alexander284
Well-Known Member
Why is the New Revised Standard Version Bible so popular among mainline Protestant denominations?
What are your thoughts on that?
What are your thoughts on that?
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Why is the New Revised Standard Version Bible so popular among mainline Protestant denominations?
- Thread starter alexander284
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The NRSV is a revision of the RSV.
These characteristics in the NRSV made it a scholars Bible but also doomed it among the perhaps, less scholarly users.
One change is worth noting because it illustrates how these changes effected its use among denominations.
In Isaiah 7:14 they translated the Hebrew word, ‘almah as “young woman” rather than “virgin”. This change, while technically correct brought intense criticism, even wrath upon the translators by conservatives. To this day, most versions will use “virgin”, and provide a footnote allowing the meaning, “young woman”, even after a compelling argument for “young woman” is presented.
Just a note, the Bible researcher is a good resource for basic information - here is the review on the NRSV
Rob
- It eliminated the archaic thee’s and thou’s as well as other little understood words.
- It was among the first major versions to reduce gender-inclusive wording.
- and it incorporated a great many textual and archeological advances.
These characteristics in the NRSV made it a scholars Bible but also doomed it among the perhaps, less scholarly users.
One change is worth noting because it illustrates how these changes effected its use among denominations.
In Isaiah 7:14 they translated the Hebrew word, ‘almah as “young woman” rather than “virgin”. This change, while technically correct brought intense criticism, even wrath upon the translators by conservatives. To this day, most versions will use “virgin”, and provide a footnote allowing the meaning, “young woman”, even after a compelling argument for “young woman” is presented.
Just a note, the Bible researcher is a good resource for basic information - here is the review on the NRSV
Rob
alexander284
Well-Known Member
Thank you for your help. And thanks for the link!
alexander284
Well-Known Member
Oh, by the way, isn't the English Standard Version of the Bible also a revision of the Revised Standard Version (like the New Revised Standard Version)?
Just a more conservative take on verses like the one you referred to from the Book of Isaiah?
From the link .....
"The editorial committee made thousands of changes, some quite substantive, to the translation of the Old Testament made by the full committee, and when members of the full committee became aware of the extent of these changes, many were outraged, feeling that much of their own work on the translation over the years had been irresponsibly gutted."
An Evaluation of the NRSV: Demystifying Bible Translation, by J.J.M. Roberts
"The editorial committee made thousands of changes, some quite substantive, to the translation of the Old Testament made by the full committee, and when members of the full committee became aware of the extent of these changes, many were outraged, feeling that much of their own work on the translation over the years had been irresponsibly gutted."
An Evaluation of the NRSV: Demystifying Bible Translation, by J.J.M. Roberts
The OT is translated from the Masoretic text, commonly called the BHS.
The oldest copy being from around 600-700 c.e.
Many of the myths of OT Hebrew text transmission come from these masoretic scholars. They standardized the OT that we use today.
Then along comes the Dead Sea Scrolls, dated from ~200, b.c.e. and later.
It established the reliability of the Masoretic text BUT did provide some surprising changes.
One of the big changes that the NRSV did is to incorporate some of these changes into the version.
My favorite is an acrostic psalm, which is missing the letter N (nun) in the BHS.
Compare Psalm 145, verse 13 in many modern versions with the NKJV you will see it.
This is a DSS addition.
Rob
The oldest copy being from around 600-700 c.e.
Many of the myths of OT Hebrew text transmission come from these masoretic scholars. They standardized the OT that we use today.
Then along comes the Dead Sea Scrolls, dated from ~200, b.c.e. and later.
It established the reliability of the Masoretic text BUT did provide some surprising changes.
One of the big changes that the NRSV did is to incorporate some of these changes into the version.
My favorite is an acrostic psalm, which is missing the letter N (nun) in the BHS.
Compare Psalm 145, verse 13 in many modern versions with the NKJV you will see it.
This is a DSS addition.
...and it’s true some of these changes are disputed and controversial.
Rob
alexander284
Well-Known Member
And which Psalm might this be that you are referring to.
"The Burns family ran a general store in a one store town and still managed to do badly. They were Methodist, a denomination my father always referred to as Baptists who could read."
--- A River Runs Through It
The author's father was Presbyterian.
My guess? The mainline denominations had their roots in the historic center of American education, the northeast. They sent their seminary students to Germany for their doctorates, when it was a hotbed of theological liberalism. The Oxford Annotated Bible in the NRSV has been a staple of those northeast schools for a while now, so I would expect pastors using it would trickle down to the flocks.
A rather bawdy book but it's in my collection.
The author apparently heard the line too.
I enjoy the way the book meanders - like a river.
One of the major translators was Bruce Metzger, a Princeton Scholar (not too far from where I live).
Once renowned for such names as B.B. Warfield; it has strayed from its foundation.
Rob
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Just_Ahead
Active Member
Just_Ahead
Active Member
Due to it being the first modern version to go big time into inclusive gender language!
alexander284
Well-Known Member
Because the conservative Protestant denominations do not use it.
I am serious.
Oh, I definitely see your point! Lol
alexander284
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's a good observation you made here!
alexander284
Well-Known Member
Because the conservative Protestant denominations do not use it.
I am serious.
Yes, and I'm a little surprised that some of the liberal mainline Protestant denominations are starting to use and accept the ESV!
The CEB is gaining ground too. It has displaced the NRSV. Calvin College and Seminary and I think the CRC are all using the CEB.
Excellent reformed scholar --D.A. Carson has said that the NRSV is : "a jolly good translation."