The Impact of the KJV in Caribbean Bible Translation Work: An Exploratory Introduction
The KJV has impacted the English-speaking world linguistically, culturally, and literarily. In the area of Bible translation, specifically in Creole languages in the Caribbean basin, the phenomenon arises where historical translations like the KJV become pseudo-originals, functioning as the standard for subsequent translation work in any vernacular, even non-English based Creoles. While the actual history of the KJV translation strongly supports autochthonous language and subsequent theological emancipation, the historical reality is that it has been used incorrectly to disavow such efforts, including the acceptance of other valid translation types.
Mother-Tongue Translations and Contextualization in Latin America
International Bulletin of Missionary Research, Vol. 34, No. 2 O the last seventy years Bible translation agencies have engaged in translating the New Testament into the hundreds of indigenous languages of Latin America. That immense task is now nearing completion. Yet translation is only part of the task; a potentially larger challenge awaits, namely, encouraging the growing churches in these language groups to accept and use the Scripture translations that have been so painstakingly accomplished. Development of a contextualized Christianity appropriate to the myriad of cultures in Central and South America—essential if vibrant and mature indigenous churches are to grow within those cultures—is crucially tied to acceptance and use of Scripture translations in the people’s mother tongues. Despite this fact, the majority-culture Spanishspeaking churches and denominations in the region operate, through the practices and assumptions engrained in their mission work among the minority language groups, in a way that clearly hinders the development of theologically contextualized indigenous churches.1 By way of illustration, in one Latin American country where I have worked extensively as a Bible translation consultant, four major Spanish-speaking Protestant denominations that are led by nationals (that is, members of the politically, socially, and economically dominant group of European ancestry, as opposed to indigenes or expatriates) and the Roman Catholic Church work in a minority language group of 250,000 speakers. Together the Spanish-speaking groups oversee more than three hundred indigenous churches. They carry out their mission work entirely in Spanish. Before and during the translation project I spent hundreds of hours meeting with the leadership of these groups to build relationships and to invite their participation in the translation project, seeking to encourage them to promote use of the resultant translation. The translation was completed five years ago, yet only a handful of pastors in these denominations are using it. When the New Testament, with permission from denominational leaders, was distributed to the pastors of one of the denominations, an indigenous pastor excitedly announced to the others that this was just what they needed, for now they would be better able to communicate the Gospel within their churches. He was quickly silenced by the denomination’s missionary, who reminded him that they were not free to do whatever they wanted but were under her authority. By contrast, another denomination in this language group— one led completely by indigenous people—does use the new translation extensively. While the denomination’s leaders recognize the importance of Spanish, they are committed to promoting use of their mother tongue in the church. It was their vision that led to undertaking the translation project, and today 60 to 70 percent Mother-Tongue Translations and Contextualization in Latin America
The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission and Appropriation of Faith
In The Cross-Cultural Process in christian History, Andrew F. Walls shows he has not lost the capacity to surprise readers with new insights into things they thought long settled. In essays that sparkle with wit and insight Walls reaches back to Eusebius of Edessa in the fourth century and down to the contemporary world. His seer's eyes reach from "Old Athens" and "New Jerusalem", to the vast continents of South America and Asia, to his beloved Africa. On the way he offers fresh understandings of Pentecostalism, African traditional religion, and the ironic ways in which the western missionary movement often accomplished things -- both for good and for ill -- that its agents never dreamed of.