On the Marketing of God's Word...
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
I am a big fan of the ESV. I find it to be a very word-for-word accurate translation yet understandable. I like that while it is similar to the NRSV, the version the Religious Studies Dept. uses here @ MSU, it reflects much more theologically conservative and faithful readings of many a passage that the NRSV... well... theologically butchers. I've often wondered back and forth on the issue, however of the TNIV - Today's New International Version. I know some personally who use this version... but I know there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the translation, and not from just the KJV-Only nutjobs. Many of the men I respect most - Al Mohler, John Piper, J.I. Packer, etc. are very distrusting of the TNIV for various reasons. (One of the more damning aspects of the TNIV is its translation of Psalm 34:20 in such a way that actually REMOVES the prophetic reference to Christ - "[God] protects all their bones, not one of them will be broken," changing the singular "his" to the generic plural "their".)
However, this post is NOT about the TNIV. (though I have spent too much time already rambling about it!)
While listening to a podcast by Rev. Al Mohler (here), I noticed something that the good Reverend pointed out. The Bible is the Word of God, yes? to equip for every good work... to teach... etc.? Well...
Do you get the point???
SO many "specialty" Bibles to fill market niches...
I have, for instance an NIV Student Bible... something more or less for teens with its level of notes... but I have it LEATHER BOUND. I even had my name engraved... for WHAT? a Bible that basically "expires" after I turn 18 or 19?? Does that seem... off to anyone? It does to me.
There is NOTHING wrong with study bibles. I have an ESV Study Bible AND an ESV Reformation Study Bible... both of which are amazing tools for study! I often feel lost if I do not have either of those Bibles with me, ESPECIALLY when I am working through the Old Testament, with so many cities and terminologies I am unfamiliar with. However many MANY of these I am skeptical of go beyond the scholarly emphasis. They often will have study notes that focus on... well... me. The Bible for the 12 yr old boy who plays Nintendo Wii... where does it end??? The focus isn't on helping the reader understand the given Bible passage. It is on meeting the individual's felt NEEDS.
Scholarship and theology has been exchanged for self-help Bible programs. ... and i'm not even TALKING about the "translations" themselves... from the TNIV to the NLT... I'm not saying we have to have NO study notes and NO designs on the Bibles... that is fine. But a camo Bible? I mean really...
What are your thoughts??
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
I am a big fan of the ESV. I find it to be a very word-for-word accurate translation yet understandable. I like that while it is similar to the NRSV, the version the Religious Studies Dept. uses here @ MSU, it reflects much more theologically conservative and faithful readings of many a passage that the NRSV... well... theologically butchers. I've often wondered back and forth on the issue, however of the TNIV - Today's New International Version. I know some personally who use this version... but I know there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the translation, and not from just the KJV-Only nutjobs. Many of the men I respect most - Al Mohler, John Piper, J.I. Packer, etc. are very distrusting of the TNIV for various reasons. (One of the more damning aspects of the TNIV is its translation of Psalm 34:20 in such a way that actually REMOVES the prophetic reference to Christ - "[God] protects all their bones, not one of them will be broken," changing the singular "his" to the generic plural "their".)
However, this post is NOT about the TNIV. (though I have spent too much time already rambling about it!)
While listening to a podcast by Rev. Al Mohler (here), I noticed something that the good Reverend pointed out. The Bible is the Word of God, yes? to equip for every good work... to teach... etc.? Well...
Do you get the point???
SO many "specialty" Bibles to fill market niches...
I have, for instance an NIV Student Bible... something more or less for teens with its level of notes... but I have it LEATHER BOUND. I even had my name engraved... for WHAT? a Bible that basically "expires" after I turn 18 or 19?? Does that seem... off to anyone? It does to me.
There is NOTHING wrong with study bibles. I have an ESV Study Bible AND an ESV Reformation Study Bible... both of which are amazing tools for study! I often feel lost if I do not have either of those Bibles with me, ESPECIALLY when I am working through the Old Testament, with so many cities and terminologies I am unfamiliar with. However many MANY of these I am skeptical of go beyond the scholarly emphasis. They often will have study notes that focus on... well... me. The Bible for the 12 yr old boy who plays Nintendo Wii... where does it end??? The focus isn't on helping the reader understand the given Bible passage. It is on meeting the individual's felt NEEDS.
Scholarship and theology has been exchanged for self-help Bible programs. ... and i'm not even TALKING about the "translations" themselves... from the TNIV to the NLT... I'm not saying we have to have NO study notes and NO designs on the Bibles... that is fine. But a camo Bible? I mean really...
What are your thoughts??
You make some very good points, Ryan. I would ask, though, if you have read any of these versions. Are these different types of Bible actually different translations/paraphrases that may or may not accurately depict scripture in its original languages, or is the cover art just different?
ReplyDeleteI find that we as believers sometimes (to use an old adage) make mountains out of molehills. If, let's say, in the golfer's Bible, the miracle of turning water into wine is substituted for Jesus hitting a stellar par-3 ace at Augusta, we obviously have a problem.
I'll admit to not having seen/read these "target audience" Bibles either, but my guess would be that they are a bunch of NIVs with different cover art. Some may even have notes in the footers that draw abstract parallels between hunting/fishing/golf and scripture. Is that really something to fuss over?
Let's not forget that Paul said the church must be "All things to all people." Meaning, we need to meet people on their various levels and contextualize the good news without neutering it of it's scandalousness and its offensiveness.
Ryan, here is something you may be interested in.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/om8aqe
@Ehud - I have read some of the notes in most of these Bibles, yes. I even owned various teen-focued Bibles. there is even a New Testament for sports players in my closet somewhere I think. the translations vary. some are decent NIV or NKJV... others though are pretty bad, like the NLT, a paraphrastic version. the notes are often very shallow in these Bibles. there is, in the onese I've looked at, no desire to show what the text MEANS... but try and say "how this means to YOU." Well, I am sorry, but I don't give a CRAP about what it means to YOU. or to ME. The text is not about you or me. It has a meaning whether I read it or not. The text means something objectively... and this is something that has been lost in many Christian's study of God's word.
ReplyDeletewhat happens when you are no longer a pre-teen? you have to get a teen bible. then a college Bible. then a bible for 25 yr olds with facial scruff and coffee stains on the teeth guys? where does the niche Bible market end? should it even exist?
bad study notes lead to a bad understanding of the Bible. and the Bible is not just like every other book. now I am not saying all Bibles have to have black or burgandy or navy blue covers, and that's IT! but at some point it seems like they are just marketing the Bible to the "religious consumer"... so like the iPod, people want to collect many different ones.
By all things to all people, Paul was talking about the culture. He spoke their language. he wasn't talking market segments or niches. this is the problem with "clowning" ministries and the like.
I guarantee many of these do attempt to lessen any offense of the cross. especially the Osteen "HOPE FOR TODAY" 'bible.'