Translation of the Hebrew Bible: Philology, Philosophy, and Identity
APRIL 8, 2013
This one-day symposium features a series of three lectures by scholars from outside of the University of Chicago followed in each case by a planned response from a Chicago faculty member and audience questions. Cosponsored by the Martin Marty Center for the Advanced Study of Religion and the Chicago Center for Jewish Studies.
From the time of its canonization, the Hebrew Bible has commanded a pivotal role in the construction of religious, political, and cultural identity, especially through its translation into other languages. In recent years, several works have emerged that have treated this very issue, in sometimes different ways, but all with erudition and creativity. Translation theory itself has developed as well. By bringing together disparate figures working on disparate times, cultural settings, and languages of translation, this symposium aims to contribute new insights into the history of the Hebrew Bible's interpretation, transmission, and influence.
SCHEDULE
10:00–11:30
"Ancient Translators and Discourses of Authority"
Speaker: Benjamin G. Wright, III, Lehigh University
Respondent: Margaret M. Mitchell, University of Chicago
Lunch break
1:00–2:30
"Translation, Philosophy, and the Invention of Jewish Identity: Two Case Studies"
Speaker: Aaron Hughes, University of Rochester
Respondent: James T. Robinson, University of Chicago
3:00–4:30
"Whitman's Line: 'Found' in the King James Bible?"
Speaker: F. W. "Chip" Dobbs-Alsopp, Princeton Theological Seminary
Respondent: Richard A. Rosengarten, University of Chicago
4:30–5:00
Concluding Remarks
Speaker: Michael Fishbane, University of Chicago
