Does the World Really Need a Gender-Neutral Bible?  
May 30, 2002

1997 brought together 12 evangelical Christian leaders to discuss a Biblical conflict that had emerged. International Bible Society (IBS) and Zondervan Publishing House- the exclusive publisher for the New International version (NIV) of the Bible had introduced a “gender-neutral” version of the NIV. Guidelines resulted to compose the use of “gender” language in Bible translation and plans to produce the gender-neutral Bible were waived.

NIV is published by Zondervan Bible Publishers, Grand Rapids, Michigan. According to the Communications Digest (Vol. 3, Issue1, April 1997) in 1988, Zondervan and the NIV were purchased by Harper & Roe, publishers, who are now Harper Collins Publishers. Harper Collins publishes books such as “Making Out, The Book of Lesbian Sex and Sexuality”. Harper Collins is a subsidiary of the global media empire, The News Corporation owned by Rupert Murdock.

A disagreement over the “gender-inclusive” translation of the Bible has resurfaced. IBS has plans to release a new translation of the New Testament: “Today’s New International Version” (TNIV).

Gender-neutrality is the removal of male and female attributes in order to promote neutralism, which according to critics also removes accuracy. In other words, the generic “he” would no longer refer to “all people”. Are our beliefs and measures once bases on the Bible now being sifted through the grates of New Age and Mother Earth religions? An illustration of this kind of religious shift was the 2001 Auxiliary organization, Baptist Women Mission, Atlanta gathering of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF)- a splinter group, disenchanted with the Southern Baptist Convention. A New Methodist “gender-inclusive” hymnal was displayed and a feminist theological agenda was presented.

An example of gender-neutrality in the NIV is found in Hebrews 2:17. The NIV says, “For this reason he (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest”. The TNIV changes that to “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers and sisters is every way…” It doesn’t take a brain scientist to comprehend where that is leading.

The world does not need a gender-neutral Bible. But regretfully we are being programmed to become global citizens. Children are being prepared for a global society through multiculturalism in state schools. The gender-neutral Bible projects that shift in Americans from biblically based beliefs to humanism to globalism. It mistranslates the original Word of God.

What is the purpose? This writer believes it is to divide Christianity over Bible translations. One pure standard is needed. God has given it. To counterfeit God’s Word is tantamount to the anti-Christ who will counterfeit the Son of God. “…A corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matthew 7:17b).