Conference in Belfast marks 500 years of Martin Luther’s Bible

Church academics at the college, with eminent Biblical experts from the UK and Europe, will examine the legacy of Protestant reformer Martin Luther, particularly his translation of the New Testament, which has its 500th anniversary next month.

The conference – titled ‘Martin Luther: Bible Translator, Illustrator and Publisher’ – is a two-day event on September 12-13, giving modern insight into Luther’s ‘September Testament’; its context, influence and enduring impact since 1522.

Martin Luther was originally a German Roman Catholic priest who advanced as a church theologian, author, and hymn writer.

A former Augustinian friar, he is best known as the seminal figure in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Luther’s Protestant reforms were advanced through the 16th century by French theologian John Calvin and in Scotland by Presbyterian cleric John Knox.

Explaining the significance of the publication, Union College principal Rev Prof Gordon Campbell says: “500 years on, it may seem difficult for us to comprehend the impact of the ‘September Testament’.

“But if you take something like the arrival of the world-wide web in the mid-1990s and the subsequent revolutionary impact that it had, and continues to have on society and everyday life today, you begin to get the picture.

“Martin Luther’s ‘September Testament’ in German was such a pivotal moment for Reformation, European history, and Bible translation that we believe merits exploring and celebrating.

“In each conference session our contributors will open up some of its many impacts through time, bringing a collective assessment of the relevance and importance of Luther’s Bible publishing project that offers something for academics and the general public.

“At the time the ‘September Testament’ appeared, only some scholars, monks and nobles had access to a Bible, usually in Latin. Relatively few people could read.

“Crucial for Luther was not only the accuracy of his German translation, but how it sounded, especially when read aloud in the new Reformed churches.

“Luther wanted the words of Jesus, evangelists, and apostles to be heard at the pace and rhythm of everyday speech on the streets, so that it would appeal to listeners’ ears, lodge in their memory and warm their heart for Christ.

“Placing scripture in the hands of ordinary people and making it more inclusive of German dialects generally meant that for the first time ordinary folk could read for themselves, or hear life-changing verses in their own heart language, such as John 3:16, which says: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life’.”

The Bible Society in Northern Ireland, Biblica and Wycliffe Bible Translators are partnering with Union College at the conference.

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Catherine Little, general secretary of Bible Society Northern Ireland sys that today, Bible access is often taken for granted. “We have had the full Bible in our own language for generations because of the risks, hard work and sacrifices made by Martin Luther and his contemporaries.

“Across the world today individuals and communities are still taking risks, working hard and making sacrifices to bring the Bible to people groups who are still waiting to hear God’s word in their own heart language.

“We want to present our current work against this historical backdrop since the work of Martin Luther 500 years ago brought change that we still feel the ripples of today.”

Ricky Ferguson, Ireland team leader for Wycliffe Bible Translators said that Wycliffe estimates that one in five people around the world are still waiting for the Bible in their own language.

“We are delighted to partner the Luther conference, as it celebrates something which is at the heart of the work of Wycliffe Bible translators worldwide today. Martin Luther understood that in order for people to come to know Jesus, and then to grow in their faith, they needed to have God’s word in the language that they knew best – their own,” he says.

“Reformer John Wycliffe, with passion for people and the Bible, was among the first to translate Old and New Testaments in English, 200 years before Luther.

Today, we carry on the vision of Wycliffe, John Tyndale and Luther to see a world where everyone can have the opportunity to know Jesus through the Bible,”

Trevor Wilson, UK Partnerships manager for international Bible society Biblica. says Martin Luther’s ‘September Testament’ made the Bible available for all.

“Being involved in this event is important for us as Luther’s New Testament paved the way for taking the Bible into the hands of all people and helping to further the gospel across Europe and beyond. That is still our passion and focus today.

“Reading and understanding the Bible in our own language reminds us that the Bible is timeless, relevant for all generations, cultures and languages. Our role is to continue to see that become reality today, as there are millions across our world who still do not have the Bible in their heart language,” says Mr Wilson.