WELS
NNIV Obsessive Preoccupation is Window Dressing 'Black Cat' Over-Kill
Ichabod - Regarding your recent posting:
"The Owner of the NIV Living Open
Dynamic Translation Resigns:"
I find your
comments beneath the one pic; very appropriate:
You stated:
>>>>>>>
SP Schroeder's promotion of the NNIV continues, in spite of no
interest in WELS. A group of younger pastors will "study" it for the
next month. <<<<<<<<
I am a member
of a WELS congregation [Bethel - Bay Co. MI] whose young pastor is one of these
100 younger WELS pastors who are assigned portions of the Scripture to
"study."
I quote from
the Bethel pastor's July 22nd quarterly "Congregational Report,"
handed out (last week - July 15th) - one week before the quarterly
rubber stamping voter's meeting of today:
>>>>>>>> "Translation
Evaluation Committee (TEC): I have
begun my assigned portion of translation evaluation for the TEC (Galatians,
Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians). I plan to utilize some sabbatical time
in August graciously offered by the church council to complete this assignment
by August 31st. Please welcome any guest preachers that may be asked to serve
our congregation during that time." - <<<<<<<<<< [Pastor Mark Luetzow]
Also, from
what I understand, it was announced this Sunday (at church) that Bethel's
worship service bulletins will be utilizing the 3 translations [NNIV, ESV and HCSB]
- integrating them into the worship service Scripture readings for the next
several Sundays.
I furthermore
understand that the aforementioned translations of Scripture readings, printed
in the Sunday bulletins, will not be designated as coming from a particular
translation. [It sounds to me that some sort of “popularity contest” is being
arranged, here]
Lord only
knows what the other (TEC”S) 99 younger pastors are doing with
"their" congregations. What type of rides are they taking their
congregations, on? Are they tinkering around with 3 translations, attempting to
stick their pastoral fingers out in their particular congregational popularity
winds, all to report back to the Translation Evaluation Committee for a
concerted “feedback” appraisal to synodical headquarters? [We already know
where the TEC stands, as it previously stated that the new NIV 11 would be
suitable for WELS usage]
Ichabod - I hate to repeat myself again about
what I think of the new NIV11 and how I believe WELS leadership and the
Translation Evaluation Committee (with the help of 100 younger pastors) are
paving the way for a final decision to adopt this new NIV 11 Bible for its
official synodical publication use. And,
so, if anyone is interested in some of my prior remarks over this issue, all
they have to do is type in the Ichabod
search box at the top left of the home page, -- the following:
Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel on new
NIV
Furthermore, it is my observing opinion that WELS
from the bureaucratic top, is preparing the "congregational soils" in
anticipation of securing [influencing] enough future votes for the next
synodical convention for the eventual adoption of the new NIV 11. Those in
opposition of this change-over, to the highly flawed gender neutral Bible
translation and its universalism bent, are being, and will be, ignored
[shunned].
I remember in
the recent past, at about the turn of the year, emailing WELS synodical
president Schroeder, about my concerns - and that he do what he could to help kill
this craze for the infatuation with the highly flawed NIV 11. His “leadership” response
back to me, (basically) was that the choice of a new official synodical
translation, was out of his hands and that it was in the hands of the
convention, since they decided to explore the issue.
I will also add
that I shared the same concerns with WELS Rev. Jonathan Schroeder (nephew of SP
Mark Schroeder) and also our own Bethel congregation’s pastor; and have not
received an email reply back from them over that email. [Perhaps, Jonathan Schroeder and Bay County
Michigan's Bethel's pastor went to seminary together and / or know each other,
and are possibly mesmerized by the Translation Evaluation Committee, which to
my understanding, (the members of that committee) are popular with Bethel’s pastor].
Finally, I
stated as I stated before, using Edgar Allen Poe's, short story work, -
"The Black Cat," as a point of reference:
All this
pre-occupation and obsessive time spent focusing the new NIV11 with two "stalking
horse" [other] translations are all “window dressing” and
"over-kill." Sadly to say, I think that the new NIV 11 will be WELS
future official publication translation despite how many of the WELS membership
are offended and alienated – and, who end up leaving over it.
One other thing: I can foresee the convention adopting the new
NIV 11 - and, as a "compromising" (meaningless) gesture, (for having
jammed it down everyone’s throats), urging individual congregations to make
their [own] choice. And, if certain congregations do so by adopting all their (own)
materials according to a suitable non gender Bible translation, - those
congregations will be placed upon the WELS bureaucratic black list.
Nathan M.
Bickel - emeritus pastor
www.thechristianmessage.org
www.moralmatters.org