Translated Religion: In a Forest of True Words

The history of religion is always a history of translation, too. When spoken words are transcribed, scriptures are created that are considered sacred and universally applicable. Translating holy writings in order to spread one’s own religion poses certain challenges for translators, such as how to bridge the gaps between source and target languages. Sometimes, the original language is no longer spoken or precisely known. In some religious traditions, a particular language is reserved for scriptures and considered untranslatable. And an ability to deal correctly with multiple writing systems and alphabets is also required. Religious texts are full of puzzles and mysteries. Deciphering (i.e. translating) them is also an important part of today’s humanities. Materials from Leipzig University Library spanning two thousand years are a source of knowledge about humans’ efforts to explain their own or other people’s religion in words and images.