THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION

by Keith Edward Tolbert


by Robert Hill

Dr. Robert Countess delivered a major paper at the 2nd
annual ARC symposium.  His paper titled, "A Critique Of
The New World Translation:  A Relook At An Old Problem"
brings forth a continued study by Dr. Countess based on his
book, which is now in its third edition, "The Jehovahs
Witnesses New Testament, (Presbyterian and Reformed
Publishing Co.). 

Dr. Countess has many academic degrees and is well known
for his lectures around the world.  Having served eleven years
in the US Army, most of these years as Chaplain Dr.
Countess entered Bob Jones University.  There he received
his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D in religion, where he majored in
New Testament Text.  From there he went on to receive his
Master of Liberal Studies degree from Georgetown University
and then over to Drew University where he earned his Doctor
of Ministry degree.  He has been chairman of the Foreign
Language department at Covenant College, assistant
professor of Philosophy at Tennessee State University and
also held teaching positions at the University of Tennessee,
Northern Virginia Community College, and University of
Alabama in Huntsville.  Dr. Countess has also written for
many journals, magazines, and newspapers.  In 1965 he was
ordained into the Presbyterian Church.

We were pleased to hear him deliver his informative paper at
the symposium.  Dr. Countess gave us his own conclusion
when he delivered his initial dissertation on the New World
Translation, which of course later became a popular book:  In
the opinion of this investigator, the New World Translation
of the Christian Greek Scriptures must be viewed as a
radically biased piece of work.  At some points it is actually
dishonest. At others it is neither modern nor scholarly.  And
interwoven throughout its fabric is inconsistent application of
its own principles enunciated in the Foreword and Appendix. 
The present writer strongly recommends that no
confrontation between a Jehovahs Witness and Christian be
based solely upon NWT; such a confrontation would be
grounded upon a biased and manipulated foundation.  (From
his opening remarks at the Symposium 1989 as taken from
his book JWNWT p. 93).

Dr. Countess then went on to tell those in attendance the
purpose of his  paper:

In the present paper I have undertaken to look again at the 
NWT and reexamine my conclusions.  Particularly, I wish to
underscore the practical application of my work as a means
of evangelistic outreach to Jehovahs Witnesses, because the
final goal of all scholarly activity in the church must be to
serve Practical Theology.  And the goal of Practical
Theology, as I understand it, is to point people to that
personal relationship with the Creator which is the purpose of
Gospel proclamation. 

Dr. Countess book on the NWT is highly recommended to
those who want an in-depth study of the many biased
insertions into the WTBTS translation.  Also, his paper,
which he delivered at the ARC symposium can be obtained
from the enclosed ARC  Resource Catalogue.

We in the body of Christ can be thankful to God for such men
as Dr. Countess, whose scholarly pursuits open new avenues
in our witnessing to those bound up in deception.