Bob Jones University claims to be
"The Fortress of Faith," a
citadel of Biblical fundamentalism. We think it strange then that BJU is
maintaining an active campaign against the KJV 1611. Consider the following
transcribed advertisement that BJU included at the end of their Chapel Echoes
program for August 19, 1995 (this advertisement was aired several times during
July and August, 1995):
“In a day when Christian leaders and followers are doing what is right in their own eyes, the authority of the Word of God should be the emphasis in churches. However, many good men have focused their concern over translations of the Word of God, and have forced divisions over relatively unimportant differences between several good translations of the Bible. In the booklet ‘What Is The Inspired Word Of God?: Dr. Edward Panosian, chairman of the Division of Church History at Bob Jones University, discusses the textual debate, and warns against the assumption that any version is specially inspired. If you have questions about this issue, you’ll want to send for your free copy of ‘What Is The Inspired Word Of God?’ Write to Chapel Echoes, Bob Jones University, Greenville, SC 29614”
After reading the booklet by Panosian and the argument that he presents, it is the firm conviction of this writer that BJU is clearly outside of the AV 1611 position. The other so-called “good translations” to which Panosian refers are built upon the corrupt Westcott-Hort text. In the mind of BJU and company, those of us who hold to the AV 1611 and the manuscripts upon which it is built are the ones who are causing divisions among God’s people, and BJU clearly disapproves of this. BJU has compromised their position, and they are attacking ours. It is the firm conviction of this writer that BJU is “building bridges” with regards to Bible translations in much the same manner as Tim Lee is “building bridges” with the Southern Baptist Convention.
