A Biblical Masterpiece

A Celebration of the Bible: Then and Now

On September 29, 1952, something extraordinary happened at ⁢the D.C.⁢ Armory. It wasn’t just another inaugural ball‌ or a political gathering. No, this event was a celebration of a new translation of the Bible, the Revised ⁣Standard Version (RSV).⁢ The RSV was intended to replace the⁣ beloved King James Version (KJV), and its completion was a momentous occasion.

The Book that Shaped⁢ a Nation

In the earliest days of⁤ the Northeast, the Bible was everything. It was the spiritual guide, the moral compass, the⁢ legal​ code, ⁤and the political system. It provided sustenance for life’s ​struggles and taught the purpose of ⁤man’s journey through this world. It ‍emphasized the importance of ‍aligning one’s life with the will of God and the love of both God and man. The Bible was the foundation upon which America was built.

Fast forward seventy-one years, and it’s hard to imagine a⁢ similar‍ event capturing the attention ⁤of 21st-century America. Our culture has become less biblically literate, and ⁣new translations of the Bible have become abundant. According to John Barton’s book, The Word: How ⁣We Translate the Bible and Why⁤ It Matters, ‌there have been⁣ over ⁣a dozen new translations since the RSV. The continuous re-translation of the world’s‍ most translated book shows no signs⁢ of stopping.

Barton, a renowned scholar, ‍doesn’t provide a​ guide to these various ‌translations or⁤ an in-depth evaluation of each one. Instead, he offers a comprehensive exploration of the translators’ terrain.​ He delves into the two predominant approaches to biblical translation: “formal equivalence” and “dynamic⁢ equivalence.” While he examines the pros and cons of ‌both, Barton leans towards “formal equivalence,” which aims to ​bring ‍the original-language source-text as close to a word-for-word translation as possible.

Throughout his book, Barton highlights translations⁤ that successfully bridge the gap ​between the source-text and the reader. He praises⁤ the⁤ King James Version for‍ its formal-equivalence rendering of Luke’s infancy narrative, capturing the rhythm and clarity of⁣ the original ​Greek.‍ He also commends the much-criticized New English Bible for its modern yet​ true-to-the-original⁢ translation of the Hebrew Bible’s quintessential lament.

While Barton focuses more on the “how” ‍of biblical translation, he acknowledges the importance of the “why.” The translations of the Bible have had profound ⁤theological and linguistic influences throughout ⁤history. They ⁢have ‌shaped theologies, influenced reformations, and even impacted the​ growth​ of Christianity in sub-Saharan⁢ Africa.

Words matter. ⁤Ideas matter. And getting the words right in biblical translation is crucial for bridging the gap between the‍ source-text and the reader. John Barton’s The Word sheds light on the challenges of this ⁢task and reminds us of the significance of⁢ accurate⁢ and thoughtful translation.

The Word: How We Translate the Bible—and Why It Matters
by John Barton
Basic Books, 351 ‌pp., $34

George Weigel is Distinguished ‌Senior Fellow at the⁣ Ethics and⁢ Public Policy Center, where he holds the William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies. ⁢He is the⁤ author, most recently, of To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II.