Catholic Androcentric Bible Translations as Global Missionary Tools?

2020 ◽  
pp. 36-52
Author(s):  
Carol J. Dempsey
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Dynamic Equivalence ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible

For centuries Catholic biblical scholars translated the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek books of the Bible into English with the goal of producing even “better” translations than before. Yet whether these translations follow the principles of formal or dynamic equivalence, no translation is without theological, cultural, gender, racial, and ethnocentric biases, as all translations are interpretations. Many translations thus reflect the theological positions of religious denominations commissioning them. The forthcoming revision of the Catholic New American Bible is not an exception. This essay considers the androcentric preferences in some of the latest contemporary scholarly Bible translations into English and then examines the revised translation of the anticipated new edition of the Catholic Bible, the principles guiding the translation revision, and the issues that both the translation and principles bring to the fore. While the essay refers to the forthcoming edition of the Catholic New American Bible as a whole, the focus is on the revision of the Old Testament in particular.

scholarly journals The Zulu version of the old testament from a typological perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 212-225
Author(s):  
Victor Porkhomovsky ◽  
Irina Ryabova
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Hebrew Text ◽  
Translation Strategies ◽  
Bible Translation ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Sacred Objects ◽  
Canonical Text

The present paper continues typological studies of the Bible translation strategies in different languages. These studies deal with passages and lexemes in the canonical text of the Biblia Hebraica, that refl ect ancient cultural and religious paradigms, but do not correspond to later monotheist principles of Judaism and Christianity. The canonical Hebrew text does not allow of any changes. Thus, two translation strategies are possible: (1) to preserve these passages in the text of the translation (a philological strategy), (2) to edit them according to the monotheist principles (ideological strategy). The focus in the present paper is made on the problem of rendering the name of the ancient Semitic goddess ’ashera, attested as the companion of the supreme gods in certain traditions and pantheons (’El /’Il/, Ba‘al, YHWH). Two strategies of rendering the name of ’ashera are attested in different Bible translations: (1) to preserve the name of the goddess (philological strategy), (2) to eliminate this name or to replace it with the names of her fetishes and sacred objects (ideological strategy). The Zulu case of rendering the name ’ashera is particularly looked at in this paper.

XXII.—The Declension of Substantives in the Zerbster Handschrift

PMLA ◽  
1911 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 604-623
Author(s):  
Warren Washburn Florer
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Philosophical View ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The New Testament ◽  
German Life ◽  
Intensive Work

With the publication of Luther's manuscripts of the Bible translations in the Weimar edition of his works, a veritable mine has been opened to the investigators of Luther's language. These manuscripts were written in the years 1523-1530; Zerbster Handschrift, 1523; Berliner Handschrift, 1523-1524; Heidelberger Handschrift, 1527-1528; Gothaer Handschrift, 1530; etc. Luther began intensive work upon his translation of the Old Testament immediately after the appearance of the revision of the New Testament, 1522. He had profited from a closer study of the earlier editions, of the sources, and of German life and language, before he entered upon his monumental work. He had also attained to a more philosophical view of life and had become more skilled in the art of translation.

scholarly journals Die 2020-direkte vertaling in Afrikaans: Waarom en hoe?

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gert J.C. Jordaan
Keyword(s):  
Steering Committee ◽  
Target Audience ◽  
Clear Distinction ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Dynamic Equivalence ◽  
Formal Equivalence ◽  
Direct Translation ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible

The 2020 direct translation into Afrikaans: Why and how? The Bible Society of South Africa’s commission that the new 2020 translation of the Bible into Afrikaans should be soundly source-text orientated and at the same time easy to understand, set a difficult task to the translators. The 2020 translators would have to dig deep to make these two almost opposing goals meet. The ways by which the translators eventually put their commission into practice, was investigated in this article. The method of investigation was to inspect the decisions of the translators’ steering committee about how they planned to execute the commission they received from the Bible Society, and to test their decisions to its execution in practical examples from the 2020 translation itself. The investigation brought to light that the translators’ success in the execution of their task, to a large extent, resulted from the fact that they, from the outset, made a clear distinction between the linguistic characteristics and the textual characteristics of both the source and the reception language. This enabled them to make a directly reflecting type of translation without giving way to either formal equivalence or dynamic equivalence. The translators decided not to translate into modern terms typical historic-cultural matters such as measures and weights, currencies and military ranks. By retaining the Hebrew and Greek terms, they tried to conserve the local colour of the source text and to provide a historical credibility to the translation. Moreover, the language and linguistic register of the translation was brought into line with a pre-identified target audience thus contributing to the dignity of the translation text and, simultaneously, making sure that it would be easily understood.Contribution: The investigation led to the conclusion that the translators rather successfully dealt with the difficult task that the Bible Society had put before them. They made every effort to present their readers with a directly reflecting type of translation in a neat, stylistically meticulous and clear Afrikaans. Therefore, readers can receive this new contribution to the treasure of Afrikaans Bible translations with gratitude, and use it freely as a welcome addition to the already existing translations.

scholarly journals On the Threshold of the Next Generation of Bible Translations: Issues and Trends

2009 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacobus A. Naudé
Keyword(s):  
Turn Of The Century ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Dutch Version ◽  
Dynamic Equivalence ◽  
Written Text ◽  
Bible Translation ◽  
Formal Equivalence ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible

Abstract The aim of this paper is to describe the issues and trends facing the next generation of Bible translations. The paper starts with a description of the state of art of Bible translation before exposing features of the recently published Contemporary English Bible (1995), Das NeueTestament (1999), The Schocken Bible, Volume 1 (1995) and the Nieuwe Bijbel Vertaling (New Dutch Version) (2004). In the second part of the twentieth century a primary concern for meaning and readability has influenced the trend to produce translations which are more reflective of dynamic equivalence than formal equivalence. Examples are the Bible in Today’s English (1976), the Groot Nieuws Bijbel (Bible in Today’s Dutch) (1983) and the Nuwe Afrikaanse Vertaling (New Afrikaans Version) (1983). At the turn of the century translations with communication as their primary function were created (normally a rewriting of an existing translation in a modern vernacular by a single translator/editor), for example The Message in English (2000) and Afrikaans (2002). However, all these translations depend heavily on the reader’s ability to understand a written text. A new trend in Bible translation will take into consideration the requirements of the hearer, as well as those of the reader (the translation has to be read out aloud, heard and listened to). A shift away from the typical language usage of the Bible translations in the second half of the 20th century is the offing i.e. by instilling a new awareness in the minds of the readers to the sociocultural distance between them and the source culture.

scholarly journals Nierząd i inne „grzechy ohydne” w tłumaczeniach Biblii: eufemizacje i retusze w Mt 5,32, Mt 9,19 i Kpł 20,10-21

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (48) ◽  
pp. 27-42
Author(s):  
Jerzy Brzozowski
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Sexual Relations ◽  
Main Text ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible

Fornication and Other “Awful Sins” in the Bible Translations. Euphemisms and Alterations on Matt 5:32, 9:19 and Lev 20:10-21 The paper shows confusion of theologians – both catholic and protestant – in all Polish and many other translations of fragments related to sexual relations, especially these contacts which were recognised uniquely as a cause of divorce. The considered translations tend to use archaic, euphemistic or imprecise vocabulary in the main text, adding often confusing and linguistically unacceptable footnotes. On the contrary, the analysed Italian and French translations are clear and intelligible. The Author shows, nevertheless, that the existing translations – not only in Polish, but also in Italian and French – of the Greek word porneia used in the Gospels are incoherent with those in the Old Testament, which is unacceptable. The Author also claims, on the basis of analysed texts, that even the best footnotes cannot replace a clear and intelligible translation in the main text.

scholarly journals Staročeské sumáře v biblích 15. století

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateřina Voleková
Keyword(s):  
Fifteenth Century ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Bible Translations ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Late Middle Ages ◽  
Biblical Texts ◽  
Holy Writ ◽  
Biblical Translation ◽  
The Middle Ages

Old Czech Summaries in Fifteenth-Century BiblesThis article focuses on some non-biblical texts accompanying Old Czech Bible translations in the Middle Ages. The oldest translation of the entire Bible into Old Czech, which comes from the 1350s, included a particular type of non-biblical texts: prefaces to biblical books. The following Old Czech revisions and new translations of the Bible were provided, to varying degrees, with other textual aids, such as the lists of Mass readings. In this paper, we focus on the so-called capitula, summaries of individual chapters of particular biblical books. In the Middle Ages, the capitula were an aid providing orientation in the text for the study of the Holy Writ in Latin. During the revision of the Czech biblical translation at the turn of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, chapter summaries in Latin were also translated. However, they are only preserved in their entirety in one manuscript, the second volume of the Litoměřice-Třeboň Bible. Other Old Czech Bibles included biblical summaries only exceptionally and selectively; the Old Czech chapter summaries survived in nine biblical manuscripts, mainly before individual chapters of selected books of the Old Testament. They were primarily intended to familiarise readers with the content of the text. The biblical summaries deserve a critical edition and further research, especially for their Old Czech vocabulary, reflecting the formation of biblical language and style in the late Middle Ages. Staroczeskie streszczenia w piętnastowiecznych tłumaczeniach BibliiNiniejszy artykuł jest poświęcony tekstom towarzyszącym staroczeskim przekładom Biblii z okresu średniowiecza. Pierwszy staroczeski przekład całej Biblii, pochodzący z lat pięćdziesiątych XIV wieku, zawierał również szczególny rodzaj tekstu: przedmowy do poszczególnych ksiąg. Zarówno jego zmodyfikowane wersje, jak i nowe przekłady, były (w różnym stopniu) zaopatrzone w teksty pomocnicze, na przykład listy czytań mszalnych. Przedstawiona analiza omawia tzw. capitula, czyli streszczenia poszczególnych rozdziałów ksiąg biblijnych. W średniowieczu stanowiły one jedyną w swoim rodzaju pomoc, umożliwiającą orientację w treści łacińskiego tekstu Pisma Świętego. Podczas modyfikacji czeskiego przekładu Biblii na przełomie XIV i XV wieku przetłumaczono również łacińskie streszczenia; zachowały się one w całości tylko w jednym manuskrypcie – drugim tomie Biblii litomierzycko-trzebońskiej. Inne biblie staroczeskie zawierały takie streszczenia tylko w wybranych rozdziałach; zachowały się one w dziewięciu manuskryptach, gdzie w większości przypadków poprzedzają poszczególne rozdziały wybranych ksiąg Starego Testamentu. Ich głównym celem było zapoznanie czytelnika z treścią tekstu biblijnego. Streszczenia, o których mowa, zasługują na krytyczne opracowanie i dalsze badania, zwłaszcza ze względu na staroczeskie słownictwo, odzwierciedlające formowanie się języka i stylu biblijnego w okresie późnego średniowiecza.

The Concept of Palestine: The Conception Of Palestine from the Late Bronze Age to the Modern Period

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Masalha
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Political Geography ◽  
Classical Antiquity ◽  
Late Bronze Age ◽  
Collective Consciousness ◽  
Ancient History ◽  
Master Narratives ◽  
The Bible ◽  
School History

The Concept of Palestine is deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of the indigenous people of Palestine and the multicultural ancient past. The name Palestine is the most commonly used from the Late Bronze Age (from 1300 BCE) onwards. The name Palestine is evident in countless histories, inscriptions, maps and coins from antiquity, medieval and modern Palestine. From the Late Bronze Age onwards the names used for the region, such as Djahi, Retenu and Cana'an, all gave way to the name Palestine. Throughout Classical Antiquity the name Palestine remained the most common and during the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods the concept and political geography of Palestine acquired official administrative status. This article sets out to explain the historical origins of the concept of Palestine and the evolving political geography of the country. It will seek to demonstrate how the name ‘Palestine’ (rather than the term ‘Cana'an’) was most commonly and formally used in ancient history. It argues that the legend of the ‘Israelites’ conquest of Cana'an’ and other master narratives of the Bible evolved across many centuries; they are myth-narratives, not evidence-based accurate history. It further argues that academic and school history curricula should be based on historical facts/empirical evidence/archaeological discoveries – not on master narratives or Old Testament sacred-history and religio-ideological constructs.

Witches and Forgers

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Mandelbrote
Keyword(s):  
Seventeenth Century ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Republic Of Letters ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
1 Samuel ◽  
The Witch

Scepticism and loyalty represent the poles of van Dale’s career. Two contexts have been mentioned as relevant here: the seventeenth-century attack on magic and superstition, and the circles of friendship that created a contemporary Republic of Letters. This chapter evaluates both contexts, as well as others that may throw light on his relatively neglected attitude to the text of the Bible. It brings into focus two important intellectual episodes: his treatment of the account of the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:3–25), and his engagement with Hellenistic sources relating to the text of the Old Testament, especially to the miraculous composition of the Septuagint. These issues brought van Dale to ask questions about God’s Word. The chapter explores the limits of his scepticism, the extent of his scholarship, and the role of friendship and isolation in his development. Finally, it draws attention to his place in contemporary Mennonite debates.

Spinoza and Biblical Philology in the Dutch Republic, 1660-1710

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jetze Touber
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Old Testament ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Dutch Reformed ◽  
Dutch Republic ◽  
Biblical Criticism ◽  
Ecclesiastical History ◽  
The Bible ◽  
Biblical Scholarship ◽  
Dutch Golden Age

This book investigates the biblical criticism of Spinoza from the perspective of the Dutch Reformed society in which the philosopher lived and worked. It focusses on philological investigation of the Bible: its words, its language, and the historical context in which it originated. The book charts contested issues of biblical philology in mainstream Dutch Calvinism, to determine whether Spinoza’s work on the Bible had any bearing on the Reformed understanding of the way society should engage with Scripture. Spinoza has received massive attention, both inside and outside academia. His unconventional interpretation of the Old Testament passages has been examined repeatedly over the decades. So has that of fellow ‘radicals’ (rationalists, radicals, deists, libertines, enthusiasts), against the backdrop of a society that is assumed to have been hostile, overwhelmed, static, and uniform. This book inverts this perspective and looks at how the Dutch Republic digested biblical philology and biblical criticism, including that of Spinoza. It takes into account the highly neglected area of the Reformed ministry and theology of the Dutch Golden Age. The result is that Dutch ecclesiastical history, up until now the preserve of the partisan scholarship of confessionalized church historians, is brought into dialogue with Early Modern intellectual currents. This book concludes that Spinoza, rather than simply pushing biblical scholarship in the direction of modernity, acted in an indirect way upon ongoing debates in Dutch society, shifting trends in those debates, but not always in the same direction, and not always equally profoundly, at all times, on all levels.

scholarly journals A silent unheard voice in the Old Testament: The Cushite woman whom Moses married in Numbers 12:1–10

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David T. Adamo
Keyword(s):  
Old Testament ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
African Women ◽  
Single Word ◽  
Women In The Bible ◽  
The Bible

Most of the time, women’s names are not mentioned, words are not put in their mouths or they are not allowed to say a word, and their achievements are behind the scene in the narratives. Passages that mention the presence and contribution of African women in the Bible are especially neglected, perhaps because there are few African women biblical scholars and also deep prejudices against women. References to the African wife of Moses (Numbers 12) are so scanty in the Bible that very few critical biblical scholars noticed them. The purpose of this article is to discuss critically the narrative of the Cushite woman whom Moses married and her marginalisation by the author of the story in Numbers 12:1-10. The narrator of the text did not only refuse to give her a name, there is no single word put in her mouth despite the dominant and significant role her presence played in the narrative. Why is she silent and what does her silence mean? The answers to these questions are discussed in this article.

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