Battle of the Bibles - Present Truth

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Chapter Twenty-Four Interconfessional Bibles and Ecumenism The World Catholic Federation for Biblical Apostolate (WCFBA), is a Roman Catholic organisation formed solely for the purpose of promoting ecumenism through participation in the translation of interconfessional Bibles. But it does seem that the Vatican is quite happy to let so-called Protestant organisations such as the Bible Societies bear the brunt of the cost of production and distribution of these Bibles. As an example, an examination of the Bible Society's (New South Wales, Australia) report on donations received from denominations during the 1990/1991 financial year is revealing. Of the seventeen contributing denominations listed, by far the strongest supporter was the Anglican Church ($129,864.00). This probably reflects the continuing ties with the British and Foreign Bible Society, in spite of the relatively recent name change to "The Bible Society in Australia". But the Roman Catholic Church's contribution during that year was a mere ~, $917.00! This compared unfavourably with one of the smaller Protestant churches - The Seventh-day Adventist Church, which gave $4,045.00. 18. (18 -Evidently the SDA's admiration for the Bible Society's ecumenical role and the type of Bibles being sold, has now increased considerably. A report on Page 11 of the SDA's March 13, 1993 issue of "The Record" carries a report containing the gratitude expressed by the NSW Director of the Bible Society in Australia for the SDA's magnificent contribution during the year of 1992 which amounted to $24,148.00!) Although insignificant in monetary terms, the fact that Rome is contributed anything at all is highly significant, and is indicative of her perception of success in changing the original purpose of the British and Foreign Bible Society. Rome's previous attitude to the Society's Protestant Version of the Bible was revealed by Pope Pius X when in 1911 his prescribed "Larger Catechism" stated: "If a Christian should be offered a Bible by a Protestant, or by some emissary of the Protestants, he ought to reject it with horror, because it is forbidden by the Church; and if he should have accepted it without noticing what it was, he should at once pitch it into the fire, or fetch it to his Pastor" (Cited, "The Word of God Among All Nations", p 121). The reason for such drastic behaviour is explained by Rome while stating her hostility toward the Bible Societies: "The attitude of the Church toward the Bible Societies is one of unmistakable opposition. Believing herself to be the divinely appointed custodian and interpreter of Holy Writ she cannot, without turning traitor to herself, approve the distribution of Scripture without note or comment" ("The Catholic Encyclopedia", Vol. II, p 545). The obvious implication of such a radical change in attitude is that the Roman Catholic Church no longer regards the Bible Societies as an effective instrument of Protestantism. No doubt it is joyfully aware that, throughout Australia at least, the value of the Protestant King James Versions sold (1990/1991) has shrunk to a paltry 9.9 percent of total sales (Source, "Bible Society in Australia", May 27, 1992). Architects of this successful capture of Bible Societies which come under the umbrella of the United Bible Society, such as Monsignor Alberto Ablondi, must experience smug satisfaction with the results. Back in 1984, while Bishop of Livorno, Italy, he was a member of the General Committee and European Regional Executive Committee of the UBS. Undoubtedly his influence on the Societies helped to shape their present-day policies. He views the interconfessional translations of the Bible as: 6
"One of the important advancements of post Vatican II ecumenism - an important step towards unity" [and that they] "will help overcome prejudice in a divided church" ("Word-Event", No 57/1984 p 6), as reported in the Trinitarian Bible Society, ("Ecumenism and the United Bible Societies", Article No 72, p 9). And, overcome prejudice they did! In that same year: "Several Bible Societies changed their constitution, allowing them to have members of Christian denominations on their Board" ("1984 Annual Report of United Bible Society", p 5). This, of course, is an indirect way of informing the world that Roman Catholics may serve on the Boards of former Protestant Bible Societies. They wasted no time in claiming their advantage. "Word-Event" No 56/1984 happily confirms that many Roman Catholics, including several Bishops, were now members of National Bible Society Boards and/or regional committees and that Roman Catholics are serving as Bible translators. We are indebted to the Trinitarian Bible Society for revealing that: "One of the joint editors of the widely used United Bible Society's Greek New Testament is a Roman Catholic Cardinal, namely, Carlo M. Martini, the Bishop of Milan" ("United Bible Society", Article No 72, p 9). This information should be of particular interest to those Christians who feel that in the New International Version of the Bible they have discovered God's revelation to man. They should be aware that the New International Version (NIV) has generally followed the United Bible Society's Greek Translation of the New Testament (Third Edition) which in turn, like Westcott and Hort's New Testament, is largely based on the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts (See Trinitarian Bible Society article No 74, p 16). Mind you, the translators of the NIV in their Preface, prefer to tell it another way: "The Greek text used in the work of translation is an eclectic one ". In plain language, this means selecting the text that best suits one's fancy or need. What a convenient device for facilitating a subjective translation! When such a device is employed in selecting texts from the great variety of Bible versions now available, the mind boggles at the possibility of finding some semblance of Biblical support for practically any doctrine which man is capable of devising! As a case in point, let us briefly consider the "New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures", the Bible of the Jehovah's Witnesses. According to J. P. Lewis, the unidentified translators used the Westcott and Hort Greek Text: "But many other sources were utilised" ("The English Bible from KJV to NIV", p 229). So, like many other translators, they took an eclectic approach in order to support their doctrines. Especially is this so in respect to their Unitarian belief. Hence in Mark 1:1, all reference to Jesus Christ as the "Son of God" is deleted: "[The] beginning of the Good news about Jesus Christ". So blatant has been this eclectic approach, that this version has been categorised among "Tendentious translations because it fosters the distinctive views of a particular sect" (ibid p 230). We have seen how Rome has infiltrated the main Bible Societies through its ecumenical approach and relegated the King James Version to a mere asterisk in their business. But such success would not have been possible had there not been a demand 7
Page 1 and 2:
Table of Contents By way of introdu
Page 3 and 4:
Section One Chapters One to Eleven
Page 5 and 6:
Wycliffe's unpretentious priests gl
Page 7 and 8:
Chapter Two Colet and Erasmus Desid
Page 9 and 10:
friends rallied around him and with
Page 11 and 12:
day but they have taken on a more v
Page 13 and 14:
With Erasmus's translation, Tyndale
Page 15 and 16:
Jane Seymour, the third of Henry's
Page 17 and 18: On March 27, 1555, at the tender ag
Page 19 and 20: attacked and destroyed monasteries
Page 21 and 22: convenient to quit his position as
Page 23 and 24: This was the apogee of Philip's rei
Page 25 and 26: • That Scripture can only be inte
Page 27 and 28: Finisterre in North Western Spain t
Page 29 and 30: negotiated with winds not always fa
Page 31 and 32: for Protestantism to bring forth a
Page 33 and 34: Section Two Chapters Twelve to Fift
Page 35 and 36: which they themselves have shortene
Page 37 and 38: Perhaps more importantly, it had, b
Page 39 and 40: Wilkinson sees this as proof that e
Page 41 and 42: "Having continued his labours in Sc
Page 43 and 44: John, in his final years, assisted
Page 45 and 46: (By the late nineteenth century, th
Page 47 and 48: they not the fathers of the Roman C
Page 49 and 50: It is very important that the signi
Page 51 and 52: Hort's friend, Westcott, had no pro
Page 53 and 54: family, the original of which is re
Page 55 and 56: A relatively small minority, repres
Page 57 and 58: sales were very good, this was enti
Page 59 and 60: 17 Dr Schaff's attitude to Matthew
Page 61 and 62: was formed, known as the Trinitaria
Page 63 and 64: BATTLE OF THE BIBLES 2C H. H. MEYER
Page 65 and 66: So, the leaders of the SDA Church t
Page 67: It was not long before wishful-thin
Page 71 and 72: BATTLE OF THE BIBLES 2D H. H. MEYER
Page 73 and 74: the Bible and the Bible only. Inexp
Page 75 and 76: "When the Western world was flounde
Page 77 and 78: The following year an editorial in
Page 79 and 80: many young seminarians trained by t
Page 81 and 82: The laity were still not impressed.
Page 83 and 84: BATTLE OF THE BIBLES 2E Chapter Twe
Page 85 and 86: Isaiah 7:14 "Behold a virgin shall
Page 87 and 88: "A son of God" does not equate with
Page 89 and 90: him". Luke 2:33 "And Joseph and his
Page 91 and 92: Here we have further evidence of Ro
Page 93 and 94: JB "Christ, our, passover, has been
Page 95 and 96: Here, and in most other passages of
Page 97 and 98: handed to the revisers stipulated t
Page 99 and 100: the Protestant Bible. Having achiev
Page 101 and 102: So, once more, as in the days of Co
Page 103 and 104: while making a futile attempt to ga
Page 105 and 106: 1560. Goa (Indian) Inquisition esta
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Battle of the Bibles - Present Truth

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