Tyndale’s Unfinished Revolution: Reconsidering the Translation of Ἐκκλησία

William Tyndale had a deep impact on English Bible translations, with later translations like the Geneva Bible or the King James Version incorporating a majority of his translation decisions. However, one particular decision Tyndale made that met stiff resistance from the church hierarchy of his day was his translation of ἐκκλησία as “congregation” rather than “church,” following Martin Luther’s translation of ἐκκλησία as “Gemeinde” rather than “Kirche.” The Catholic statesman Sir Thomas More vehemently criticized Tyndale’s translation, especially his translation of ἐκκλησία as “congregation.” When King James authorized a new English Bible translation, he specified that “church” must be used instead of “congregation” for ἐκκλησία. Since then, nearly every English Bible has followed this 17th century monarch’s decree.

This presentation will:
• Explore Tyndale’s arguments for “congregation” and counter arguments in favor of “church”
• Consider the connection between ἐκκλησία in the Septuagint and the New Testament and the Hebrew קָהָל qahal “assembly,” and the relevance of the continuity of the concept of ἐκκλησία in both Testaments
• Examine the theological implications of different translations for ἐκκλησία such as “church,” “congregation,” or “assembly”
• Consider the usage of “church” in today’s English, as well as “assembly” and “congregation,” and ask whether “church” is as inadequate today as Tyndale considered it to be in his day
• Briefly explore the implications for the translation of ἐκκλησία in other languages such as Spanish, French, and Lebanese Arabic