Einheitsübersetzung
Encyclopedia
Einheitsübersetzung ("Unified" or "Unity Translation") is a German translation of the bible for liturgical
use in the Roman Catholic worship. It is published by the Katholischen Bibelwerk ("Catholic Bible Society") and was compiled from 1962 to 1980 by catholic theologians with contributions from Evangelic
al theologians. Collaboration was done on the New Testament
and the Psalms
. The Evangelical side withdrew support from a project revising the Einheitsübersetzung in 2005.
. Vatican II authorized the use of non-Latin
languages in the Mass and allowed the local languages into the liturgy. A compilation of new translations of the Bible became urgently needed for the liturgical use in local languages: "the Church by her authority and with maternal concern sees to it that suitable and correct translations are made into different languages"
(Dei Verbum
Nr. 22)
of the Bible used by Evangelical churches was never intended.
The Einheitsübersetzung is designed for the complete religious life, from religious instruction to worship. Linguistic comprehensibility and poetic style were considered. Linguists and experts in liturgy
, catechetics, didactics
, educational media, and sacred music worked with the theologians to secure the comprehensive usability.
The comprehensive introductions to the individual biblical books which include historical bible criticism
, as well as the numerous explanations of the text, contribute to the understandibility and wide application potential.
in the Roman Catholic church up to that point was abandoned. That gave the catholic theologians the challenge of translating from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into German, instead of the usual practice of translating the Latin Bible into German. The Roman Catholic Church thus solved one of the conflicts of the Reformation
that demanded a return from the Vulgate to the original sources.
, worked on the Einheitsübersetzung from the start. They did not yet have an official commission from the Catholic Church. The Evangelical Church in Germany
(EKD) was officially requested to work on the translation of the Psalms
and the New Testament
. In 1970, the Bishops' Conference and the EKD entered a contract for the joint work on the Einheitsübersetzung, which was a major breakthrough of the ecumenism
in Germany. Since 1980, the Einheitsübersetzung has also been approved for use in Evangelical churches and is especially used with the Luther Translation for ecumenical events.
In the last few years, the Bishops' Conference has attempted a revision of the translation. The revision was also supposed to be a joint project with the Evangelical church. A conflict between the Roman Catholic church and the Evangelical side arose during the work which resulted in the EKD terminating the 1970 contract in 2005. The conflict arose from disagreements about the Roman Catholic side's push for a heavier emphasis on church traditions than was found in the original text and the consensus
decision making process used up to that point did not hold, after which common ground between the denominations had to be found. After the completion of the revision it had to be submitted for a Papal Approbation
, which was also rejected by the EKD. The new edition (February 2010) prefers gender-neutral wording and does not render the name Jahweh.
The reactions to the failure of the joint translation were varied. The Catholic side reacted with incomprehension. The chairman of the Bishops' Conference at the time, Karl Lehmann, spoke of a "considerable burden" for the ecumenism and suddenly put the blame on the EKD representitaves without clarification. The EKD
also regretted the development, but explained that it "made every imaginable effort to avoid the current result"
According to information from February 2010, the revision of the New Testament is already complete at this point and the work on the Old Testament was so far along that the conclusion is expected in 2011. When the text is complete it must be approved by various committees in the German-speaking Bishops' Conferences and in the Vatican. The length of the approval process cannot be predicted, which is why no publication date can be planned.
Withdrawal of the Evangelical Church
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
use in the Roman Catholic worship. It is published by the Katholischen Bibelwerk ("Catholic Bible Society") and was compiled from 1962 to 1980 by catholic theologians with contributions from Evangelic
Evangelic
Evangelic or evangelical means "to be rooted in the gospels" from the or . This is the core meaning in theology that can be found in terms like the Evangelical Counsels....
al theologians. Collaboration was done on the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
and the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
. The Evangelical side withdrew support from a project revising the Einheitsübersetzung in 2005.
Beginnings
The compiling of the Einheitsübersetzung is a consequence of the reforms of the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. Vatican II authorized the use of non-Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
languages in the Mass and allowed the local languages into the liturgy. A compilation of new translations of the Bible became urgently needed for the liturgical use in local languages: "the Church by her authority and with maternal concern sees to it that suitable and correct translations are made into different languages"
(Dei Verbum
Dei Verbum
Dei Verbum was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 18, 1965, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,344 to 6.23...
Nr. 22)
Name and Purpose
The Einheitsübersetzung was supposed to become the uniform bible of all German-speaking dioceses. The name "Einheitsübersetzung" reflects this goal. Contrary to a widely-spread misunderstanding, the name does not mean that a common translation of the bible by the Roman Catholic and protestant churches should be created. Evangelical theologians were indeed involved since the beginning of the work, but a replacement for the Luther TranslationLuther Bible
The Luther Bible is a German Bible translation by Martin Luther, first printed with both testaments in 1534. This translation became a force in shaping the Modern High German language. The project absorbed Luther's later years. The new translation was very widely disseminated thanks to the printing...
of the Bible used by Evangelical churches was never intended.
The Einheitsübersetzung is designed for the complete religious life, from religious instruction to worship. Linguistic comprehensibility and poetic style were considered. Linguists and experts in liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, catechetics, didactics
Didactics
A didactic method is a teaching method that follows a consistent scientific approach or educational style to engage the student’s mind.The didactic method of instruction is often contrasted with dialectics and the Socratic method; the term can also be used to refer to a specific didactic method,...
, educational media, and sacred music worked with the theologians to secure the comprehensive usability.
The comprehensive introductions to the individual biblical books which include historical bible criticism
Biblical criticism
Biblical criticism is the scholarly "study and investigation of Biblical writings that seeks to make discerning judgments about these writings." It asks when and where a particular text originated; how, why, by whom, for whom, and in what circumstances it was produced; what influences were at work...
, as well as the numerous explanations of the text, contribute to the understandibility and wide application potential.
Text Sources
The objective of the Second Vatican Council was to produce a "suitable and correct" translation of the bible "especially from the original texts of the sacred books". The preeminance of the Latin VulgateVulgate
The Vulgate is a late 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. It was largely the work of St. Jerome, who was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to make a revision of the old Latin translations...
in the Roman Catholic church up to that point was abandoned. That gave the catholic theologians the challenge of translating from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek into German, instead of the usual practice of translating the Latin Bible into German. The Roman Catholic Church thus solved one of the conflicts of the Reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
that demanded a return from the Vulgate to the original sources.
Testing and Acceptance
The translation work lasted from 1962 to 1974, after which the translation was tried in practice then reworked from 1975 to 1978. In 1978, the final edition was accepted by the German Bishops' Conference. Since then, the Einheitsübersetzung has proven that it has accomplished its purpose and has become the official text source for religious life in the German-speaking diocesesEcumenical Meaning and Revision
Evangelical theologians from the Evangelical Brotherhood of St. Michael, a part of the Berneuchen MovementBerneuchen Movement
Berneuchen Movement is part of the Lutheran Liturgical movement in Germany. It originates from German Youth Movement.The movement was born in 1920s, after the radical changes caused by World War I...
, worked on the Einheitsübersetzung from the start. They did not yet have an official commission from the Catholic Church. The Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
(EKD) was officially requested to work on the translation of the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. In 1970, the Bishops' Conference and the EKD entered a contract for the joint work on the Einheitsübersetzung, which was a major breakthrough of the ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
in Germany. Since 1980, the Einheitsübersetzung has also been approved for use in Evangelical churches and is especially used with the Luther Translation for ecumenical events.
In the last few years, the Bishops' Conference has attempted a revision of the translation. The revision was also supposed to be a joint project with the Evangelical church. A conflict between the Roman Catholic church and the Evangelical side arose during the work which resulted in the EKD terminating the 1970 contract in 2005. The conflict arose from disagreements about the Roman Catholic side's push for a heavier emphasis on church traditions than was found in the original text and the consensus
Consensus decision-making
Consensus decision-making is a group decision making process that seeks the consent, not necessarily the agreement, of participants and the resolution of objections. Consensus is defined by Merriam-Webster as, first, general agreement, and second, group solidarity of belief or sentiment. It has its...
decision making process used up to that point did not hold, after which common ground between the denominations had to be found. After the completion of the revision it had to be submitted for a Papal Approbation
Approbation
Approbation is, in Roman Catholic canon law, an act by which a bishop or other legitimate superior grants to an ecclesiastic the actual exercise of his ministry....
, which was also rejected by the EKD. The new edition (February 2010) prefers gender-neutral wording and does not render the name Jahweh.
The reactions to the failure of the joint translation were varied. The Catholic side reacted with incomprehension. The chairman of the Bishops' Conference at the time, Karl Lehmann, spoke of a "considerable burden" for the ecumenism and suddenly put the blame on the EKD representitaves without clarification. The EKD
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
also regretted the development, but explained that it "made every imaginable effort to avoid the current result"
According to information from February 2010, the revision of the New Testament is already complete at this point and the work on the Old Testament was so far along that the conclusion is expected in 2011. When the text is complete it must be approved by various committees in the German-speaking Bishops' Conferences and in the Vatican. The length of the approval process cannot be predicted, which is why no publication date can be planned.
See also
For a complete history of the translation of the bible, see the main article: Bible TranslationsBible translations
The Bible has been translated into many languages from the biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Indeed, the full Bible has been translated into over 450 languages, although sections of the Bible have been translated into over 2,000 languages....
External links
Online Texts- Online Edition of the Einheitsübersetzung
- Direct Access to the Chapters of the Einheitsübersetzung (Uni InnsbruckInnsbruck- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
) - Einheitsübersetzung online from the Website of the Katholisches Bibelwerk
- Einheitsübersetzung: Easy Full-text Searches
Withdrawal of the Evangelical Church
- Rainer Clos: EKD zieht sich aus ökumenischem Bibel-Projekt zurück; Announcement of the Evangelical Press Service from September 8, 2005