Archive for: Resources

Invitation from HCSB
After the Translation Liaison Committee submitted “global recommendations” for the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) in May 2014, the TLC was invited by representatives of Broadman & Holman to submit recommendations on individual passages. The TLC began working on recommendations in June 2014, submitting them as they were completed. The final recommendations were submitted on April 30, 2015, the deadline given by B&H.

The writing of the recommendations
Each of the seven members of the TLC reviewed a portion of the HCSB. Some members of the TLC were more aggressive than others in writing up recommendations, so the number of recommendations varies from book to book. The TLC also called upon a number of other WELS pastors for help with some books. Thanks are given to the following for reviewing a portion of the HCSB: Rev. Phil Arnold, Prof. Forrest Bivens, Rev. Aaron Dolan, Rev. Paul Janke, Rev. Robert Meiselwitz, Prof. Mark Paustian, Prof. John Schmidt, Rev. Daniel Witte, Prof. Paul Wendland, and Rev. James Westendorf. In the end, the entire Bible was reviewed in one way or another. All recommendations were scrutinized by the committee before submission.

The collection of recommendations
A total of 1031 recommendations were submitted. It can be readily admitted that most of the suggestions are minor matters. Since the HCSB overseers expressed an eagerness to improve the translation in whatever way possible, we decided to write up little editorial matters in addition to matters of more significance. So, one shouldn’t conclude too much by the total number of recommendations. A committee like ours could undoubtedly come up with many recommendations for any Bible translation, given the nature of Bible translating.

Thanks and best wishes
Throughout the process, the TLC has been impressed by the sincere desire of the HCSB overseers to improve their translation so that it may find use among Christians of many denominations. We have also been humbled by the HCSB’s willingness to receive and consider our WELS recommendations. We in no way expect that all of our recommendations will be adopted, but we hope that they may offer some help to the HCSB Oversight Committee as they revise the translation. We wish the HCSB overseers God’s blessings in their work. We hope that the HCSB will become an even better vehicle for the spread of God’s Word in our age, and that God will use it for good among many people.

Prof. Thomas Nass, chairman
Rev. Glenn Schwanke, secretary
Rev. Brett Brauer
Prof. Kenneth Cherney, Jr.
Prof. Joel Fredrich
Rev. Geoffrey Kieta
Prof. Paul Zell