Zondervan & SBC's Lifeway

drfuss: I don't know about the TNIV. The SBC literature uses the KJV and the Holman CSB versions. I think the SBC developed the Holman version so it would not have to pay for using the other versions.

 

That's the problem with boycotts. You discover unanticipated associations that can render your boycott moot or force you into positions you don't really want to take.

This was the problem with the Disney boycott that the SBC initiated several years ago. I remember seeing an article detailing all of the things that Southern Baptists would have to give up because of the corporate tie-ins to Disney. Included on the list were things such as Monday Night Football, Rush Limbaugh, and Paul Harvey.

Today, in The Tennessean, the editorial page contained three articles and reader comments about how the SBC can deal with its declining numbers. Here is a link to the editorial. Click on the titles under the SBC logo to get to the other columns and comments.

The Zondervan boycott is an example of the way the SBC is viewed by too many people. They seem to focus more on what they are against than on what they are for.

Tim Reynolds

 

The actual story why the SBC did the Holman Standard directly ties in with Zondervan. When the SBC refused to carry the TNIV and pretty well condemned it Zondervan pulled their rights to use the NIV in their publications. This put the SBC in a bad way.

So it helped spur along those who wants their own "denominational" translation. So here we are...many moons and several million dollars later and have a pretty good translation.

Basically the SBC can't go without Zondervan, they're the big dog in the publishing market. Too much good stuff out there from Zondervan that you can't ignore or do without.

I personally don't have an issue with TNIV, its a translation big deal. But it isn't unethical to say one product is bad and the rest are fine. Of course I think Lifeway and the SBC are foolish to have gone after the TNIV like they did. Doesn't make sense.

One of my friends has a manuscript that he submitted to Lifeway. He got it back with editors comments. It was really interesting when he showed it to me. The editors at Lifeway took all of his masculine pronouns and made them gender neutral. It was really funny, particularly since this was right after a big blow up about the TNIV.

The irony of the whole (maybe this is a little outside the OP) but the HCSB is gender neutral at points. That's nuts. Anyhoo, I don't think it is an ethical issue since you're going after one product that is questionable. Other companies, and us, do it all the time.

 

The way the TNIV and its translators have been treated is shamefully sinful.The sooner the perpetrators fess up --the better.

 

I don't doubt that this is true, but what is your source? I'd really like to know.

 

Not sure how relevant this is -- but Zondervan is owned by a secular publishing house - HarperCollins.

 

One of my professors from seminary wrote a book when he was asked by B & H. Once the manuscript was done by him, the published changed parts of the book to say what they wanted to say and in contrast to what he said. I know because I asked him about it and he told me what happened. When Leon McBeth was asked to write a book on women in Baptist history, Broadman killed the book.

Quite a number of SWBTS profesors would not write books for the SBC because of how they were treated.

Personally I was shocked to hear what some of them told me because I have been published in my field by a secular press and they treated me much better.

Why should we be surprised when we see how SWBTS treated a fellow Christian professor--just like garbage ready to be dumped.

 

I'm really good friends with a number of trustees that served at different times over the past ten years.

That and I'm pretty aquainted with many of the past and present ongoings in the SBC thing. Not a hobby, sort of grew up in the midst of it all.

 

I completely agree with this statement. We can have healthy disagreements over these peripherial issues, but the way some have acted has been downright unChristian.:thumbsup:

 

Can't we all just... get along?raying:

 

I'd add the word "former" before SWBTS professors. More from the good ole days than now were hestitant to work with Lifeway because of the way they were treated.

I've heard the same stories...probably from the same profs. The treatment was pretty bad. Dr. MacBeth's situation is a little extreme but definitely unfortunate.

B&H is a big force, but you get plenty more experience, exposure, and better treatment in other publishing houses.

 

Preach it Rodney!

 

This doesn't mean we can't disagree. It should just be civil and maybe even friendly. :tongue3:

 

The funny thing about the "denominational" translation is that the vast majority of the team of translators were non denominational...and the main guy who lead the team was non denominational. They didn't even have an SBCer lead the translation team!

 

The SBC is not a denomination

 

The SBC in about 2000 brought in several from other theological persuasions to "advise" the SBC. Some from other theological persuasions are teaching at SWBTS. The provost taught for ten years at DTS. A thing that historically was unheard of ever in the SBC.

 

Has it replaced the IFB?