Liberal Translation?

Previously on this blog I have written about the Common English Bible translation and the Conservative Bible Project, though I have not connected the two in any way. At the Better Bibles Blog, which is dedicated to improving Bible translations, Wayne Leman has written about claims that the Common English Bible might have a liberal bias. Leman disagrees and writes,

Is the CEB a “liberal” translation? I find no evidence of it from my own study of this new translation and extensive editorial comments I submitted to the CEB team. I would caution all of us to be prudent in how we evaluate any Bible translation. We should especially avoid broadbrush characterizations of a Bible version. We may think we find a bias in translation of one or more verses. But if we study a translation longer, we usually find that translation of other verses throw doubt on our initial evaluations.

His next comment is directed at those of us who blog on the Bible and particularly strikes home since I have blogged on this particular translation:

I would, once again, caution all of us to be prudent, also, about what we write on our blogs. Blog posts are picked up by Google and other search engines. Blog posts take on a permanence that we may not want when we look back upon what we have written with the advantage of further growth and study on our part.

The Bible, of course, even when we are critical of particular translations, ought to be treated with respect, though some enterprises, especially an ideological, non-scholarly project such as the Conservative Bible Project, is worthy of disdain. The Common English Bible, though, like all serious translations, is not an attempt at ideology, but an attempt to translate God's word. Make certain to read the whole post here. And if you have interest in Bible translation as a whole, you might find this site a welcome spot to visit.

John W. Martens

Follow me on Twitter @johnwmartens