by Brother Maynard | Feb 20, 2009 | Scripture Considered
Webb Mealy contacted me a little while back to ask if I’d be interested in taking a look at a project he has underway — a new translation (SENT) of the entire New Testament. As the title indicates, the translation is undertaken to present the New Testament “in a spoken, not a written or literary style.”
The aim makes sense, and takes it to a new level. Past translations have given a nod to out-loud readability (NLT, The Voice) or to presentation in everyday English, but SENT seems to take this to a new level. The first thing I noticed was the use of contractions in dialogue. This is the way people normally speak, but few translations make liberal use of words like “I’m” or “you’re” or “she’s,” instead spelling out both words. Since our common mode of speech runs these words together, it makes sense to present them this way. Another notable feature that one doesn’t typically see is pronunciation keys set in footnotes where they are needed. Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Dec 16, 2008 | Books, Scripture Considered
I’ve been using The Voice translation a little bit lately, and am enjoying it. I received a review copy, and want to offer one — but I begin with an excursus on Bible translation generally and dynamic equivalence specifically, since this will frame helpfully what I want to say about The Voice.
I have a confession to make: I’ve never really been a big fan of The Message. There — I’ve said it. Now I know that many (most?) of you are quite in love with it and will tell me that it has enriched their Bible-reading and made the text come alive again. That’s okay… the reasons I’ve never been enamoured of it are a little different. It isn’t the missing verse numbers nor the fact it was done by one man — J.B. Phillips has those in common, and I love his translation. My issue with it is much along the lines of the challenges faced by any dynamic equivalence translation that seeks to bring the language and setting into as contemporary a setting as possible. Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Nov 5, 2008 | Books
Scot McKnight’s wife Kris refers to his latest book, The Blue Parakeet, as “one of his readable ones.” The book is, in fact, one of his most readable, which is most fortunate given the importance of the subject matter. Although Scot McKnight is something of an avid birder, the book’s title is really only a metaphor, not a literal description of the subject at hand. For that, the books subtitle, “Rethinking How You Read the Bible” sums it up. And if you notice that the image of the book cover glows just a little, it’s no accident — the book deserves a glowing review. Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Nov 3, 2008 | Books, Culture, Scripture Considered, Theology
After reading Scot McKnight’s The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible, I started into Ed Cyzewski’s Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life. Both books speak of an approach to scripture that attempts to bridge the gap between the culture in which the culture in which each book of the Bible was written and that of today into which it still speaks. As I reflected today on the nature of scripture an how it interacts with itself, I remembered the view of one Rabbi. The Hebrew Bible (what we refer to as the Old Testament) is divided into three parts — the Law (Torah), the Prophets, and the Writings. The Jewish view is basically that the prophets and writings act as commentary on the Law (the Pentateuch), explaining how to understand it. Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Oct 22, 2008 | Leadership
I recently finished Scot McKnight’s latest release, The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible. I have a habit of noticing ideas and examples that may be tangental to the author’s point but which I still make a point of applying in a slightly different context — as I did yesterday. And here comes another one, on authority.
Maybe another analogy will point us in the right direction. My relationship to the president and provost and dean of my university, North Park University, might be called a relationship of authority. David Parkyn, our president, Joseph Jones, our provost, and Charles Peterson, our dean, are in one sense authority figures. They have more authority than I do–and they should have. Frankly, knowing the kind of life an administrator is called to live, I am quite happy to cede that authority to them. Actually, I’m not ceding anything to them. They are given authority by the board of trustees, and my responsibility is to acknowledge their authority. However you look at it, they have a kind of authority I don’t. Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Sep 24, 2008 | Books, God Life, Scripture Considered, Theology
Scot McKnight’s The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible will be out soon, and reviews are beginning to appear online. I haven’t seen a copy, but the reviews are all good and it promises to be a good resource. Obviously the way in which one approaches the Bible will colour what we exegete from it, but the exegesis can be effected by how we understand that the Bible views itself.
The subject has come up here before, mostly in the context of how the Old and New Testaments relate to one another. Zondervan will soon be publishing Three Views on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology), and as part of the prelude to the book’s release they have developed an online quiz on the subject. You can see my results and take the quiz below. I took it twice and didn’t get quite the same answer… Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Jul 22, 2008 | Books, Scripture Considered
When I noticed Steve Bishop recently asking, “What do your New Testament Commentaries say about you?” and listing the applicable volumes in his library, I decided to do the same. It only follows naturally that I’d proceed to the Old Testament, where my collection is weaker — the list is shorter despite the text being longer. As I said before, I haven’t read all of these, I just tend to pick up used titles here and there where I can, as collecting is part of the fun. ;^) Not all of are selections I’d particularly recommend, and in many cases I lack what are accepted to be the best work on each book. With that in mind, I welcome suggestions on what my short-list for acquisitions should include for particular OT books. And again, feel free to go ahead and suggest what my OT Commentaries actually say about me… Read more…
by Brother Maynard | Jul 21, 2008 | Books, Scripture Considered
I noticed Steve Bishop asking, “What do your New Testament Commentaries say about you?” He proceeded to list the applicable volumes in his library. Stuck for a good blog-topic, I decided to do the same in response. Let it be said that I haven’t read all of these, I just tend to pick up used titles here and there where I can. Collecting is part of the fun. ;^) Not all of these are selections I’d particularly recommend, and in some cases I haven’t got what are accepted to be the best work on each book… partly because my library is slowly becoming dated. But for those who are so inclined, give me a few suggestions on what my short-list for acquisitions should include to round out or improve my selection for particular books. For the really brave, feel free to go ahead and suggest what my NT Commentaries say about me… Read more…
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