2004 ISBC Convention Report

by Mark A. Mage

 

The 2004 Annual Convention of the International Society of Bible Collectors was held September 17 & 18, on the campus of Wycliffe Bible Translators in Duncanville, TX (suburb of Dallas). It was attended by approximately 25 ISBC members, who were joined by a number of invited guests from Wycliffe and the surrounding community.

 

As is customary, members were once again provided table space to set up personal exhibits and items for sale in our meeting hall. Richard Estes displayed many of his beautiful, full-size Gutenberg leaf reproductions; David Lachman made available for sale many of his antiquarian Bibles; Bill Paul displayed his growing collection of web-site downloaded and bound Bible versions, as well as copies of his new book English Language Bible Translators and second edition (revised) of his NT translation, The New Testament An Understandable Version; and Don Heese displayed an eclectic collection of Bible editions, many of which he either sold or gave away. Also on display, and for sale, were a large number of back issues of Bible Collectors’ World and Bible Editions & Versions.

 

Following a continental breakfast consisting of juice, coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts, a welcoming from Carl Johnson, ISBC President, a prayer and Scripture reading by Bill Paul, Chief Editor of Bible Editions & Versions, the business meeting portion was called to order by Carl.

 

After the business meeting, ISBC attendees and guests were treated to a narrated slide presentation by Lonie Eatherton on “The History of the Bible in English.” This was the second time that Lonie presented his profound and edifying story of the Bible to us, and again, it was immensely enjoyed by all.

 

Following lunch, we visited the Wycliffe Museum with its exhibits. In addition. Rusty Maisel had set up his display of antiquarian Bibles and a replica of a Gutenberg press and gave us a fascinating demonstration of this early, and first, printing process.

 

Late Friday afternoon, we heard a presentation by Tom Werkema regarding the work of Wycliffe Bible Translators. He made the following points:

•     The campus of Wycliffe and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) occupies 110 acres and has been located here in Texas for 30 years.

 

•     They currently have people working on more than 1100 languages around the world.

 

•     Wycliffe Associates (WAs), as they are known, currently consist of 5500 members (3,500 MAs, 378 PhDs) working in 40 countries. They are all 100% self-supporting.

 

•      Of the 6,809 known languages in the world, 405 of them have complete Bibles; 1,034 have adequate New Testaments; 864 of them have partial translations; and 1,770 of them are “endangered,” i.e., may not need/get their own translations.

 

•     Of the remaining 3,000, or so, languages, 380 million people are represented. Approximately 1/3 of these languages use non-Roman script, which poses a computer software development problem.

Following dinner, we enjoyed a “monolingual” demonstration by Chuck Walton, a Wycliffe translator in which he showed how a person could learn the language of an unknown person speaking an unknown language by using various props, sounds and body language. It turned out that the lady in question was speaking a form of French, a language that was unknown to Chuck, but in which he made commendable progress with regard to its phonetic structure during the short time allotted.

 

Saturday morning found us trekking by caravan to the Bridwell Library on the campus of Southern Methodist University just north of the Dallas city center. Here Dr. Eric White, Curator, let us view several of the rare Bible editions in the library’s collection. Among the items were the following:

•    P26, a fragment from a 6th Century papyrus containing Greek script from Romans, Chapter 1.

 

•    A 13th Century illuminated Latin Bible from the Elizabeth Prothro collection.

 

•    Thirty-one consecutive leaves from Jeremiah and Lamentations from the Gutenberg Bible, the largest known Gutenberg fragment in the nation.

 

•    A complete Wycliffe New Testament manuscript from the early 14th Century, which members were allowed to personally inspect.

 

•    A Geneva Bible from 1560.

 

•    An almost complete Coverdale Bible from 1536.

On our way back to the Wycliffe campus, many of us stopped to enjoy a Texas barbecue lunch at the Baker’s Rib, in downtown Dallas. Hmm, hmm, good!

 

Late Saturday afternoon, we were treated to a talk by Dr Kenneth L. Barker, ISBC member and Executive Director of the NIV Translation Center (Ret.). Dr. Barker summarized his “auto-biographical translational pilgrimage” from his early days at Dallas Seminary and Dropsie College, to his Old Testament translation work for the New American Standand Bible (NASB), to the beginnings of the NIV in the early 1970’s. He also discussed the committee translation process used in producing the final version of the NIV, from forming the initial translation team, through the intermediate and general editors, followed by the work of stylists and critics, and the final review by an Executive Committee.

 

Dr. Barker also summarized the various approaches used in Bible translation efforts, from Free (dynamic or functional equivalent) to Formal (literal). In the former category he lists the NLT, TEV, JB, NEB and NJB versions. In the latter he lists the KJV, ASV, RV, NASB and NKJV. He considers the NIV to occupy the middle ground between these two, or the “mediating/balanced” approach.

 

According to Barker, the “ABC’s” of the NIV are:

                                                           A — Accuracy           C - Clarity
                                                           B — Beauty               D - Dignity

 

 

By accuracy he means “faithful to the original.” In the same tradition as the NIV, Dr. Barker also described the follow-on publication of the NIrV and TNIV, over which he acted as Executive Secretary. The New International Reader’s Version is a simplification of the NIV for the 3rd grade level. Today‘s New International Version is a revision of the NIV containing selected inclusive language changes.

 

Then followed a panel discussion on Bible translation, with questions taken from the audience. It consisted of Dr. Kenneth L. Barker, Dr. Ervin Bishop (Senior Translation Consultant for the World Bible Translation Center). Dr. Daniel Wallace (Prof. of New Testament Studies at Dallas Seminary), and Ralph Hill (Coordinator of Wycliffe’s Translation Consultant Development).

 

Following a sumptuous, formal dinner in the Wycliffe dining hall, the convention schedule ended with a fascinating presentation by Prof. Daniel Wallace, Editor of NET Bible. Dr. Wallace described his work on the NET Bible project and the work of the Center for the study of New Testament Manuscripts at Dallas Seminary, of which he is Director.