Doctoral Degrees (Old and New Testament)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Old and New Testament) by Subject "Bible -- Translating"

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    An experiment in Bible translation as transcultural communication : the translation of [berith] 'covenant' into Lomwe, with a focus on Leviticus 26
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005-04) Foster, Stuart Jeremy; Van der Merwe, C. H. J.; Wendland, E. R.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old & New Testament.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The narrow question is how best to translate into Lomwe the biblical Hebrew term [berith] 'covenant'. But this question draws in many other issues when the contextual nature of communication is taken into account. Using Leviticus 26 as a focus text, this study sketches a complete arc from the impact at world view level of covenant concepts in the original to impact at worldview level among present-day Lomwe-speakers in northern Mozambique. This study defends a definition of covenant in its ancient Near Eastern context as a chosen relationship of mutual obligation guaranteed by oath sanctions. A close reading of Leviticus 26 in its literary contexts highlights the integrating role of covenant in the Old Testament. Used for Yahweh and his people, covenant language stressed that the relationship was exclusive, secure, accountable and purposeful. However, Lomwe-speakers are traditionally matrilineal with no adequate analogs to ancient covenantal customs. Protestant Christians among them, who have not had the Old Testament in their language, show by their songs that they do not have a covenantal sense of their relationship to God, but see life as a journey of escape to heaven while under the threat of divine judgment. For the present experiment, volunteers preached from a translation of Leviticus 26 to their congregations. In the resulting recorded sermons, the covenant concepts emphasized were relationship and obligation (but not chosenness or oath sanctions), and exclusivity and accountability (but not security or purpose). To compensate, the study proposes specific steps for Bible translators and those involved in the broader teaching task of the churches, especially dwelling on the potential of using muloko wa Muluku, 'people of God' as an integrating framework.
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    Translating Ioudaios concepts in multifaceted contexts : an intertextual approach to the rhetoric of 1 Corinthians 15
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-02-11) Owiredu, Kennedy Kwame; Punt, Jeremy; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Old and New Testament.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bible reading and translation have always been important aspects of the Christian faith. Since as early as the first century CE the writers of the New Testament as well as their respective communities of Jesus-followers have all interacted with the Scriptures of the time directly and indirectly. Paul was one such active participant in this process. Unfortunately, for the majority of the New Testament writers, for some decades now their use of the Scriptures of Israel has been clouded by ideologies of anachronistic Christian categories, historical-critical methodologies have presented generalising descriptions and prescriptions about their identities and methods, and Western ideologies have fed into colonialist and imperialist agendas against Two-Thirds World readers, such as Africans. In this study, I use and recommend a literary-rhetorical approach known as intertextuality as a methodology to attempt reading and uncovering the rhetoric of one such New Testament writer, Paul, to his implied audiences in a selected text, 1 Corinthians 15. As a literary method intertextuality has been in practice for decades already. More recently some biblical scholars have also identified its usefulness in overcoming the limitations of historical-critical methodologies when Paul’s use of the Scriptures of Israel is studied. In the field of Scripture translation intertextuality has recently also become a useful tool for the literary analysis of texts. Importantly, several scholars continue to make a case for literary critical methods as a necessary tool for empowering African Christian readers and translators of the Scriptures towards a recovery of authentic Christian identity-(ies). This study has demonstrated that Paul’s Ioudaios ethnoculturally-nested identity remains central and relevant to an understanding of his person and his use of the Scriptures of Israel. It has demonstrated specifically that, not only does Paul engage with the Scriptures, but also, that he uses Ioudaios conceptualisations, expressions and idioms to communicate the central themes of his message, with 1 Corinthians 15 serving as a case in point. Even though he communicates to his audience in the Hellenistic lingua franca of his time, contemporary readers and translators should endeavour to engage these Ioudaios concepts linguistically and intertextually. To this end, Paul was able to sustain his objective in negotiating, affirming and redefining the identity-(ies) of his multifaceted Gentile implied audience. Bible reading and translation in Africa and by Christians in Africa is in dire need of this and can glean many lessons and applications from the Pauline paradigm.