THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION by Keith Edward Tolbert by Robert Hill Dr. Robert Countess deliv

                         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.