[B-Greek] "Why do we make pastors translate?"

Regan (Lukeion) regan at lukeion.org
Sun Dec 13 07:08:24 EST 2009


>  What disturbs me most about the "least-common-denominator" standard of
competence in 
>  Greek for those whose vocation is interpretation of the Biblical text for
others is that these 
>  pastors and laymen are at the mercy of all those who claim to know
"better" -- those who 
>  write commentaries, those who offer their opinions freely on lists like
B-Greek.
>  
>  The "gold standard" for competence in Greek ought, I think, to be ability
and confidence 
>  to make up one's own mind about issues of interpretation. That won't
yield uniformity of 
>  opinion, and it may just as well bring judgments that others will deem
highly questionable, 
>  but I do think that readers of the Greek text need to be able to resolve
the issues to their 
>  own satisfaction and be able to use some discrimination in dealing with
diversity of 
>  alternative views about texts under consideration.
>  
>  Carl W. Conrad

I heartily second this!   I know that there are some seminaries who have
moved to the "least-common-denominator" standard of competence.  I even know
of  one that has eliminated a full study of the languages and substituted a
"Greek and Hebrew Tools" class.  These students are, as Mr. Conrad says, at
the mercy of others.  Some seminaries are hiring NT professors who are weak
themselves in Greek.  That, of course, would bring down the standard to a
"least-common-denominator."  If that continues, we will have an entire
generation of pastors who have to go to students in the Classics for help
with their languages.  (And Classics isn't faring well these days, either,
with budgetary cuts at universities.)  I'm thankful that my professors
didn't settle for recognizing forms - their goal was that we should be able
to read Greek!

Regan Barr
regan at lukeion.org  
 




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