A031 Translate Reconciliation Resources into Spanish
1 Corinthians 14:9-13 says:
“9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.”
Why, indeed, should the Church speak to those for whom English is not their first language how will they know what we have said? How can we be one Church? As the passage says, we are called to interpret what we say.
Since English and Spanish are the most widely used languages without any doubt, their translations are incredibly crucial to the life of the Church. General Convention Resolution 1988-A035 Encourage Spanish-speaking Provinces to Translate Church Documents encouraged Spanish-speaking Provinces to Translate Church Documents. This has been found insufficient and unfair by the Church. Several General Convention Resolutions (including 2018-A070 Create New Translations of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and 2018-C024 Propose a Process for Liturgical Translations) were passed with the aim of translating various liturgical resources into Spanish. Some of this has been accomplished. However, discussions with staff at Church Headquarters have revealed that funding is insufficient to complete these translations and that none of them provide funding to translate resources around dismantling racism and achieving racial justice and healing. This resolution asks that the Church stay true to God’s teachings and its commitment to translating key documents with a focus on those related to racial reconciliation so that the whole Church can do the critical work of dismantling racism and achieving racial justice and healing.
Explanation
1 Corinthians 14:9-13 says:
“9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.”
Why, indeed, should the Church speak to those for whom English is not their first language how will they know what we have said? How can we be one Church? As the passage says, we are called to interpret what we say.
Since English and Spanish are the most widely used languages without any doubt, their translations are incredibly crucial to the life of the Church. General Convention Resolution 1988-A035 Encourage Spanish-speaking Provinces to Translate Church Documents encouraged Spanish-speaking Provinces to Translate Church Documents. This has been found insufficient and unfair by the Church. Several General Convention Resolutions (including 2018-A070 Create New Translations of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and 2018-C024 Propose a Process for Liturgical Translations) were passed with the aim of translating various liturgical resources into Spanish. Some of this has been accomplished. However, discussions with staff at Church Headquarters have revealed that funding is insufficient to complete these translations and that none of them provide funding to translate resources around dismantling racism and achieving racial justice and healing. This resolution asks that the Church stay true to God’s teachings and its commitment to translating key documents with a focus on those related to racial reconciliation so that the whole Church can do the critical work of dismantling racism and achieving racial justice and healing.