Points of Cultural Accommodation and Translation
Context
Christianity has never been a static faith, and as it spread from Judaism into Greco Roman contexts, It altered its practices and theology to new contexts while still retaining a core of belief that was rooted in its origins. This process continued in both the post Roman West and in East Asia In the Early Middle Ages. As missionaries from the Roman and Syriac (sometimes labelled "Nestorian") traditions spread the gospel and converted new communities to the faith, they often had to undertake the work of translating Christian orthodoxy and rituals to new cultural contexts. This was always a delicate balance between making Christianity Intelligible in new contexts while avoiding the adoption of beliefs that were erroneous or spiritually misleading Learning Goals
Identify points of cultural accommodation and translation
Recognize stated and unstated assumptions and distinguish between text and subtext in historical sources
Construct and defend an argument about the methods and approaches used to translate Christianity into European and East Asian/Chinese cultural contexts
Utilize multiple genres of historical sources to create an argument. instructions
Read the excepts of the Heliand (TCR 27) the Leechbook (TCR 28) and the Chinese Christian sutras (TCR 29) in your The Christian Record reader
Craft an essay of 5 6 pages that poses an argument (claim • textual evidence + impact) in answer to the following
How do these sources adapt or modify Christian theology for new cultural contexts?
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Points of Cultural Accommodation and Translation
The Sermon on the Mount, from Matthew, shows many cultural accommodations and translations. These changes were presumably intended to make Jesus' teachings more accessible to Jews and Gentiles and to effectively communicate in a developing cultural and language setting (Melson, p. 28). While profoundly fixed in Jewish tradition and understanding, Jesus was acquainted with the Greek language and Hellenistic culture. This shows a commitment to transcend cultural gaps, making his lessons more inclusive.
Furthermore, "the Kingdom of God" would have resonated with Jews but may have needed translation and explanation for Gentiles. Using "heaven" may be a cultural innovation to explain God's dominion to non-Jews. In addition, Jesus' teachings on forgiveness, peacemaking, and love for adversaries indicate cultural adaptability to a universal morality. These lessons emphasize universal ideas that appeal to many audiences. Therefore, Matthew's Sermon on the Mount was translated and culturally adapted to reach a multicultural Christian society of Jews and Gentiles. These alterations emphasize the universality of the Kingdom of God and morality by crossing cultural and language boundaries.
Stated and Unstated Assumptions: Text and Subtext in Historical Sources
Recognizing explicit and unstated assumptions and differentiating between the source's text and subtext are essential components of historical source analysis. Unstated assumptions are fundamental ideas that are not expressly stated but can be inferred from the context or the author's point of view. Stated assumptions are beliefs or ideas that are explicitly conveyed