Obscure Bible Versions and the Humbug Brigade

Coming up shortly on this blog is a series of indeterminate length on obscure Bible translations. Yes, I'm finding it hard to contain my enthusiasm too. Why on earth do that? Because what's on offer on the shelves of Christian retailers is, to be frank, overwhelmingly awful and hugely over-hyped. This series will explore some options - good, bad and middling - that move beyond the standard genetically modified alphabet soup stocked by uncritical evangelical retailers: ESV, NIV, NKJV, CEB, NLB, HCSB... you get the idea.

But even before setting out on the journey, I can hear the naysayers cranking up for the inevitable hallelujah-be-damned chorus: "Why bother? Reading the Bible is a waste of time. It's all nonsense. Bah, humbug."

So, interleaved with the series, there will be a discussion on just that question. Call it "Really bad reasons to read the Bible" if you will. And there are some really dumb ways to approach the Good Book. That said, maybe there are some really good reasons too... even if you're a burned-over ex-fundamentalist like myself who finds the constant misuse of the Bible near-nauseating.

The first three obscurities will be:

• God's New Covenant: A New Testament Translation by Heinz W. Cassirer (Eerdmans, 1989)
• The Translator's New Testament (The British & Foreign Bible Society, 1973)
• An Expanded Paraphrase of the Epistles of Paul by F. F. Bruce (Paternoster, 1965)

As you can see from those dates, these titles aren't exactly current and may only be procurable second hand. But, in the words of the famous philosopher Alfred E. Neuman, "What, Me Worry?" And to be perfectly clear, on offer here you'll find personal responses to these translations, not a scholarly review.

And the first humbug response - no. 1 in the "really bad reasons" - will be on the subject of (I'm feeling queasy already!) "devotional" reading. 

At least that's the plan.