The Translation Policies of Protestant Reformers in the Early Eighteenth Century. Projects, Aims, and Communication Networks

This article examines the aims and motivations underlying the numerous translation projects initiated or supported by two Protestant organizations—the Anglican Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) in London and the Pietist Halle orphanage—in the early eighteenth century. These projects included translations of the Bible, catechisms, and devotional literature into over twenty-five languages, carried out for the benefit of Protestants abroad as well as for missionary activities among non-Protestant Christians and “heathens”. We survey a broad range of these endeavours and offer a case study of one specific project, the printing of an Arabic Psalter and New Testament for the use of Eastern Christians in London from 1720 onwards. We show that these translation projects were aimed at spreading Protestant piety, particularly in vernacular languages, and at creating a counterweight to the missionary activities of the Roman Catholic Church. However, the two societies did not follow a preconceived strategy; rather, these initiatives were the brainchildren of individual members and often relied on the availability of skilled translators in London and Halle. While many of the projects had limited success, they served as a means of religious self-affirmation for their initiators, who believed they were contributing to building God’s kingdom on earth by spreading the Christian message.