There is a segment of the Evangelical movement that has become "Mainline
Lite."
Here is a prime example. Leaving aside intra-Christian debate about the
best way
to talk about Jesus, about which there can be legitimate disagreements,
here is a case
where something basic to Christian faith is being compromised because of
Islam !
Personal reaction : Disgust at such vacillating and
anything-but-self-assured "faith"
Billy
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(http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/)
Wycliffe, SIL Issue Guidelines on Translating 'Son of God' Among Muslims
The term 'Son of God' should be retained, but not at the expense of
comprehension, translating groups say.
Collin Hansen | posted 10/13/2011
(http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/)
October 15, 2011
Wycliffe, SIL Issue Guidelines on Translating 'Son of God' Among Muslims
The term 'Son of God' should be retained, but not at the expense of
comprehension, translating groups say.
Collin Hansen | posted 10/13/2011 10:01AM
Following criticism from many quarters and official rebuke from the
Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), Wycliffe Bible Translators and its
primary
implementing partner, SIL International, issued new guidelines in August
saying familial language for God should normally be maintained in the text of
Bible translations.
SIL convened an August meeting in Istanbul for translators and consultants
to set standards. They then released a _best practices statement_
(http://www.sil.org/translation/divine_familial_terms.htm) that reaffirms
belief in
the eternal deity of Jesus Christ and says, "Scripture translations should
promote understanding of the term 'Son of God' in all its richness,
including his filial relationship with the Father, while avoiding any possible
implication of sexual activity by God." Many Muslims balk at the Bible's
familial language, because the Qur'an teaches that God could not have a son.
Yet _critics have pushed back_
(http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/february/soncrescent.html) against
some translations promoted by scholars
connected to SIL that substituted "Christ" for "Son of God" in order to avoid
turning off Muslim readers.
The new statement satisfies some scholars by affirming the importance of
the relationship between the divine Son and his Father. Still, SIL has
preserved some wiggle room for translators, saying such terms "should normally
be maintained in the text but should not be insisted upon at the expense of
comprehension." The process laid out in the statement allows translators to
consider non-literal translations of "Son of God" so long as they
"conserve as much of the familial meaning as possible" and include the literal
translation in the paratext (such as footnotes or introductions).
A _similar statement_ (http://www.wycliffe.org/TranslationStandards.aspx)
also released in August by Wycliffe and prepared in Orlando affirms that in
most cases the literal translation of "Son of God" will be preferred. It
also requires any alternatives meant to avoid confusion among Muslims to
maintain the concept of sonship. Russ Hersman, senior vice president of
Wycliffe, offered "beloved son from God" as one such alternative that balances
"faithfulness to the Word of God with faithfulness to God's intended
message." He said this option avoids mistaken Muslim assumptions that Jesus is
the
"procreated son of God."
Scott Horrell, professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological
Seminary, is writing a book about translation issues surrounding "Son of God"
and Muslim readers. He agrees that it's not enough for translations to
affirm Jesus as God. The eternal Son-Father relationship helps Christians
understand orthodox Trinitarianism.
"My sense is that SIL/Wycliffe has taken wise steps forward on the issue,"
Horrell says. "Languages vary so much that an either-or position on 'Son
of God' translation in Muslim (or any other) idioms seems extreme."
Nevertheless, Horell's research has not yet uncovered earlier Bible
translations for Muslims that modified the literal phrase "Son of God."
Supporting this view, a spokeswoman for the Southern Baptist Convention's
International Mission Board explained that their policy says, "It is best in
all
cases to translate 'Son of God' as 'Son of God.'" Many apologists have long
avoided the phrase, but not translators. Muslims often seize on such changes
to argue that Christians change the Bible to suit their purposes. "While
minor recent exceptions may exist, Wycliffe is establishing precedence with
this move," Horrell explains.
Translation has become a hot topic among Muslim-background believers who
object to what they see as accommodating Islam. Familial language was not
the main topic of a September 29 meeting at Jordan Evangelical Theological
Seminary. Nevertheless, the conversation did touch on translation. Imad
Shehadeh, founder and president of Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary,
said
the group emphasized several points, including the necessity of leaving
phrases such as "Son of God" alone, because "familial language is the basis
for the doctrine of the Trinity."
A five-day meeting in June at Houghton College in New York drew together
translators, scholars, and activists on both sides to clear up
misunderstanding and identify points of agreement. Columbia International
University
professor Warren Larson attended and said Wycliffe translators "want to keep
familial language in the text, and we basically all agreed that explanations
for'Son of God' should be given in footnotes, preface, text, or glossary,"
Larson said. "It seems to me that Wycliffe has made a commitment to
keeping 'Son of God' in the text. It's true they have not promised to do it
all
the time."
This position may not placate the PCA, which approved a "_Call to Faithful
Witness_
(http://www.pcaac.org/2011GeneralAssembly/Overture%209%20Potomac%20Faithful%20Witness%203-31-11.pdf)
" at their General Assembly in June. This
overture, originally drafted by pastor Scott Seaton of Emmanuel
Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Virginia, "declares as unfaithful to God's
revealed
Word, Insider Movement or any other translations of the Bible that remove
from the text references to God as 'Father' (pater) or Jesus as 'Son'
(huios), because such removals compromise doctrines of the Trinity, the person
and work of Jesus Christ, and Scripture."
Seaton, a former missions pastor and head of the PCA's Mission to the
World ministry to Muslims, told CT that he did not have Wycliffe/SIL in mind
when he began planning in 2010 to take official action in the PCA. He had
clashed with another agency active among Muslims in Bangladesh that he said
modified biblical language and encouraged new followers of Jesus to return to
their roots in Islam.
"Churches are supporting this, and they don't even know it," says Seaton,
who attended the Atlanta meeting with concerned pastors who work among
Muslims.
His overture calls on PCA congregations to investigate the missionaries
and agencies they support to determine whether or not their translations
alter familial language for persons of the Trinity. Should they discover such
actions, the overture encourages them "to pursue correction, and failing
that, to withdraw their support." Larson questions why the PCA would move
forward with the investigation, given the new statements by Wycliffe/SIL. But
Seaton points out that the overture stipulates that references to God as
Father and Jesus as Son must remain in the biblical text itself, not the
paratext.
PCA moderator Dan Carrell told CT he expects to appoint a study committee
on Insider Movements before the end of this week. This committee would
assess PCA missions partners to see if they support non-literal translations
of
familial language and encourage new followers of Christ to continue
identifying with their Muslim culture and practices. But Roy Taylor, stated
clerk
of the PCA General Assembly, said his office has not yet received any
financial contributions to support the work of the committee.
Hersman confirmed that Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama
—one of the largest and most influential PCA congregations—is reviewing
its relationship with Wycliffe and six other agencies following the General
Assembly action. Briarwood has notified missionaries working with these
ministries that the church will put their financial support in escrow as of
January 1, 2012, until June 2012, when the PCA study committee is scheduled
to report. At that point Briarwood will decide whether to send this money to
the missionaries and renew monthly support or formally discontinue these
payments on the basis of their agencies' positions and practices.
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