RJ Rushdoony

The Chalcedon Report, No. 470 January 2005 Publisher & Chalcedon President Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony Chalcedon Vice-President Translation and Subversion 2 Governing Our Lives Martin Selbrede R.J. Rushdoony by the Word of God 18 Editor Roger Schultz Rev. Christopher J. Ortiz The Father as a Teacher of the Word 5 Sovereignty and Truth: Managing Editor Mark R. Rushdoony The Basic Argument Susan Burns for Inerrancy 20 Contributing Editors Why We Changed the Eugene Clingman Lee Duigon Name of the Magazine 7 Walter & Megan Lindsay Mark My Words: Buddy Hanson Christopher J. Ortiz Effective Bible Notation 21 Chalcedon Founder How Scripture Came to Us 9 Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., Th.D. Rev. R. J. Rushdoony Greg Uttinger (1916-2001) The Bible as a was the founder of Chalcedon How to Read the and a leading theologian, church/ Tool of Dominion 23 state expert, and author of numer- Bible Biblically 11 Samuel L. Blumenfeld ous works on the application of Joseph Morecraft, III Biblical Law to society. God’s Word Is Truth 24 The Bible as a Buddy Hanson Receiving Faith for All of Life: This mag- Precondition for Knowledge 13 azine will be sent to those who request it. At least once a year we ask that you Jim West Robert E. Lee: return a response card if you wish to Self-Government remain on the mailing list. Contributors Deconstructionism, are kept on our mailing list. Suggested Requires Self-Denial 26 Donation: $35 per year ($45 for all Postmodernism and Rick Williams foreign — U.S. funds only). Tax-deduct- Biblical Revelation 15 ible contributions may be made out to Chalcedon and mailed to P.O. Box 158, Rev. Christopher B. Strevel Classifieds 30 Vallecito, CA 95251 USA. Product Catalog 32 Chalcedon may want to contact its readers quickly by means of e-mail. If you have an e-mail address, please send an e-mail message including Faith for All of Life, published monthly by Chalcedon, a tax-exempt Christian foundation, is sent to all who request it. All edito- your full postal address to our office: rial correspondence should be sent to the managing editor, P.O. Box 569, Cedar Bluff, VA 24609-0569. Laser-print hard copy [email protected]. and electronic disk submissions firmly encouraged. All submissions subject to editorial revision. Email: [email protected]. The editors are not responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts which become the property of Chalcedon unless other arrangements are made. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of Chalcedon. It provides a For circulation and data management forum for views in accord with a relevant, active, historic Christianity, though those views may on occasion differ somewhat contact Rebecca Rouse. from Chalcedon’s and from each other. Chalcedon depends on the contributions of its readers, and all gifts to Chalcedon are Contact her at (209) 736-4365 ext. 10 tax-deductible. ©2005 Chalcedon. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint granted on written request only. Editorial Board: Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony, President/Editor-in-Chief; Chris Ortiz, Editor; Susan Burns, Managing Editor and Executive Assistant. or [email protected] Chalcedon, P.O. Box 158, Vallecito, CA 95251, Telephone Circulation (8a.m. - 4p.m., Pacific): (209)736-4365 or Fax (209) 736-0536; email: [email protected]; www.chalcedon.edu; Circulation:Rebecca Rouse. Founder’s Column Faith for All of Life R.J. Rushdoony Translation and Subversion (Reprinted from the Journal of Christian Reconstruction, Vol. 12, No. 2, 1989) he publication of a new translation on their Bible sales for assured profits. Is interest in a particular Bible. The use of Tof the Bible should be an occa- it any wonder, therefore, that publishers, this Bible is thus promoted in a variety sion for rejoicing. The availability of among others, have come to recog- of circles. It is used for responsive read- Scripture in a new language, or a fresh nize the tremendous potentialities of a ings in hymnals and in Sunday school rendering in “modern dress” for people copyrighted Bible? A copyrighted Bible lessons. The Holman Study Bible was already possessing the Bible, can be of is thus a major bonanza to publishers given away as a subscription premium great importance in propagating the and a financial and prestigious asset by Christianity Today, ostensibly a voice faith. The faith, this indeed is the central to scholars participating as translators of evangelical Christianity. “New Bibles” motive in many contemporary versions, and editors. Not every new translation are big money and their by-products but by no means all. At least two other has been a moneymaking scheme, but are likewise profitable. They are used motives are important factors on the many of them have clearly had this in newer commentaries by permission contemporary scene: first,a financial motive as among their central ones. It to further their popularity and concor- motive and, second, an anti-Christian is no wonder that new versions are thus dances suggest their durability. With all religious motive. often front-page news; the advertising the money at stake in new versions, is and promotion behind a major version it any wonder that people are urged, to The Profit in Bibles makes it a financial asset to many media. their confusion, to believe in the neces- A profit motive is, in its place, a Possession of a copyright is again a major sity for new versions? godly aspect of life, by no means to affair and, in one recent case, was a be condemned unless it transgresses subject of legal battle. Thus, the Revised Revision, Translation, the laws of God. Without faith, every Standard Version is copyrighted by the or Paraphrase? aspect of life is under condemnation, all Division of Christian Education of the It might be well to note here a life then is out of focus, and things, in National Council of the Churches of further area of confusion. The Revised themselves pure, become impure in the Christ in the United States of America, Standard Version claims to be a revi- hands of the ungodly. and first published by Thomas Nelson sion of the King James Version, i.e., As is well known, the Bible is the and Sons in New York, Toronto, and not a new translation but merely the consistent best seller. The annual sale Edinburgh. Because many evangelicals King James corrected and modernized. of millions of copies makes it therefore regarded this version as “modernist” in Oswald T. Allis, in Revision or New a phenomenal sales item. Its potential- character, in 1962, a “study” edition was Translation (Presbyterian and Reformed ity as a moneymaker is thus enormous, put out by the A. J. Holman Company Publishing Company, 1948), has called almost staggering to the economically of Philadelphia, with 59 evangelical attention to the fact that it is closer of- minded imagination. But one very scholars giving their evangelical “impri- ten to a new translation by unconserva- serious drawback exists: the Bible, in its matur” to it by means of brief introduc- tive scholars. In Recent Revised Versions, most popular English form, the King tions and articles. The unstated fact is Dr. Allis extended his critique to the James Version, is not subject to copy- that, with every copy and every edition, New English Bible. right. Any publisher can print it and the profit goes to the Division of Chris- New translations, moreover, tend enter into a highly competitive field tian Education of the National Council to follow radical readings of erroneous where the margin of profit must be kept of the Churches of Christ. The National or “wastebasket” texts in preference very low for competitive reasons. The Council has thus a source of income to standard readings. With each new handicaps thus are very real, although now entirely apart from any donations version, the number of departures from several publishers have regularly counted by member churches. It has an invested the Received Text is steadily increasing. 2 Faith for All of Life January 2005 January 2005 Faith for All of Life 3 Faith for All of Life The sales value of these new versions, John Lyly with the King James Version it should be understandable and here, judging by some promotional mate- and this becomes quickly apparent. The all arguments to the contrary notwith- rial, seems to depend on new and novel translators avoided the speech of their standing, the King James speaks a lan- readings. There is, in the minds of some day for a basic English which would be guage which, while sometimes difficult buyers at least, a premium on newness simple, timeless, and beautiful, and they because the matter itself is so, is more and on departures from the “old Bible.” succeeded. Their version spoke from often simple, clear-cut, and beautiful. With some, there is almost a hope- outside their age and tradition with Some modern versions are very help- ful note that the newer Bibles might elemental simplicity. Their wisdom here ful, but none equal the King James in gradually convert “Thou shalt not exceeds that of their successors. Nothing its clarity and memorable beauty. The commit adultery” to “Thou shalt com- seems more ridiculous than an outdated greatest single demerit of the King mit adultery”! New versions, of various “modern” translation. Let us examine James Version is simply this, it is not qualities of good and bad, are purchased William Mace, 1729, as he rendered copyrighted and, hence, no organization by many persons almost as fetish objects James 3:5-6: and no scholar can profit thereby. and remain unread. The tongue is but a small part of the body, But many of the new versions are yet how grand are its pretensions! A spark of A Trustworthy Translation not translation.

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