U.K. Theologian Favours Revised Standard Version

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 14

U.K. Theologian Favours Revised Standard Version

If the essential message of the Bible was to be understood by contemporary man then it had to be translated into terms that could be readily understood, Professor F. F. Bruce, a distinguished British Bible expositor, said in Christchurch.

This could not be done if continued use was made of traditional language such as was to be found in the King James version of the Bible. "This particular version remains a classic of English literature and nothing can detract from its established position,” he said. But for modern man to understand the basic essentials of the Christian faith it was necessary for him to go to other versions of the Bible, he said. “Without doubt, in my opinion, the American Revised Standard Version is the best all-purpose version of the whole Bible In existence today. It is very widely used and is increasingly so in Britain, although it does not have the official sponsorship of the churches there.” Professor Bruce said a Roman Catholic edition of the Revised Standard Version had recently appeared. It contained “only the merest handful of differences from the Protestant version. *niis means that for the first time since the Reformation we practically have one common Bible now,” he said. Of the New English Bible, of which only the New Testament has been printed. Professor Bruce said he had reviewed it quite sympathetically. But like all new translations it was in need of some revision and improvements This Bible was a new translation from the Greek and was very popular and had the blessings of the churches in Britain, he said.

Professor Bruce is in New Zealand for five weeks. His visit has been sponsored by the Inter-Varsity Fellowship and the Wellington Assembly Research Fellowship. He is the Rylands professor of Biblical criticism and exegesis at Manchester University.