Theological Bias
Theological bias in translation work is more serious and is observable
in several ways: general knowledge, information in introductory
sections, accompanying notes, and the text itself. Issues include
the view of Scripture itself--is it verbally inspired with a word-for-word
or a meaning-for-meaning focus? How is Old Testament prophecy
and New Testament fulfillment handled? How well does the choice
of renderings illuminate these facts when legitimate options exist?
What is the view of Christ's deity? (In the 1901 ASV a Unitarian
left his mark in a note for John 9:30 indicating that Jesus was
a mere creature.)
The translators' view of the Holy Spirit can been seen by whether
the "S" is capitalized or not. The use of the word for
"fallen angels" has been translated "devils,"
which obscures the issue of one devil and many demons.
The saving work of Christ at Calvary is sometimes obscured by
using expiation for propitiation, eliminating the connotation
of wrath. The security of the believer is another issue that can
show the translator's bias. The identity of the church and the
view of the end times are also issues open to bias in translation
work. Other factors influencing different types of translations
include the age of the reader, the stage of English language development,
geographical locations, educational backgrounds, focus on the
mode of communication, degree of formality and varying interests
(such as whether the translators attend church or not).
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Theological
Bias