“…So sayeth the Lord…” but if the Lord spoke Aramaic, Greek or Latin, can we really be truly sure what was said without learning those languages? Religious translations are often sources of contention, with some arguing that the text can only be appropriately understood in its original form. In today’s Simply CSOFT, we’ll take a look at reverent Translation and how translation has shaped the development of the Christian religion throughout history, and how it continues to shape it today.
In the Beginning, There was Greek
Even though Jesus and his disciples spoke Aramaic, the first Christian texts were written in Koine Greek, the common language of the Eastern Mediterranean. But as the religion spread from its birthplace in Palestine out across Europe and into the Roman Empire, it became clear that if they wanted to be able to share and spread their messages and beliefs, they were going to have to adopt the far more popular Latin language. Luckily, around 400 A.D. Jerome – the patron saint of translators – produced the Latin Bible which would become the standard for the next 1,100 years.
Translation and the Protestant Reformation
By 1517, the Christian Bible and all Catholic Church masses were conducted in Latin around the world. Most people, unless they were highly educated, couldn’t make much sense of it, leaving the vast majority on the outskirts of spiritual pursuit. One man, a German friar named Martin Luther, complained – among other things – that translations should be provided in the local language, thereby letting ordinary people understand the Bible for themselves. Luther was soon excommunicated from the Catholic Church, after which he translated the Bible into German and began the Christian school of thought we now recognize as Protestantism.
1,329 Languages
Today, the Bible has been completely translated into 1,329 languages with portions of it having texts in a staggering 2,883 tongues. It is by far the most translated literary work of all time and the three following most translated works are commentaries on it. The reason for this is that Christians have always believed that it’s their responsibility to spread the “good word.” But as the word has been passed on, it’s gone into more than just the local language – it’s gone into the local culture, leading to new traditions. Some Indian Christians use ornamental umbrellas at their religious festivals. In Mexico, Christmas – or “Navidad” – is celebrated for nine days, with costumes being the norm. During Easter in the Philippines, one lucky believer has the honor of reenacting Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. Every region has adopted the religion in its own way.
Though translation in the Christian tradition has often been controversial, there’s no doubt that it has helped the religion spread far and wide. In fact, the spread of any idea – or product, or person, for that matter – hugely depends on the number of people that it’s able to reach. There’s certainly one thing we can learn from the history of translation and religion: the larger the audience, the greater the impact.
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