Message Received: Wycliffe Translations and the Insider Movement
Good news for Bible translations among Muslims.
Thank God for the pressure exerted by the PCA and others who have raised awareness of this issue and pushed for corrective measures.
Now pray the the missionary organization, Frontiers, will abide by these recommendations as well.
Good news for Bible translations among Muslims.
Thank God for the pressure exerted by the PCA and others who have raised awareness of this issue and pushed for corrective measures.
Now pray the the missionary organization, Frontiers, will abide by these recommendations as well.
After a year’s work, a World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) panel has released its report on the Muslim-context translation practices of Wycliffe Bible Translators and its partner SIL International. Wycliffe requested the audit of its policies after controversy erupted last year over the world’s premier translator supporting translations that altered the phrases “Son of God” and “God the Father” in Muslim contexts.
Western mission agencies have been concerned about literal translations of “God the Father” and “Son of God” in Muslim contexts because the terms imply God had sexual relations with Mary. One SIL-supported translation of Matthew in Turkey rendered “God the Father” something along the lines of “the great protector,” according to locals.
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The report notes “the centrality of the word for “son” in the biblical presentation of salvation,” and says the centrality “demands that translators render the word with the most direct equivalent possible.”
The report also recommends standards for local involvement in translations and urged Wycliffe to set up a process for handling controversies over the familial terms. The panel says Wycliffe should be transparent about the translation decisions it makes.
Wycliffe embraced the report, and its president, Bob Creson, said in a statement that the organization would move “to implement these recommendations as soon as possible.”
“Wycliffe USA is committed to maintaining the integrity of God’s Word through accurate, clear, and natural translation,” Creson said.
Wycliffe had suspended the controversial translations while the review moved forward. A Wycliffe spokesman said that all the suspended translations (and all future translations) would meet these new standards prior to publication.
Critics of Wycliffe’s translation practices were cautious about embracing the report until they had studied it more fully...