The Implication of Bible Translations in the Divine Service
Recently, my congregation reflected on how various Bible translations were created and their impact on the Church. One thought that came to mind was how these translations have shaped hymnals and influenced what people hear and sing in worship.
Reflecting on this is truly fascinating because, in the LCMS, an entire generation of the Church was shaped by the NIV. For those who just attend church and leave, they often don't notice the difference or realize how the words of the liturgy influence their formation.
Anyway, here is the newsletter I prepared for my congregation.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This past Sunday, we finished a short study on how the text of the Bible was compiled. One of the main topics we focused on was an overview of different translations of Holy Scripture. You can see from the image below how translations can range from a paraphrase to a thought-for-thought, and finally to a word-for-word translation.
As the congregation has worked through the past couple of weeks of Bible Study, it has occurred to me how important the translation we use is not only for the local congregation but also for the Church and synod as a whole.
For instance, when The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) was used, the Scripture passages in the hymnal came from the King James Version (KJV), a word-for-word translation of the Bible. This meant the synod and the Church as a whole were speaking and singing the words of Scripture exactly as they are written. Simply put, the Church was grounded in the Word.
However, when the LCMS moved to an updated hymnal in the 1980s and adopted Lutheran Worship (LW), this hymnal used the New International Version (NIV), which was more of a thought-for-thought interpretation of Scripture. The difference here is that the Church’s confession drifted and lost its specificity, its narrow confession of faith. During this period, the LCMS saw a drift towards mainline evangelical worship practices and a watering down of the liturgy. Which makes sense if the translation of Scripture isn’t as strong.
As the LCMS celebrates twenty years of the Lutheran Service Book, the synod now uses the English Translation Version of Scripture throughout the hymnal. The ESV is a more literal translation, similar to the KJV, but with more modern language. For this reason, the confession of the LCMS is returning to a more narrow and grounded foundation, which is a good thing because the words of the liturgy are the words of Scripture.
It’s a good thing for the Church to use a more literal translation of Scripture as it keeps the flock grounded, plants the seeds of God’s Word clearly in the minds and hearts of the hearers, and prepares them to give a clearer confession of their faith in their daily life.
If you ever have questions regarding translations of Scripture, don’t be shy, reach out. I have a lot of translations in my personal library, including the sad, but comedic, Gen Z version of the New Testament we reviewed on Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Rogness
