Trial of Translation: An Examination of 1 Corinthians 6:9 in the Vernacular Bibles of the Early Modern Period

by Adam L. Wirrig

Overview

Did the Bible transition from the medieval Vulgate to the vernacular forms of the Protestant Reformation? What about from Erasmus's Greek text? Were there significant differences in the various vernacular Bibles of the Protestant Reformation? How did this or didn't this come to be? Utilizing the unique Greek text of 1 Corinthians 6:9, this book explores the relationships between culture, location, theology, and the art of biblical translation within the Protestant Reformation. Far from a simplistic transition from their previous forms, this work details the differences even one singular text of translation might find within the various locales of the early modern period. Ultimately, the text details that, in addition to faithful thought, location, culture, and community necessities drove the art of biblical translation in the Protestant Reformation and early modern period.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781725277557
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	04/04/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	174
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Adam L. Wirrig holds a PhD from Aberdeen University and serves as the Director of the Master of Theological Study program at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio where he is also a fully affiliated faculty member in the History of Christianity department.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“This volume is a fascinating study of how Protestant Reformers and humanist Catholics created vernacular translations relying on ‘original sources.’ The focus is a single, problematic passage (1 Cor 6:9). Many modern English translations mention ‘homosexuals.’ The study suggests that humanist scholars, struggling to render Paul’s words, focused on pederasty rather than ‘sodomy.’ The result is an excellent analysis which places this text in the historical context of the humanist return ‘to the sources.’”

—William G. Naphy, University of Aberdeen



“What does it mean to read the Bible literally? How does one do that in translation? . . . In this closely argued and historically rich work, Wirrig demonstrates how each act of translation is itself an act of interpretation. The light he shines on difficult, and still socially relevant, texts complicates the narrative of biblical interpretation in the present and illuminates our understanding of the history of exegesis and translation in important ways.”

—David Whitford, Baylor University

Editorial Reviews

This volume is a fascinating study of how Protestant Reformers and humanist Catholics created vernacular translations relying on ‘original sources.’ The focus is a single, problematic passage (1 Cor 6:9). Many modern English translations mention ‘homosexuals.’ The study suggests that humanist scholars, struggling to render Paul’s words, focused on pederasty rather than ‘sodomy.’ The result is an excellent analysis which places this text in the historical context of the humanist return ‘to the sources.’”

—William G. Naphy, University of Aberdeen



“What does it mean to read the Bible literally? How does one do that in translation? . . . In this closely argued and historically rich work, Wirrig demonstrates how each act of translation is itself an act of interpretation. The light he shines on difficult, and still socially relevant, texts complicates the narrative of biblical interpretation in the present and illuminates our understanding of the history of exegesis and translation in important ways.”

—David Whitford, Baylor University

From the Publisher