Rippon wrote:
I meant the big names who have regularly bashed the TNIV even before it was released.Ironically, most have been ardent ESV-advocates like Ryken, Poythress,Piper, Grudem &Co.
I'll come back to this at the end, because it's foundational, if you will.
Don't you dare try to say that he [Grudem] was victimized in any way. He above all others is at fault for perpetuating falsehoods about the TNIV. He is sinfully audacious.
Please show the falsehoods he spread about the TNIV. All I saw was that he questioned translation choices in the TNIV. I have a couple of journals on my shelves where he has done this. I don't see him doing a KJVO style hit job. To call him "sinfully audacious" is appalling. It's out of character for you IMHO. You're better than that, Rippon.
I don't see him as a victim of disenfranchisement. I did't even know that [Mohler] was a former user of the NIV. He has been behind the HCSB translation for Southern Baptists.
I fear your lack of knowledge of these men is clouding this. Dr. Mohler was a user of the NIV. He also used the NASB heavily and has espoused the ESV since its release. I have not heard him one time say anything well of the HCSB nor privately. Maybe he's quoted somewhere toting the party line, but it's down the list of his translations. I do know that he felt betrayed that IBS/Zondervan seemed to agree to the Colorado Springs agreement, all the while knowing they never really meant it.
[Rainer is] the President and CEO of Lifeway which banned the selling of the TNIV in their stores. He is not someone in whom anyone would place any amount of faith in on this matter.
He was an ardent NIV man long before he got to Lifeway, and publicly aired his frustrations with how he was given the cold shoulder by TNIV folks and IBS long before he got to Lifeway.
a select few are some that I would deem to be non-nutcases. Just about everyone else who has spoken out against the TNIV has been deliberately,sinfully, wrong on the issue. It's not a matter of misunderstanding -- deliberately, sinfully wrong in perpetuating falsehoods about the TNIV and its team of translators.
I think this is the crux of the matter. You deem any criticism about the TNIV....ANY CRITICISM...as unjustified. In this way, you are ironically taking a page from the KJVO playbook
I am sure some hate the TNIV just because. However, I've met few of these folks. The folks I refer to here and others are folks who have had legitimate translational issues with the TNIV (and do so with other translations, as well, a fact you seem to either be ignorant of or are deliberately avoiding). No translation is above scrutiny. There's where we disagree. You believe the TNIV is above such. I don't think the ESV, TNIV, NIV, NASB, etc. are beyond a need for improvement. I'm sorry you seem to think otherwise. I'm also sorry you seem to take such freedom to assasinate the character of those who would disagree with your ardent support of the TNIV or who dare not use or endorse the TNIV. Your most telling statment is this:
If one has been against the TNIV he is mistaken.
Regardless of their concerns, they're guilty if they speak a word negatively about the TNIV. I believe that your position is uncharitable and illogical. I respect your contributions on translational issues. I do regret the level to which you'll go (dare I say, stoop) to defend the TNIV.
You and I often find ourselves on the same side of issues, and I hope we remain respectful allies as we defend God's Word against attackers. So let me close with a point of agreement:
:"Evangelicals must be committed to the translation of the Bible into the vernacular language of contemporary people. No translation, no matter how worthy, can remain static and unchanged without the consequence of becoming dated and increasingly out of touch with the development of language."
Amen.
Thanks, friend