Covenant News

Zondervan Presents Copies of New TNIV Translation

ROSEMONT, IL (February 1, 2005) - During the Monday evening worship service that officially launched the Midwinter Pastors Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), pastors learned they are the first group of people to receive the new TNIV translation of the Bible, published by Zondervan Publishing headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The translation will be available to the general public later this month.

The TNIV (Today's New International Version) follows on the heels of the hugely popular NIV translation (New International Version) published by Zondervan many years ago. The new translation, representing many years of scholarly research using original Hebrew and Greek texts, sought to provide a translation more true to the original texts, especially in the use gender-related language. A few outspoken critics have condemned the effort to include more "gender accurate" vocabulary.

When registering for the conference, pastors received a leather-bound edition of the new translation as a gift from Zondervan. Publisher and Executive Vice President Scott Bolinder described the gift as particularly fitting given the Covenant's long history as "people of the Word." Bolinder, a third generation Covenanter who serves on the Communications Committee of the ECC Executive Board, presented copies of the new translation to ECC President Glenn Palmberg and Executive Vice President Donn Engebretson.

"This translation is needed," said Palmberg in accepting the Bible. "I am sorry for the pain you have gone through as you've courageously gone through this process." Palmberg noted that Zondervan has given books to pastors attending Midwinter conferences for many years, but described this year's TNIV gift as Zondervan's "crowning glory."

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