Faith comes by hearing

In preparing for my first Puzzler, I looked up a few of the audio bibles on the Internet. I like listening to the CEV at Bible Gateway. But I also discovered that they have several other English versions including KJV, ESV and NIV. Peter Kirk posted on audio Bibles earlier this month and mentioned that the Alexander Scourby recording of the Bible is available online at Audio Bible. In college I used to listen to audio books while doing data entry for a health insurance company. I especially enjoyed listening to Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles, and also Scourby’s reading of The Book of Revelations.

As I mentioned in July, there is a dramatized version of the TNIV being produced using some big name actors and personalities, many of them African-Americans. They include Samuel L. Jackson. I’m ambivalent to say the least about having the sacred word read by open enemies of the faith. But I have to begrudgingly concede that quite a few people might listen to the word that wouldn’t otherwise.

The Pod Bible is a project worthy of mention. Produced in New Zealand using more than 300 “people off the street” they are distributing daily podcasts that include a short reading and devotional application. I love that Kiwi accent! And I’m so pleased they have chosen the CEV which is undoubtedly my most loved translation.

CEV, the Contemporary English Version, is a wonderful translation of the Bible. It emphasizes “clarity” and is targeted at families. We have used the CEV for years for our family devotions. Imagine being able to read the Bible to your children and not have to feel like you’re speaking a foreign language! I blogged in April about the frustrations of using a formal translation for family devotions (See: A bitter breakfast discovery). There are U.S. and U.K. versions of the CEV and it is widely distributed by the Bible Societies. If you are a fan of the Living Bible or the Good News you might give CEV a try. The language is terrific. It is meant to be read aloud. I only wish that it had a marketing powerhouse behind it like Zondervan or Crossways. I should add that there are critics of the CEV. Because it is always, “clear” it often has to make a choice between translation possibilities. And frankly, we can’t always tell which choice is the right one. But such a translation is superior in my opinion to a translation that uses stilted language and exalts “literalness” over comprehensiblity. When your translation is unclear the result is that readers very often get a wrong meaning. So stick your neck out, translators! If you don’t make a choice, your readers unconsciously will and that very often is the wrong one.

Next door to New Zealand is the Australian Bible Society also using the CEV in creative ways. They have produced a SMS version of the Bible. BBC has run a story about it. Apparently you can download the entire version and send verses to other mobile phone users. Genesis 1:1 reads, “In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth.”

There are a couple of very worthy missions that seek to make audio recordings of the Scriptures available around the world. One is Hosanna/Faith Comes By Hearing they claim to have “244 Audio Scripture recordings available in 204 languages spoken by 4,145,727,984 people in over 88 countries.” They are responsible for the CEV version on Bible Gateway. Gospel Recordings Network has scripts with illustrated books available in many languages as well, including the language I’m working on in Mozambique, Nyungwe.

Before I close this post I want to make two observations about hearing the Scriptures. First, it is fair to say that throughout history most people have been exposed to God’s Word by hearing it rather than reading it. Whether it be in a synagogue, home Bible study or preached sermon, most people hear the Bible rather than read it. For that reason a Bible translation should sound good. If it is full of stilted language, long sentences and difficult vocabulary, the reader is going to have trouble reading it smoothly and consequently listeners are going to have trouble understanding. Wayne Leman gives a good example of this in one of his posts. Second, despite the fact that most people are exposed to Scriptures by hearing it, reading is a far more effective means of understanding a text. The best way to understand a text is to sit down and quietly read it. To illustrate this point, I leave you with this story:

An elderly couple decided to make ice cream sundaes. They decided on what ingredients they would need and as the husband was leaving to go to the store his wife said, “Honey, you’d better write out your shopping list or you’ll forget something.” He replied, “No problem, I’ll remember everything.”

When the old man returned home he started to take the items out of the shopping bag: hot dogs, a package of buns, mustard and ketchup. His wife scolded him, “I told you that you should have made a list, you forgot the pickle relish!”