In the light of various controversies about Bible translation, Wycliffe Global Alliance and SIL International approached the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) in March 2012 to independently review their best practice in the translation of "God the Father" and the "Son of God." The WEA formed an independent Panel that has now concluded its work and issued its report with recommendations for Wycliffe and SIL.
Download the final report here.
The independent Panel’s mandate was to "review SIL’s translation practices, setting boundaries for theologically acceptable translation methodology particularly in Muslim contexts, and suggesting how to practically implement these recommendations."
Names of Panel Experts:
Milton Acosta, Old Testament / Donald Fairbairn, Early Christianity and Historical Theology / Atef Gendy, New Testament / Ida Glaser, Biblical and Islamic Studies / Rob Haskell, Systematic Theology / Karen Jobes, New Testament / Ghassan Khalaf, Biblical Studies and Theology / Melba Padilla Maggay, Social Anthropology / Scott Moreau, Intercultural Studies / Kang-San Tan, Mission Studies / Roland Werner, African Linguistics & Theology / Dudley Woodberry, Mission Studies / Robert Cooley, Panel Moderator
WEA has a long history of promoting good practice in relationships among evangelicals. We commend this commitment to evangelical Christians as a reminder of our basic Christian duty towards fellow Christians, and in particular as a guideline when making comments in the media and in public ministry generally.
"The WEA agreed to facilitate this independent review because of the vital importance of Bible translation," said Dr. Geoff Tunnicliffe, Secretary General of the WEA. "We are delighted that this intense review has now been concluded."
The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) announces the names of the twelve experts who will serve as members of the independent Panel that will review SIL and Wycliffe’s translation practices of ‘Divine Familial Terms’. The global group of scholars from Eastern and Western locations represents Biblical, Theological, Missiological and Anthropological expertise and includes national believers from countries with majority Muslim population.....
Dr. Robert E. Cooley, president emeritus of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, will chair the independent panel reviewing translation standards of Wycliffe and SIL International, the World Evangelical Alliance announced today.....
In the light of certain controversies about Bible translation, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), as a respected and trusted global evangelical association, has been asked to form a panel to independently review Wycliffe and SIL International’s translation of “God the Father” and the “Son of God.”....