Bible, Authorized Versions
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official1520
- Date
- 1987 October 13-18
- Source
- House of Bishops. Minutes
- Type
- Resolution 1-10-87
- Mover
- Bishop Curtis
- Seconder
- Bishop Allan
- Prologue
- Bishop Berry presented the following report of the Doctrine and Worship Committee on Biblical translations recommended for public reading.
- BIBLICAL TRANSLATIONS
- "In drawing up a list of biblical translations recommended for public reading, the Task Force began by generating criteria by which a translation might be excluded from such a list. Translations excluded by these criteria were noted. The exclusion of a translation as not suitable for public reading in the Anglican Church of Canada does not mean that the translation is necessarily unsuitable for study purposes.
- I. Criteria for exclusion of a particular translation
- i. Paraphrases, e.g. The Living Bible, J.B. Philips, Barclay, Cotton Patch.
- ii. Translations made for particular doctrinal purposes rather than rendering the original text, e.g. The Living Bible, Jehovah's Witnesses.
- iii. Translations which are translations of translations, e.g. The Living Bible, Jerusalem Bible (1966).
- iv. Translations which replace words through "computer search" rather than by examination of each text, e.g. NCC Inclusive translation.
- v. Translations from another culture, e.g. New English Bible, Cotton Patch.
- vi. Abridgements/harmonies, e.g. Reader's Digest.
- vii. Translations in colloquial rather than contemporary English, e.g. New English Bible
- II. Recommendations
- The Task Force recommends the following translations for public reading in the Anglican Church of Canada (by date of publication).
- - King James (Authorized Version) 1611
- - Revised Standard Version 1952 (and its revision as Common Bible)
- - New American Bible 1970
- - Today's English Version (Good News) 1976
- - New International Version 1978
- - New Jerusalem 1985
- Selection
- The Task Force suggests that local communities consider the following criteria when choosing a translation suitable for their needs and purposes.
- - the nature of the local community, its cultural profile, education levels, etc.
- - the fidelity of the translations to the original text.
- - no gratuitous use of exclusive language.
- - intelligible in terms of contemporary English use.
- - natural use of language.
- - coherence with the language of the liturgy itself.
- - does the translation give help with the pronunciation of proper nouns ?
- No one criterion is a sufficient basis for a community's choice."
- Text of motion
- That this report be received for the guidance of diocesan bishops. CARRIED
- Subjects
- Bible - Liturgical use - Anglican Church of Canada
- Bible - Versions, English
- Bible. English - Versions - Authorized, King James
- Bible. English - Versions - Revised Standard Version
- Bible. English - Versions - New American Bible
- Bible. English - Versions - Today's English Version (Good News)
- Bible. English - Versions - New International Version
- Bible. English - Versions - New Jerusalem
- Language - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada