The Scottish bishops have decided to take the line of least resistance and opt for the English Standard Version (ESV) bible for liturgical use (News from Britain and Ireland, 1 August).

In its favour they cite “accuracy”, but what constitutes an “accurate” translation has long been debated. A very subjective interpretation of “accuracy” resulted in the inharmonious and Latinate language of the current Mass translation.

For private use, the choice of biblical text is a matter of familiarity and personal taste. But for public use in our churches, the translation has to be more than a matter of literary preference, since it reflects how we see ourselves as Church. What does the choice of a Lectionary that uses “language that excludes half the human race” tell us about how women are regarded in the Church? And what does it tell us about the pastoral sensitivities of our bishops?