Dallas International University

Our DIU faculty love the Bible, and one of the ways they show it is through their innovative scholarship!

Research Fellow Dr. Brenda Higgie Boerger recently published Poetic Opus English Translation (POET) Psalms, a new presentation of the Psalms that uniquely fuses poetic and scholarly excellence.

Each psalm reads in an established English poetic form, such as sonnets or rhyming hymns. Most even include a tune for singing! Yet each English psalm is carefully crafted to reflect the artistry of the original Hebrew. Dr. Boerger has made many of the Hebrew poetic devices, such as wordplay and acrostic structure, visible in the English text. Even more poetic, literary, and linguistic information resides in the footnotes, glossary, and appendices for readers to discover.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Boerger for her work on this exciting devotional and study tool!

Bible translation teams have a sacred task: communicating the word of God in languages that haven’t expressed it before. So, what makes a translation a good translation? BT students at DIU encounter this question from the start of their programs. Here's the basic criteria: https://www.diu.edu/diu-today/program-spotlights/what-makes-a-good-bible-translation/

Dallas International University and Missão ALEM - Associação Linguística Evangélica Missionária have recently formalized a groundbreaking partnership to expand Bible translation capacity in Brazil and other Lusophone regions🌎📖

The organizations will collaborate to offer a Master of Arts in Translation Facilitation (MA-FT), delivered in Portuguese. The MA-FT program will equip graduates with critical knowledge of biblical languages, multicultural soft skills, and translation methodologies, while also emphasizing principles of adult learning and mentoring.

This innovative partnership exemplifies the collaborative flavor of the modern Bible translation movement. Both organizations anticipate that the program will not only meet the needs of translation teams in Brazil but also inspire similar initiatives in other regions where translation work is underway! Find the details of the partnership at:
🇺🇸: https://www.diu.edu/diu-today/news/diu-and-alem-unite-for-bible-translation-in-brazil/

🇧🇷: https://www.diu.edu/diu-today/news/diu-e-alem-se-unem-para-a-traducao-da-biblia-no-brasil/

Congratulations to our own Paul Kroeger for his two (!) contributions to the recently published Oxford Guide to the Malayo-Polynesian Languages of Southeast Asia! Dr. Kroeger himself was kind enough to explain to us the significance of this work:

"Linguistics (the study of Language), as distinct from either anthropology or philology (the study of old texts), is a relatively young field. One of the signs that linguistics is reaching maturity as a scientific discipline has been the increasing specialization of the field over the past several decades. As a result, it gets harder and harder even for a professional linguist to read books and journal articles outside of the specific sub-domain in which he or she is a specialist.

In response to this trend, the past few decades have seen a proliferation of “Handbooks” for various aspects of linguistics. These volumes are written primarily for linguistics professors and their students. Each chapter in the book will be written by an author who is a recognized expert in a particular topic. Two very common types of handbooks in linguistics are those which focus on a specific subfield of linguistic theory (e.g. syntax, semantics, phonology, historical linguistics, etc.), and those which present short sketches of the structure of various languages from a particular language family.

The Oxford Guide to the Malayo-Polynesian Languages of Southeast Asia focuses on the 800-plus languages belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family that are spoken in Southeast Asia (broadly defined). It is somewhat different from most other linguistics handbooks. This very large volume (1088 pages) is divided into four sections, in effect providing four handbooks in a single volume. The first, “Historical Linguistics”, contains papers dealing with the family tree of these languages and how the modern languages developed. The second, “Sociolinguistics and Language Contact”, deals with issues such as government policies toward minority languages, language endangerment and loss, and how languages change due to contact with other language groups.

Rather than presenting sketches of individual languages, the papers in the third section (“Areal Overviews”) summarize grammatical patterns and sound systems found in specific areas within the greater SE Asia region: “Languages of the northern Philippines”, “Languages of Java”, “Non-Malayic languages of Borneo”, etc. Each paper in the fourth section (“Featural Overviews”) provides a detailed look at one specific aspect of grammar or pronunciation and its range of variation across the region under discussion. Examples of topics covered include: intonation; consonant and vowel inventories; negation; and “voice” (e.g., active vs. passive, or more complex systems in some Malayo-Polynesian languages). One notable feature of these last two sections is that they focus more on typological description (that is, identifying recurring patterns and the limits of variation), rather than issues in linguistic theory."

When DIU alumni Kris and Susan arrived in Mexico, they discovered an incredible way to share Scripture: Oral Bible Storying. By simply telling biblical stories in streets, stores, and taxis, they've ignited a community's passion for God's word. The result? Multiple Bible books consultant-approved, entire communities engaged, and a powerful new approach to translation that celebrates both oral traditions and literacy.
Proof that sometimes, the simplest stories can create the most profound impact. 🙌

Want to learn more? You can read their story and find out more about Bible Translation programs at DIU at https://www.diu.edu/diu-today/connection/inspiring-community-participation-through-oral-bible-storying/!

Inspiring Community Participation through Oral Bible Storying Oral Bible storytelling transformed Bible translation for the Central Pame, boosting community engagement and literacy through the project.

When translation meets innovation: How DIU students and alumni are creating a Bible translation that sounds like real conversation. Check out the Spoken English Bible! 🗣️📖 https://www.diu.edu/diu-today/program-spotlights/diu-students-alumni-lead-spoken-english-bible-project/

Our faculty have been busy presenting at conferences and publishing leading research in the fields of linguistics, anthropology, biblical studies, and Bible translation. Join us in congratulating them for their hard work and contributions to scholarship! 🎉🎓

Research fellow Brenda Boerger published "Natügu [ntu] and the Temotu Province Wind Compass" in vol 16 of Language and Linguistics in Oceania.

Senior faculty Paul Kroeger published "Frustratives in St’át’imcets vs. Kimaragang: Parameters of Variation" in vol 9, issue 1 of Glossa: a Journal of General Linguistics.

President Emeritus David Ross published "The Art of the Faithful Heart: A Comparison of Classical Christian and Islamic Art Traditions" in vol 74, issue 3 of The Bible Translator, a special issue concerning Muslim-idiom translation.

Professor Pete Unseth published "There Cannot Be Any One-Word Proverbs, But…" in “Standing on the shoulders of giants”: A Festschrift in Honour of Wolfgang Mieder on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday, an online supplement of Proverbium: Yearbook of International Proverb Scholarship. In this year's main volume of Proverbium, he also reviewed two books: a bibliography of proverb studies and the first volume on Kazakh proverbs to be published in English.

Professor Steve Walter co-authored two articles in vol 11, issue 3 of Spirituality in Clinical Practice: "Assessing healing of traumas in Christians: A Multistudy Psychometric Evaluation of the Trauma Healing Institute–Impact Survey" and "Treating traumas among Christians in Nigeria: A randomized controlled field study of the Healing the Wounds of Trauma program."

This summer, several DIU faculty presented at a conference organized by the United Bible Societies. David Ross presented "Localized Research Capability as a Prerequisite to Successful Translation of Sacred Texts." Associate Instructor Ivan Pavli presented in Arabic "The Church-Oriented Analysis of The Sacred Bond by Tawfiq Al-Hakim." Professor Mark Harlan made two presentations: “An Alternative Trajectory for Understanding the Qur’an’s Connection to the Bible” and “The Term ‘Son of God’ in the Gospel of John and Its Relevance for Muslim-Christian Dialogue."

Magui’s whole world changed when she learned to read. Swipe to see what literacy and Bible translation meant for this community in Cameroon!

Like Dave and Stacey, you can prepare at DIU to partner with communities around the world through language research, literacy development, and Bible translation. Explore our programs now to find the best fit for you📖🌍 www.diu.edu/bible-translation

Fascinating linguistics insight! 🌍📖 Our own Dr. Richard Boutwell reveals how a single word can carry profound meaning in Bible translation. In Cameroon, choosing between "this man" and "that man" in the Ncane language isn't just grammar—it's a window into emotional and spiritual nuance.
One tiny word can reveal hidden allegiance or complete rejection. Language is powerful! 🗣️

The Surprising Power of One Word in Bible Translation When the Ncane Bible translation team had to choose between 'this' or 'that,' Peter's fidelity to Jesus hung in the balance.

🌍 What Happens to Translated Bibles After They’re Completed? 📖

Most Christians believe Bible translation is critical, but fewer ask what happens to these translations years after completion. DIU alumnus Jed Carter (Class of 2019) joined the Scripture Use Research and Ministry project (SURAM) to explore this. Through SURAM, Jed and his team tackled the hard truth: some translations go unused. Their findings showed that only 3 out of 11 translations surveyed had strong engagement.

SURAM’s data revealed vital reasons for low engagement, like the need for a more accessible writing system and better distribution. The project didn’t stop at identifying issues—it inspired a roadmap for future translation teams to create strategies that fit each community’s unique needs. SURAM’s success has now sparked similar projects worldwide, encouraging translators to think beyond translation to Scripture engagement.

Jed’s work highlights a key insight: Scripture only transforms when it’s actively read. Ready to make God‘s word accessible to all? DIU offers programs designed for roles in Bible translation and Scripture engagement: DIU.edu/bible-translation

📚 Congratulations to recently promoted faculty at Dallas International University! 🎓

We're proud to announce the promotion of five exceptional faculty members:
To Full Professor:
Dr. Robin Harris (Center for Excellence in World Arts)
Dr. Mark Harlan (Arabic & Abrahamic Studies)
Dr. Stephen Walter (Language Development & Education)

To Associate Professor:
Dr. Todd Scacewater (College of International Studies)
Dr. Joshua Harper (Applied Linguistics)

Each of these scholars has demonstrated outstanding dedication to teaching, research, and service to our university community. From groundbreaking work in ethnodoxology and multilingual education to contributions in biblical studies and linguistics, their expertise continues to enrich our academic programs. Read more about their achievements and recent publications here:

Faculty Promotions to Associate and Full Professor Dallas International University celebrates the promotion of five faculty members to new academic ranks, recognizing their outstanding contributions to research, teaching, and service.

How did Jesus see through Satan's deceptions? In this week's President's Pen, Dr. Scott reflects on Jesus' wilderness temptations and reminds us of the power of knowing both Scripture and our Father's heart. Read his full message on facing spiritual challenges: https://www.diu.edu/diu-today/presidents-pen/resisting-temptation-by-knowing-god/ 📖

Resisting Temptation By Knowing God A close and vibrant relationship with God incudes both knowing about his character and walking out life through relationship with our Father.

In addition to support from organizational sponsors, DIU is blessed by generosity of individual sponsors. Thank you for all you do for DIU! The Nation's Cup golf tournament wouldn't have been the same without the support of:

Steve and Kelly Walter
Doug Tiffin
Freddy Boswell

See you next year!⛳