The TNIV and the Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy [Paperback]

Wayne Grudem (Author), Vern Poythress (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2005

“The Bible is God’s own Word to us.” Translating the words of God has become an even more daunting task in recent years as the pressure of “political correctness” and various activist agendas have sought to influence the landscape. No issue has become more controversial than genderneutral Bible translations, especially with the release of the TNIV.

Vern Poythress and Wayne Grudem examine the translation practice of replacing the generic “he” and the specific “father” with the gender-neutral “they” and “parent” with special attention focused on the TNIV. While translators may be well intentioned in seeking not to offend, Poythress and Grudem contend that the results are subtly changing meanings of the original texts.

The authors seek to build a dialogue that will result in understanding both sides of the gender-neutral controversy and the challenge of producing accurate Bible translations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wayne A. Grudem is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He received a Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Cambridge, England, an M.Div. from Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia, and a B.A. from Harvard University.He has published seven books and is a co-founder, past president, and currently vice president of the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. He and his wife, Margaret, live in Libertyville, Illinois.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: B&H Academic (January 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805431934
• ISBN-13: 978-0805431933
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,933,240 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't keep up to date with 2005..But still worth reading!, March 2, 2005

By 

Rufus123 (United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The TNIV and the Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy (Paperback)

All of this book's critiques are based on the TNIV's 2002, release. If the reader of this book looks carefully at this book's examples of where the TNIV goes wrong, you'll notice it references the 2002 edition. But there are differences between the 2005 and 2002 edition. These changes were probably made because of people like Grudem!

This book does explain their side well. They did expose some questionable parts of the 2002 edition, and their critiquing of the TNIV is probably what drove some updates to be made of the 2005 edition.

I think this book illustrates why it is good to always have two opposites arguing an issue. Just like in politics, each side's constant critiquing of the other, only drives the final product to be stronger! If the Grudem like people did not exist, some real problems could have remained in the TNIV 2005 edition. On the other hand, if TNIV folks did not exist, our Bible translations would remain using language that does not address the changes of today's language. We wouldn't realize that "he\man\brothers" no longer means both male and females to those using today's language.

The TNIV does have some issues, but so do all Bible translations. Just like with any other Bible translation, you should have one or two others that you read also. Grudem's picking apart of the TNIV does not invalidate it as a translation, anymore than picking apart the nasb or kjv would invalidate them as translations also

Read this book, so your views on this issue can be sharpened. Then go buy a book favoring inclusive language and read that too!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gender-Neutral Critic, February 15, 2011

By 

LDM - See all my reviews

This review is from: The TNIV and the Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy (Paperback)

After reading several documents and sources on the gender-neutral controversy, I find critics of these new translations baffling. Even in English, the use of masculine pronouns and the word "-man" (i.e. chairman) is used in our language to connote both male and female applicability.

Christians must face the reality that masculine pronouns and male representation historically has been the standard method of male/female referencing.

Has it ever occurred to us that it's dismissive to lump women with men but wince at the thought of lumping men with women. Women are NOT men but are compelled to feel comfortable being referred to in the masculine. It's gone on so long most of us don't realize how dismissive it is.

The arguments and refutations are not concerns of misapplication, but refusal to admit that the dignity and personhood of women should actually be acknowledge and not co-opted into male identity in written language.

Most men would be absolutely insulted to be referred to collectively with feminine references yet most men truly believe women should be comfortable with masculine reference.

If traditionalists truly believe biblical truths apply to everyone, it's best to get over the fear of using language to include everyone. Translations like these are NOT about inclusion, but are about using language to respect, address and acknowledge each gender.

40 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview and scholarly discussion, February 7, 2005

By 

Mayor of Tateville (Northern Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The TNIV and the Gender-Neutral Bible Controversy (Paperback)

Ok, whether you agree that women should be ministers or not, the thing is here not to tamper with the wording of the Bible. The introduction is written by an egalitarian professor who, while supporting female ordination, opposes gender-neutral Bibles because they are dishonest.

The editors and publishers of the TNIV have been very dishonest with the public and the evangelical world at large. They signed the Colorado Springs Guidelines then withdrew days before the TNIV NT was released - long after they violated their pledge to not do a gender-neutral Bible.

These authors go point-by-point to show the problems with gender-neutral translations of Scripture as well as the history of the whole TNIV business. They argue in favor of neutrality where warranted (e.g. the word "anthropos" as "human") but the opposition goes further, mandating that the word for male (Gk "aner") can also mean anyone, which is bad Greek and bad theology.

If you want to rewrite the Bible to fit your theology (or to make money), just admit it. If you want good translation principles, read this book, which is far more fair to the opposition than egalitarian books (e.g. D.A. Carson's book) are to the complimentarian side.