One of America’s most popular bibles has caused a stir after bowing to political correctness by introducing women and gender-neutral language in its latest translation.
The New International Version
Bible (NIV), used by many of the largest Protestant faiths throughout the U.S., has come under fire by conservative groups who argue the changes to the language may alter the theological message.
For example the 2011 version uses ‘people’ instead of the more traditional ‘men’ in some cases. In older prints Mark 1:17 reads: ‘And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”‘ In the new version the verse reads: ‘”Come follow me,” Jesus said. “And I will send you out to fish for people.”‘
The
translation comes from an independent group of biblical scholars that has been meeting yearly since 1965 to discuss advances in biblical scholarship and changes in English usage.
