On October 19, 2024, an academic seminar entitled "The Bible, Translation, and Its Use" was held by the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI) on the campus of Petra Christian University, Surabaya. This event was an effort to educate or socialize Indonesian Christians, to get to know more about the New Translation of the Bible, edition 2 (TB2). This seminar was attended by around 120 participants, consisting of theology students, pastors, and lecturers from various Theological Colleges (STT) in the Surabaya area and its surroundings. By presenting three main speakers in three sessions, this seminar provided a comprehensive insight into Bible translation, its renewal, and its impact in the context of Christian evangelism and mission.
Rev. Anwar Tjen, Ph.D., opened the seminar in the first session with the theme "Bible Translation and Renewal." He explained that the process of Bible translation is not simply copying text from one language to another, but a profound process that requires a proper understanding of culture, language, and theology. Updates in translation are made so that the Bible remains relevant to language developments and can still be understood by the younger generation. According to Rev. Anwar, the main goal of this update is to bring the Word of God to life and become real for today's readers.
The second session was presented by Rev. Ferry Yefta Mamahit, Ph.D, a lecturer in Old Testament and Missiology at STT SAAT Malang, with the theme "Bible Translation and Contextual Mission." In his session, he emphasized that Bible translation is the main foundation of a contextual evangelistic mission. "The process of Bible translation reflects the incarnation of Christ," he said, "where the Word of God lives and is incarnated into the local context." Translation allows all nations, tribes, and languages to have access to the Word of God, bringing the message of Christ's love to life in various cultural contexts. Rev. Ferry also emphasized that collaboration between parties is very necessary in the process of Bible translation to reach more people in various regions.
The third session was more applicable with a resource person from the Institute for Spiritual Development and Christian Leadership, Petra University, Mr. Samuel Soegiarto, M.Th. He delivered material with the theme "Bible Translation and Its Use (in Sermons)." This session highlighted the important role of preachers as Bible translators in the pulpit. He explained that every sermon is actually a form of contextual translation, meaning that preachers translate the message of the Bible according to the lives of the congregation. Through sermons, the congregation is encouraged to understand and apply the Word of God in their daily lives.
The seminar was dynamic and full of enthusiasm. The discussion was comprehensive, where participants and speakers actively asked questions and responded to each other. Several participants, especially theology students and church activists, asked questions about the process of updating Bible translations and their benefits for the church. Many also expressed their gratitude for the new understanding they gained about Bible translation, especially related to translations into regional languages that make people feel closer to the Word of God. Not only does it bring the contextual message of God's Word, translating the Bible into regional languages is also part of the process of preserving regional languages.
The event, which took place from 09.00 to 16.00 WIB, provided fresh insights amid concerns about the increasingly discordant issue related to Bible translation among academics in Surabaya. At the end of the session, Rev. Anwar Tjen, Ph.D. proposed that a similar event be held again with a more in-depth discussion on Bible translation. The positive response from the participants showed great hope that LAI would continue to support translation efforts that could accommodate the needs of the church today. The seminar on “The Bible, Translation, and Its Use” showed that Bible translation is not only an academic or linguistic task, but also an important mission that leads people to a deeper understanding of God’s love. With a contextual translation process, God’s Word can be increasingly accepted and understood in everyday life, bringing the message of salvation to everyone.
