the creation ex nihilo sense as the first phrase functions as a circumstantial clause.
"Son of Man" becomes "Human One" in the New Testament. Mark 10.44-45, for instance, sounds like this: Whoever wants to be first among you will be the slave of all, for the Human One didn’t come to be served but rather to serve and to give his life to liberate many people. ”
A text such as 1 Tim 2:11-15 sounds strikingly different from other English translations: A wife should learn quietly with complete submission. I don’t allow a wife to teach or to control her husband. Instead, she should be a quiet listener. Adam was formed first, and then Eve. Adam wasn’t deceived, but rather his wife became the one who stepped over the line because she was completely deceived. But a wife will be brought safely through giving birth to their children, if they both continue in faith, love, and holiness, together with self-control.
Joel Green has been quoted as explaining the popularity: "We wanted something that was an academically excellent translation from Greek and Hebrew, and one that reflected our strong position regarding women in leadership."
On the issue of propitiation, 1 John 2:2 explains, He is God’s way of dealing with our sins, not only ours but the sins of the whole world. 4:10 explains a little more (but not much) when it renders: This is love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son as the sacrifice that deals with our sins.
Has anyone examined it and want to weigh in on the translation?
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