A 6th Century Bible Version Fight

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I am doing some research for a doctoral paper on the early Irish church and discovered that the Irish beat us to a versions fight by about 1500 years! By the sixth century the church in Ireland could not agree on whether to use the Vulgate or the Vetus Latina versions of the Latin translation.

Of course, now we know that they were wasting their time. There was not a perfect Bible till Oxford Press got around to printing a Bible in 1769.

[ April 21, 2004, 08:15 PM: Message edited by: Dr. Bob Griffin ]

 

[Dr. Bob]

What a great study, Roger. I love the Vulgate and have read of the "old Latin". But failed to consider the paralleling conflict of versions that predated our present unpleasantness.

"The Vulgate took many years to become established as the principal Latin Bible. Meanwhile, the Old Latin versions continued to be used. Some of these translations are preserved in Bible manuscripts, in the writings of the Church Fathers and in early Christian liturgies.

These texts are of great significance for the history of the early Church and the transmission of the Bible. Most of the Old Latin translations were made from Greek manuscripts which no longer exist. Although the Latin texts have undergone their own process of transmission, the original layer preserves a witness to the Bible, especially the New Testament, which would otherwise be lost to us."

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

The Irish church never got around to putting together a complete Bible in Irish until the 20th century (as far as I have found so far).

After about the 9th century the Bible lost its emphasis here as the church drew closer and closer to Rome. Therefore the Latin scriptures were enough. I think (still researching) that the finally settled on the Vulgate as their version. I am sure that "Old Latin" supporters though they were liberals.

I wish I knew Early Irish (or even modern Irish) - I would like to examine some of early Irish Psalms and gospels that were translated.

 

[gb93433]

Thanks for the information. I find that quite interesting.