Bible Question: Ed, you bring up an interesting point. Which bible publishers publish for profit and which ones are not for profit? Which Bibles are published for marketability and sales and which ones for advancing God's Kingdom? How is the average "pew potato" to know which to purchase? BTW Most "Christian" book stores in my neck of the woods push the NIV. If you walk in one and are baffled by the cornicopia of bible assortments, most suggest the NIV. I have seen this happen many times. The NIV is now the best selling version followed by the King James. Does this indicate that most Christians do not know about the Zondervan promise or that they don't care? Is perhaps the product is more important than the publisher? |
Bible Answer: newoldstock You make a point obviously all publisher are out to make money. The thing that set them apart is how far some will go to make a buck. Someone leaked the story of TNIV out to the press about 6 years ago. At that time a group of about 100 influential Christian leaders came together to discuss the issue. They threatened to boycott the NIV and Zondervan. Many denominations threatened to stop using the NIV scripture quotes in their Sunday School material. Zondervan and International Bible Society when faced with this opposition made a commitment to these men and to the Christian Community in general they would not publish the TNIV. They lived by that promise for about 5-6 years then surprise there was the TNIV out in the market place. Since the fox was already in the hen house so to speak most everyone only expressed their regrets that Zondervan didn’t have more honor than that but left the issue die. I think as we become aware of these things it is our responsibility as “teachers” to make our “pew potatoes” as you call them aware of significant issues of this type. I have written to Zondervan expressing my disappointment in them and to my denominational headquarters asking them to refrain from publish anymore quotes in NIV. I know in the case of my denomination I wasn’t a lone voice and they are now in the process of evaluating the situation. I have also talked to the owners of my Christian Bookstores and asked them to consider the suggesting the NKJV, NLT, NASB, or ESV instead of Zondervan products. I know at least one bookstore that will not carry the TNIV and considering backing off Zondervan as other publisher rush to fill the gap. EdB |