Book and Languages Week

By Reverend Andy Fleming, Associate Chaplain

The combination of Book Week and Languages Week creates a lot of fun, culminating with students dressing as either their favourite literary characters or in national dress. In our ever more increasingly digital world, it is great that students and staff alike can have a day dedicated to celebrating their favourite books.

Languages Week, in turn, provides an opportunity to develop an appreciation of other cultures and its people. Moreover, the ability to translate from one language to another is such an important skill to ensure that the intended message is delivered and heard.

As someone who works with the Bible, the significance of the combination of Book and Languages Week is not lost on me. The Bible is one of the most translated books in the world. Beginning with the original language of the Old Testament in Hebrew, the Bible was then translated into Greek. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, although some books, such as The Gospel according to Matthew, are thought to have been written in Aramaic, a dialect of Hebrew.

In the 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ, Aramaic was used to add a more authentic feel to the movie. After Greek, the Bible was translated into Latin. This translation was predominantly used until the medieval period. Since then, the Bible has been translated into the common languages spoken in the local region, so that all people could access the text for themselves.

Of all these languages, I would like to be fluent in ancient Greek the most. I find Greek provides depth to concepts and words that English cannot. For instance, there are multiple words to describe the concept of love in Greek. Of the several words to describe a specific type of love, I am always drawn to Agape.

Agape is used to describe the love that is of and from God, whose very nature is love itself (1 John 4:16). Agape is a divine love in which one freely and unconditionally gives of themselves, expecting nothing in return. It is the love that Jesus expressed throughout his life and ministry. Apostle Paul best expresses agape love in 1 Corinthians 13. This hymn of love may be familiar to many due to its popular use in weddings. It is certainly a love to aspire to.

'Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.' – 1 Corinthians 13: 4–8.

Go in peace,
Rev. Andy