Interpretation of Biblical Literature in Translation: A Literary and Theological Perspective
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 May 2026 | Viewed by 1
Special Issue Editor
Interests: New Testament Theology (Pauline epistles), History of the New Testament and its world, History of Ancient Religions, Theory and Practice of Bible Translation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The journal Religions invites submissions for a forthcoming Special Issue dedicated to the blooming landscape of Bible translation that seeks to explore the dynamic interplay between description, theory, and practice, and to foster critical dialogue on how contemporary frameworks reshape our understanding of the translation of sacred texts in Judaism and Christianity.
Over the past four decades, translation studies related to the Bible have undergone a profound transformation—from prescriptive, equivalence-based models to descriptive, functionalist, and culturally embedded approaches. These shifts have significant implications for Bible translation, which is no longer viewed as an isolated art or scholarly activity but as a complex, culturally mediated communicative act.
In this Special Issue we welcome contributions that engage with the following research areas:
- Descriptive and Process-Oriented Approaches: Analyses of Bible translation as a cognitive and interpretive process, including empirical studies using think-aloud protocols or corpus-based methodologies.
- Functionalist and Skopos-Based Models: Explorations of how translation briefs, intended functions, and target audience expectations shape translation strategies and outcomes.
- Cultural and Postcolonial Perspectives: Critical reflections on Bible translation as a vehicle of cultural transmission, resistance, or identity formation—especially in multilingual or postcolonial contexts.
- Gender and Ideology in Translation: Investigations into inclusive language, feminist translation practices, and the ideological dimensions of rendering biblical texts.
- Corpus Translation Studies and Digital Tools: Methodological innovations in analyzing Bible translations using computational corpora, and implications for translation quality and stylistic analysis.
- Translation as Intercultural Mediation: Case studies on how Bible translations bridge cultural gaps, preserve otherness, or adapt theological concepts for new audiences.
- Collaborative Translation Models: Reflections on interdisciplinary teamwork between theologians and trained translators, and the impact of split competence on translation fidelity and reception.
We especially encourage submissions that offer comparative analyses, propose new evaluative frameworks, or reflect on translation as a transformative act within faith, ethnic and language communities.
We invite scholars contributing to this Special Issue to reimagine and enrich Bible translation not merely as linguistic transfer, but as a vibrant, ethically engaged, and culturally resonant scholarly endeavour.
We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send this to the Guest Editor, or to the Assistant Editor of Religions Esme Zheng (esme.zheng@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Ottó Pecsuk
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Bible
- translation
- equivalence
- ethics of translation
- functionalist
- mission
- linguistics
- theology
- translator
- formal
- dynamic
- meaning
- skopos
- word of God
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