Just a few thoughts from the last week:
From my research paper on translating idioms – it makes me realise how difficult it is to translate anything, let alone the Word of God … yet how important and necessary it is to be able to read the Bible in your own language. I’ve been reading again about those who insisted on the importance of the Bible being translated into English for all to read, instead of only being available in Latin, which meant it could only be read and interpreted by the clergy.
But that said, on whose initiative should a translation be carried out? Should a mission decide for the local people group, or should they wait until there are believers who ask for the Bible to be translated? Some say that it is better for it to be a project motivated by the felt-need of the locals, others say that the Bible is important in evangelism and important to be able to give to the first believers as early as possible, so that they don’t have to rely on someone else telling them what the Bible says (and often what it means, too).
Another question – in an oral culture, how should we, and perhaps even should we, encourage people to learn to read? Is it enough that we know that education in general improves people’s lot in life? Can we impose our values on others? Or are they ultimate truths, not just our values??
If culture and religion are as interlinked as they are in Africa, how do Christians re-construct their culture in such a way that it remains African yet frees them to worship Jesus only and not be tied to their past rituals and fears? We already know that Western culture shouldn’t have to be adopted along with Christianity, but how do African Christians contextualise their faith to remain true to themselves?
(If you do have any thoughts on any of these question to enrich my thinking, feel free to leave a comment!)
