The CBE Scroll

We know it is probably inevitable, but my wife and I are trying to keep Barbie out of our house for as long as possible. We just don’t think our daughter needs the subtle (or maybe not-so-subtle) and erroneous lessons about the importance of physical beauty and the shape of a normal, healthy woman’s body that sometimes come with the package. For that reason, the other, more overtly trashy Barbie clones (she got one for her birthday that actually said “Eye Candy” on the box!!) are definitely off limits, end of discussion.

In that context, here is a conversation Rebecca and I had last night:

RP: When I grow up I’m going to be a superhero! (She’s been on a superhero kick lately. I blame the boys in her Sunday school class :-) )

DP: That’s nice, honey.

RP: And if I grow up to be Wonder Woman, I’ll have to wear more clothes so I won’t get cold. All she wears is a bathing suit, boots, arm warmers, and a crown.

DP: Yes, I think you would get cold fighting bad guys dressed like that. Especially in the winter!

RP: She should at least wear a shirt and pants. And when it snows, she can wear snow pants!

Don’t grow up too soon, my little hero!

Conversations continue about Today’s New International Version (TNIV) translation of the Bible. While much has been debated over this issue already (see CBE’s articles in response to criticisms of the TNIV here), I believe the direct personal critique of the people involved in this translation warrants a post. Gordon Fee, Ronald Youngblood, Bruce Waltke, and others on the translation team are men of that stature and outstanding biblical scholars; I studied text criticism under Dr. Fee and I know Dr. Youngblood from his work in the ministry I presently help oversee. One wonders where this might lead.

Christianity Today surveyed 750 people in 2002.

There were many interesting results but two are especially important for CBE.

1. 78% stated that “Christian leaders need to speak out on proper roles for men and women”.

2. 38% agreed with the complementarian contention that only men should be ordained. 47% disagreed with the complementarian contention that only men should be ordained for ministry.

Both of these conclusions argue strongly for our task to preach the truth of Scripture about gender relationships to a generation which hears many competing voices.

[For the whole survey, see Christianity Today, the article titled "Adam and Eve in the 21st Century," March 11, 2002.]

Together with a team of 5 others, I translated a New Testament for an Asian Bible-less tribe back in the 1980’s. Wycliffe, Living Bibles and others helped us get it out. I know something about translating.

Having written that, the recent activity of whole denominations and religious groups publicly stating that the recent TNIV translation is “not commendable” makes me flash back to the 1950’s to the pictures of fundamentalist churches piling up huge stacks of RSV’s in their church parking lots and burning them. I suspect God cringed in the 1950’s and He does now in the early part of a new millenium over the same behaviors.

The issue is control. The critics of the TNIV want to control 60% of the church [read: the women]. These self-proclaimed “Bible evaluators” are out of step with contemporary evangelical Biblical scholarship. I spoke with one seminary president who confided to me that 90% of contemporary NT evangelical professors are egalitarians. How much further out of step can loud detractors of the TNIV be?

The most popular Christian web site according to the traffic counter ChristianTop1000.com is a Bible question and answer site called GotQuestions.org. The most asked question out of 84,289 total questions asked is: “What about women pastors and preachers, what about women in the ministry?”

Our task on the web at CBE is extremely important. We have an important voice and answer to the most often asked Christian question on the web.