The 1840 translation of the Gospel of Luke as a technology of power: A decolonial reflection is an open-access book published by AOSIS.
In this book, the author aims to explore the impact of 19th-century translations of the Bible into indigenous languages, with a specific focus on the Setswana translation. The translations have had a profound effect on the religio-cultural practices of the indigenous people, leading to erosion and alteration of their traditions and identities. I argue that it is crucial to consider the translator’s intentions and the associated literature, such as journals and letters, to understand the translation process comprehensively. The Setswana Bible was the first to be translated in Africa, and tracing the intentions of Robert Moffat, the first translator, is imperative to understanding the impact of the translation on the receptor culture.
The methodology adopted is interdisciplinary, drawing from linguistics, African languages, history, English literature, cultural studies, black studies and theology. I analyse the impact of the 1840 Gospel of Luke in the context of Setswana culture in South Africa, and my findings demonstrate that translations cannot be distinct from the translator. To gain a deep understanding of the implications of such texts, I adopt a methodology that analyses significant historical literature and primary sources, including the records and works of The British and Foreign Bible Society, The History of the London Missionary Society, and the journals, letters and writings of missionaries such as Robert Moffat and John Campbell.
Copyright (c) 2024 Itumeleng D Mothoagae (Author)
Itumeleng D Mothoagae’s The 1840 translation of the Gospel of Luke as a technology of power: A decolonial reflection explicitly addresses a critical yet often unacknowledged issue in biblical scholarship: the political and contextual nature of translating biblical texts from their ‘original’ ancient languages into modern languages. The author highlights how translations, essentially interpretations, are predominantly produced and published by dominant white or Caucasian scholars and publishing houses and are often perceived as universal and objective. Mothoagae uncovers Robert Moffat’s operative politics, as excavated from his speeches and other writings, as imprinted in his Setswana translation/interpretation of Luke’s Gospel. Scholars recognise that there is ideological, theological and epistemological overlap and intersect in his translation. This scholarly book is both fascinating and necessary, encouraging further studies on the impact of translations on modern readers and advocating for new contextual translations by marginalised biblical scholars focused on decolonisation and the politics of translation.
Mitzi J Smith, the J. Davison Philips Professor of New Testament,
Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia, United States of America