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Showing posts from June, 2015

Why the English translation sometimes messes things up

In general, 80% of the time, the English translation is a very faithful rendering of the original languages. However its strange choice of wording YHWH as the capitalised LORD occasionally messes things up. For instance, Psalm 91:2 reads: 'I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."' If we make some adjustments to the translation above to be more conservative towards the original language, we will see it read: 'I will say to YHWH, "My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."' The modification captures the nuance more because terms LORD and God has almost become interchangeable. But the simple rendering above shows the real gist of the Psalmist intentions. He is declaring YHWH as his God and not Baal. He declares that YHWH is his refuge and not anything else. The use of YHWH's name in the Hebrew personalises who the Psalmist is talking about. Not God as in a general concept of God but YHWH, the...

On Augustine

It is one of Augustine’s many and characteristic endeavours to drive his readers to despair precisely in order that they like he will look elsewhere for hope, recognize their need for God and cry out for deliverance. - The Christian Witness in the Earthly City: John H. Yoder as Augustinian Interlocutor by Ollenburger and Gerber Koontz