The Clear Word
Encyclopedia
The Clear Word, originally published in March 1994 as the Clear Word Bible, is an English-language "devotional paraphrase
of the Bible
expanded for clarity". It is an interpretive text of the Bible written as a personal devotional exercise by Jack Blanco, former dean of the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University
, to be an additional study tool and devotional alongside the Bible. It is printed in chapter-and-verse format, two columns to a page.
The paraphrase was initially published by the Southern College Press of Southern Adventist University. Although The Clear Word is not officially endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church
, it is now being published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association
, which is owned and operated by the Church, and is sold in Church-owned Adventist Book Centers.
was first published and readers widely received and encouraged him to do the whole Bible.
It has been reported that The Clear Word has gained a wider use within some Adventist circles since its New Testament-only printing. It was endorsed by a former President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
, Pastor Robert S. Folkenberg
. It was also advertised on more than one occasion in the flagship Adventist magazine, Adventist Review.
Blanco states in the preface of the book, "Those who are better qualified have given readers of the Holy Scriptures excellent translations for such purposes and undoubtedly will continue to do so as additional manuscripts come to light."
magazine wrote a letter expressing concerns about The Clear Word (June 28, 1994), stating that "A cursory examination of the Clear Word Bible reveals the prolific addition of many ideas not found in Scripture."
In response to criticism, the South Pacific Division of the church released the following statement:
Others within the church, such as Phil Ward, have expressed criticism in two areas. One that the current publisher does not have a large enough footprint to get The Clear Word out to mainstream Christian book centers, and that the paraphrase has too much extra material in it.
Blanco however indicates just that in the preface that this was done.
Paraphrase
Paraphrase is restatement of a text or passages, using other words. The term "paraphrase" derives via the Latin "paraphrasis" from the Greek , meaning "additional manner of expression". The act of paraphrasing is also called "paraphrasis."...
of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
expanded for clarity". It is an interpretive text of the Bible written as a personal devotional exercise by Jack Blanco, former dean of the School of Religion at Southern Adventist University
Southern Adventist University
Southern Adventist University is a college in Collegedale, Tennessee, owned and operated by the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. U.S. News & World Report categorizes it as a Southern Regional College, and the magazine has consistently ranked it as one of the top-tier schools in...
, to be an additional study tool and devotional alongside the Bible. It is printed in chapter-and-verse format, two columns to a page.
The paraphrase was initially published by the Southern College Press of Southern Adventist University. Although The Clear Word is not officially endorsed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
, it is now being published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association
Review and Herald Publishing Association
The Review and Herald Publishing Association is one of two major Seventh-day Adventist publishing houses in North America and is the oldest institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The organization publishes books, magazines, study guides, CDs, videos and games for Adventist churches,...
, which is owned and operated by the Church, and is sold in Church-owned Adventist Book Centers.
History and reception
Blanco originally wrote The Clear Word as a devotional exercise for himself. After friends and family saw what he did, they encouraged him to publish it. The New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
was first published and readers widely received and encouraged him to do the whole Bible.
It has been reported that The Clear Word has gained a wider use within some Adventist circles since its New Testament-only printing. It was endorsed by a former President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, where it moved in 1989...
, Pastor Robert S. Folkenberg
Robert S. Folkenberg
Robert Stanley Folkenberg, , served as General Conference president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1990 through to his resignation in 1999...
. It was also advertised on more than one occasion in the flagship Adventist magazine, Adventist Review.
Blanco states in the preface of the book, "Those who are better qualified have given readers of the Holy Scriptures excellent translations for such purposes and undoubtedly will continue to do so as additional manuscripts come to light."
Controversy and criticism
David Newman, editor of MinistryMinistry (magazine)
Ministry: International Journal for Pastors is an international monthly magazine for Christian ministers, with a circulation of approximately 100,000. It is published by the Ministerial Association , an official body of the worldwide Adventist church. It is aimed at pastors and ministers of the...
magazine wrote a letter expressing concerns about The Clear Word (June 28, 1994), stating that "A cursory examination of the Clear Word Bible reveals the prolific addition of many ideas not found in Scripture."
In response to criticism, the South Pacific Division of the church released the following statement:
Others within the church, such as Phil Ward, have expressed criticism in two areas. One that the current publisher does not have a large enough footprint to get The Clear Word out to mainstream Christian book centers, and that the paraphrase has too much extra material in it.
Blanco however indicates just that in the preface that this was done.