New books at a glance. Translation as Mission: Bible Translation in the Modern Missionary Movement. Macon: Mercer University Press, 1991. xvi + 287 pp. ISBN 0-86554-389-5 $ 22.95. (The Modern Mission Era, 1792–1992. An Appraisal, 2).
Table of contents
The Modern Mission Movement is considered to have begun at the end of the eighteenth century, as a result of a religious reaction to the Enlightenment. The term refers to the whole of Euro-American missionary activities, organisations and processes aimed at spreading the Christian faith all over the world. The goal of the series, of which Translation as Mission is the second volume, is to 'essay' the Mission Movement. It is for this purpose that Smalley describes the issue of Bible Translation and its long-term developments. This is done mainly from the perspective of the United Bible Societies (UBS), the largest worldwide organisation engaged in Bible translation, and the one with which Smalley is affiliated.