Scripture Untangled

Season 13: Episode 7 | Jeff Green | Why Does Bible Translation Matter?

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In this episode, Jeff and Lorna discuss:

• Jeff’s journey from a church-rooted upbringing and studying math at Waterloo to discovering Biblical languages and Bible translation as his life’s work.
• Why heart language matters, and why people need Scripture in the language that speaks most deeply to them, not just one they can partially understand.
• How the Canadian Bible Society works alongside Indigenous communities under local leadership to support Scripture translation in heritage languages.
• The healing and hope of Scripture in Indigenous languages: language loss, revival, community restoration, and the powerful truth that “God speaks my language.”
• Why Bible translation is not solo work, but involves church leaders, translators, reviewers, and whole communities.

Dr. Jeff Green joined the Canadian Bible Society (CBS) in 2017 as a Bible translation consultant and began to lead the Scripture Translation Department in 2019.

Jeff has been involved in Bible translation since 2001. He and his family spent 11 years in East Asia, where he served with Wycliffe/Summer Institute of Linguistics in a Bible translation project and in many other roles. He helped his colleagues with their linguistic analysis and Bible translation work as a linguistics consultant and a translation consultant. He taught linguistics at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for Canada Institute of Linguistics in Langley, BC and as part of their partnership with Tyndale University College in Toronto, ON, and for Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. His leadership experience includes serving as Language and Culture Learning Coordinator and as the coordinator of a Bible translation community of practice focused on the Himalayan region.

Since joining CBS, Jeff has been a translation consultant on projects in Plains Cree, Iñupiatun, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Kwak’wala, and Punjabi. He supports the wider Bible translation movement by serving as Managing Editor of The Bible Translator journal and as an Academic Mentor in the Master of Arts in Translation of Scripture program at Northwest Seminary and Canada Institute of Linguistics. He enjoys teaching others the things he’s had the opportunity to learn and helping others with the technical aspects of Bible translation work.

Jeff earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in Bible Translation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. He and his family live in Oshawa, ON.

Learn more about Indigenous translations

Lorna Dueck has explored the intersection of journalism and Christianity for over 30 years. Her most recent full-time role was as CEO of Crossroads Christian Communications, Inc. and the show, “Context with Lorna Dueck”.

Lorna was a regular commentary writer on faith and public life in Canada’s leading national newspaper, The Globe and Mail, and is a frequent media commentator. She has travelled the world reporting on church-led response to humanitarian crisis.

Lorna earned a Master of Arts in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton College. She has received honorary doctorate degrees from Trinity, Tyndale, Briercrest and Wycliffe Universities. Lorna has received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for contributions to Canadian society.

Learn more about Lorna Dueck:

Instagram: instagram.com/lorna_dueck
Website: lornadueckcreative.com