WEA Divine Familial Terms Oversight Group Affirms Wycliffe and SIL’s Bible Translation Guidelines

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New York, NY – February 20, 2017
The Divine Familial Terms Oversight Group, a group of independent experts facilitated by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), held its third meeting to provide feedback to Wycliffe Global Alliance and SIL International concerning technical guidelines for Bible translators.
Originally formed in April 2014 upon Wycliffe and SIL’s request, the Oversight Group met in December with senior leaders of Wycliffe and SIL for two days of discussion concerning ongoing compliance with the WEA Panel Report on theologically acceptable translation of the Divine Familial Terms (the words for “God the Father” and the “Son of God”), particularly in Muslim contexts. The meeting focused on reviewing the Divine Familial Terms Translation Procedures (see links below).
“The WEA Oversight Group confirms that the Divine Familial Terms Translation Procedures, when applied appropriately, facilitate compliance with the April 2013 Panel recommendations,” said Dr. Scott Moreau, chair of the group. Moreau further stated, “Once again the WEA Oversight Group affirmed the ongoing diligent work of Wycliffe and SIL in continuing to adhere to the guidelines established by the WEA Panel.”
The Oversight Group met in December 2016 in Holzhausen, Germany. Previous meetings occurred in August 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and in December 2014, in Oxford, England. It includes the following members who were selected based on their expertise, experience and personal skills:

  • Dr. Scott Moreau (Chair), Professor of Intercultural Studies and Associate Dean of Wheaton Graduate School, Wheaton College, USA;
  • Dr. Donald Fairbairn, Professor of Early Christianity and Academic Dean, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary – Charlotte, USA;
  • Dr. Atef Gendy, President, Evangelical Theological Seminary and Professor of New Testament, Cairo, Egypt;
  • Dr. Ida Glaser, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford and Director of The Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies, Oxford, United Kingdom;
  • Dr. Ekram Lamie Hennawie, Professor of Comparative Religions, Moderator, Presbyterian Synod of the Nile, Egypt;
  • Dr. Mark Hausfeld, President, Professor of Urban and Islamic Studies, and Director of Center for Islamic Studies, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Evangel University, USA;
  • Dr. Roland Werner, Secretary General, YMCA of Germany and Expert African Linguistics and Theology, Germany.

Downloads:
> Divine Familial Terms Translation Procedures: Executive Summary (pdf, 4 pages)
> Divine Familial Terms Translation Procedures – complete (pdf, 88 pages)
 
For more information, visit the Bible Translation Review page that features all related resources and media releases since the initiation of the translation review in 2013.
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