GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) -
There's a new kind of Bible - well, the same Bible, but re-written in the form of a screenplay. It reads more like a story in modern day American English.
It's called The Voice and people may be asking if the writers made the book more accessible for the modern time, or whether they've taken it too "Hollywood."
The Voice was written over seven years, by poets and scholars, all Christians, who said they wanted to take the word of God written in ancient times and make it easier and more accessible for people today.
Vaughn CroweTipton, Furman University's chaplain, professor and director of the religious studies program, thinks a screenplay-style Bible may lead readers to certain emotions, based on the script of each of the characters, which could alter the message.
"One of the things that biblical scholars are clear on, there's no such thing as an un-interpreted text. Which means, no matter what we do, we're faced with the act of interpretation every time we pick up the Bible and read any text whatsoever, that will be true in this version as well, but it has the added nuance of in putting this in screenplay, they've made some decisions for you as the reader," CroweTipton said.
Members of Riverside Baptist Church in Greer weighed in on the idea Wednesday at a Bible study session.
Pastor Marcus Buckley said it will never replace traditional texts, but it could serve as a great addition to his studies, or to lead others to read the Bible.
"It's going to be a great tool for somebody that's curious, that's frightened by the King James Bible and they don't understand the thees and the thous," Buckley said.
The Voice's authors said they were very concerned with accuracy. Its writers and editors speak on YouTube videos about the scholars who spent years translating the Hebrew and Greek to make sure the story they've written is correct. They also wanted to make it a much more clear way to read the biblical stories.
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An Upstate pastor reads a Bible. (File/FOX Carolina)
