Every so often, the guys that update the Bible make some changes that
raise eyebrows. It's happening now, with the updated edition of the New
American Bible.
American Catholic Bishops decided to change a key passage in the book of
Isaiah that calls the mother of the coming messiah, not a 'virgin,' but
instead a 'young woman.'
So was she or wasn't she? Or was Mary just "technically" a virgin? Why did they do this?
"Their point in translating this reference to Mary as a 'young woman'
rather than a 'virgin' is that the original Greek word doesn't mean what
we in contemporary English mean by a 'virgin.' It simply means a young
woman," John Allen, with the National Catholic Reporter in Rome, told
CBS Radio.
Allen said he's a little surprised at all the outrage over this decision.
Mary Elizabeth Sperry, who helped facilitate this first new translation
in 41-years, said changing the word 'virgin' to 'young woman' isn't
changing the meaning. It's just more poetic.
"There's something about taking a familiar passage in a slightly
different translation. It makes you hear it differently and you hear the
words anew," she said.
The change is going to cause some problems, especially when it comes to music. What will it do to Christmas songs, like Silent Night? "Round yon 'young woman,' mother and child" just doesn't have the same ring to it.
'Young woman' is not the only change to this edition of the New American
Bible. They've also taken out the word 'holocaust' and are replacing it
with 'burnt offering.'
"The word is so now associated in people's minds with World War II.
That's become solely to mean that action, and so there's natural
negative reaction negative connotation," explained Sperry.
Probably the change most fifth grade boys will be upset with is the
removal of the word 'booty' and replacing it with 'spoils,' as in
'plunder.' It's 'treasure,' not as in 'booty call.'