TNIV latest

There is a lot of interest at the moment in the new TNIV translation. TNIV stands for Today's New International Version and is the gender-inclusive development of the New International Version. But it has not been without controversy and, as I understand the situation, the publishers are going with a two-track approach, continuing to publish the original NIV at the same time as TNIV, perhaps a bit like new recipe Coca Cola and Classic Coca Cola?

The main website is here:

TNIV Bible: Today's New International Version

There is then an on-line element to that site here:

TNIV On-line

You can read the TNIV in PDF from that page, and a fully searchable and browsable TNIV is promised on the same page at the end of this month.

For the real enthusiasts, there is a new blog:

TNIV Bible Blog

It includes details of a free TNIV offer, but only for North American residents.

To get a feel for some of the controversy in evangelical circles, this is a good place to start:

Feature: TNIV Bible Translation

It's a feature on the PBS Religion and Ethics news weekly from last Friday.

And thanks to Maurice A. O'Sullivan for alerting me to this article from the Washington Post:

New and Newer Versions of Scripture

Criticism of Today's New International Version of the Bible began three years ago with the publication of the TNIV New Testament. Opponents accused the translation committee, an independent group of evangelical scholars, of bowing to political correctness and feminist theology in using "gender neutral" or "inclusive" language.

The committee made adjustments to the 2002 text before this month's publication of the complete Bible. But committee members said they did not abandon their goal of providing an accurate translation.

Critics call the effort a failure, many preferring TNIV's precursor, the best-selling New International Version published in 1978 . . . .