Whitewashing Evangelical Scripture

The Case of Slavery and Antisemitism in the English Standard Version

Bibliographic Data

ID8205533
AuthorsL Perry (0000-0002-6398-636X, University of Oklahoma, corresponding author), Samuel L Perry (University of Oklahoma)
Year2021
Volume89
Issue2
Pages612-643
Publication date2021-07-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the American Academy of Religion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-7189 • E-ISSN: 1477-4585
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/jaarel/lfab054
OpenAlexW3176345305
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited11

Religious communities in pluralistic societies often hold in tension the task of reinforcing core identities and ideals within the community while negotiating public relations among those outside the community. Christian communities have sought to accomplish both projects materially through Bible modification, with most historically working to establish transitivity (congruence between the text and their own interpretive tradition), whereas others more recently have emphasized establishing what I call intransitivity (incongruence between the text and negative social interpretations from outsiders). This study examines the ways evangelical translation teams seek to accomplish both agendas simultaneously, creating a materialized instantiation of engaged orthodoxy. Drawing on the case of the English Standard Version (ESV)—a contemporary evangelical revision of the Revised Standard Version (RSV)—I show how the ESV editors, while modifying certain RSV renderings to establish transitivity for their text among complementarian/biblicist Christians, sought to establish intransitivity between the text and more pejorative social interpretations by progressively re-translating lexically ambiguous terms and introducing footnotes to obviate the Bible’s ostensible promotion of slavery and antisemitism. Findings elucidate how a conservative religious subculture, confronted with increasing pluralism, negotiates gaining legitimacy for their text within their sectarian subculture while also whitewashing “the Text” for public relations outside that subculture

Antisemitism · Epistemology · Judaism · Legitimacy · Pejorative · Pluralism (philosophy) · Political science · Scapegoat · Sociology · Theology · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · Historical and Linguistic Studies · Law · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions

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