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Gail Riplinger

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Gail Anne Riplinger (born 1947) is an American writer and speaker known for her advocacy of the King James Only movement and denunciation of modern English Bible translations and the Christians who promote them.

Bible comparisons

In 1993, Riplinger wrote what she calls a comparison of popular Bible translations to the King James Version, New Age Bible Versions. She also wrote The Language of the King James Bible, Which Bible is God's Word, In Awe of Thy Word, The Hidden History of the English Scriptures, Blind Guides, and Hazardous Materials: Greek and Hebrew Study Dangers.

She has spoken out against the people behind the modern versions of the Bible. She supports the manuscripts used in producing the King James Bible, and criticises the "Alexandrian Texts" manuscripts which are the root texts for most other modern Bibles.

H. Wayne House notes that New Age Bible Versions goes beyond previous King James Only works, in "developing a conspiracy theory for the KJV-only view", and arguing that modern versions are influenced by New Age thought.[1]

House goes on to suggests that Riplinger "claims some sense of divine inspiration for her work".[1] New Age Bible Versions has the author's name "G. A. Riplinger", which stands for "God and Riplinger": "Each discovery was not the result of effort on my part, but of the direct hand of God — so much so that I hesitated to even put my name on the book. Consequently, I used G. A. Riplinger, which signifies to me, God and Riplinger — God as author and Riplinger as secretary."[1] David Cloud calls this statement "amazing and frightful", and says that "even the most radical charismatic prophets hesitate to use such intemperate language".[2]

Critics say that Riplinger has misquoted and misused the works of others. S. E. Schnaiter reviewed her book, New Age Bible Versions, and said, "Riplinger appears to be another of those who rush to [the KJV's] defense, alarmed by the proliferation of its modern rivals, armed with nothing more than the blunderbuss of ad hominem apologetic, when what is needed is the keenness of incisive evaluation."[3] H. Wayne House argues that New Age Bible Versions is "replete with logical, philosophical, theological, biblical, and technical errors".[1]

A lengthy critical review of her book New Age Bible Versions was originally published in Cornerstone magazine in 1994, authored by Bob and Gretchen Passantino of Answers In Action, and described the book as "erroneous, sensationalistic, misrepresentative, inaccurate, and logically indefensible".[4] They concluded by summarizing "There is hardly a page of this book that is free from error. Riplinger does not know Greek, Hebrew, textual criticism, linguistics, principles of translation, logical argumentation, proper citation and documentation standards, competent English grammar and style, or even consistent spelling. This book would never have done more than use Riplinger's savings and fill up her garage if Christian 'celebrities' such as Texe Marrs and David Hocking had not promoted it."[4]

Jeffrey Straub suggests that Riplinger has "fallen out of favor among many fundamentalists due to her unusual associations, shrill tone, and dubious background".[5]

Works

  • New Age Bible Versions. Monroe Falls, Ohio: A.V. Publications. 1993. ISBN 978-0-9635845-0-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • The Language of the King James Bible. Ararat, VA: A. V. Publications. 1998.
  • In Awe of Thy Word: Understanding the King James Bible Its Mystery and History Letter by Letter. Ararat, Va.: A V Publications. 2004. ISBN 978-0-9635845-2-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Which Bible Is God's Word?. Hearthstone Publishing, Limited. 1994. ISBN 978-1-879366-81-7. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Hazardous Materials: Greek and Hebrew Study Dangers, the Voice of Strangers, the Men Behind the Smokescreen, Burning Bibles Word by Word. A. V. Publications. 2008. ISBN 978-0-9794117-6-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

References

  1. ^ a b c d House, H. Wayne. "A Summary Critique: New Age Bible Versions". Christian Research Institute. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  2. ^ Cloud, David. "The Problem with New Age Bible Versions". Way of Life Literature. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  3. ^ Schnaiter, S. E. (1997). "Review Article New Age Bible Versions" (PDF). Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal. 2 (1): 105–25.
  4. ^ a b Bob and Gretchen Passantino (1994). "An AIA review of New Age Bible Versions". Answers In Action. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  5. ^ Streub, Jeffrey R. (2011). "Fundamentalism and the King James Version: How a Venerable English Translation Became a Litmus Test for Orthodoxy" (PDF). Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. 15 (4): 52. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
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