Bible Translation as Transformation: Implications of a Kingdom Theology of Mission

It is important for those involved in Bible translation ministry to regularly reflect on God’s Word in order to better align our practice with the mission of God. This presentation attempts one such undertaking by examining the concept of the “kingdom of God” as demonstrated in the holistic ministry of Jesus Christ. While some evangelicals in the one-third world continue to prioritize evangelism over social action in missions, the Gospels bear witness to the fact that Jesus inaugurated the kingdom through acts of physical and spiritual healing that were so intertwined they inevitably led to transformation of all dimensions of life. Such a model, which Samuel & Sugden (1999) term “mission as transformation,” has profound implications for how we understand the scope and nature of Bible translation and related ministries of the Word in a post-modern, post-colonial, and glocal world. In the context of the First Nations of Canada, a theology of “mission as transformation” affirms (1) language development work that promotes reconciliation and healing from language loss; (2) Bible translation and Scripture engagement that sets the oppressed free from spiritual bondage and intergenerational trauma; and (3) training and equipping of indigenous co-workers that acknowledges their God-given value and empowers them to pursue God’s vision for their own communities.