Emanuel Contac | Institutul Teologic Penticostal din Bucureşti (original) (raw)

Papers by Emanuel Contac

Philologica Jassyense, 2024

Scholarly consensus holds that Coresi’s second Postil, Carte cu învățătură (1581), is largely bas... more Scholarly consensus holds that Coresi’s second Postil, Carte cu învățătură (1581), is largely based on Ivan Fedorov’s Zabludov Postil (1569). Pandele Olteanu’s research, however, reveals that Coresi’s Postil also incorporates other homilies, such as the Ascension Sermon by the Russian monk Cyril of Turov. This paper adds further depth to the perspective by focusing on the Palm Sunday sermon and demonstrating that it contains a fragment originally composed by Severus of Antioch, a Miaphysite archbishop whose writings were condemned in 536. Despite the severe condemnation of Severus and his works, his entire corpus was preserved in Syriac, with fragments of his Greek homilies surviving in Catenae.
The 20thhomily of Severus presents an allegorical interpretation of Christ as the heavenly palm, whose topmost branches can only be reached through strenuous spiritual effort. This theological motif, preserved in Greek and later borrowed by Theophylact of Ohrid in his Commentary on the Gospel of John, was transmitted through the Slavonic Postils and gained renewed significance with the printing of the Zabludov Postil in 1569. Thanks to the editorial efforts of Lukas Hirscher – who commissioned the translation of the Zabludov Postil into Romanian and tasked Coresi with printing Carte cu învățătură – the motif of Christ as the Heavenly Palm entered the Romanian cultural context. This paper closely examines the transformations and adaptations of this motif over its thousand-year journey from its original Greek form to its Romanian version.

Limba română, 2023

Although the Protestant ideas in Coresi’s early Postil (Tâlcul evangheliilor), published in 1567,... more Although the Protestant ideas in Coresi’s early Postil (Tâlcul evangheliilor), published in 1567, have long puzzled scholars interested in the first Romanian books, attempts to trace the exact origin of these elements have yielded no decisive results. The current paper focuses on the 47th homily of the Postil, based on Mark 8:34–9:1, and identifies the Commentary on Matthew (1544) by Wolfgang Musculus (1497–1563) as one of the main sources. Commenting on Matthew 16:24-28 and its Markan parallel, Musculus introduces the concept of duplex crux, asserting that the common cross notwithstanding (by virtue of which all Christians must put off the flesh with its passions and desires), each believer has his or her unique cross, ordained by God. Writing at a time when the emergent magisterial Protestants were trying to forge their confessional identities in opposition to the Catholic Church, Musculus singles out Catholic monks for criticism, asserting that in pursuing asceticism they bear a cross of their own choosing, not the cross ordained by God. The Reformed theologian also writes that the cross must be borne joyfully and provides various Scriptural prooftexts to support this idea. The 47th homily of Coresi’s Postil is developed along the same theological lines and provides strong evidence that Wolfgang Musculus served as a source of inspiration for the anonymous author of the first Romanian collection of homilies.

Philologica Jassyensia, 2023

Early Romanian translations of the biblical texts were sometimes accompanied by a Slavonic versio... more Early Romanian translations of the biblical texts were sometimes accompanied by a Slavonic version intended to augment the authority of the text while also reassuring the public (clergy and laypeople alike) that the new version avoided all suspicion of Protestant taint and remained true to the Eastern Orthodox faith.
Ms. 85, a bilingual manuscript of the Apostolos dating from 1646, raises many questions, foremost among them being the precise source of the Romanian translation. Since the parallel Slavonic text does not match the translation made by the scribes belonging to the Agapia monastery, a collation of the Romanian text with previous version could be illuminating. A relevant case study is a text sequence from the first part of the manuscript.
The ethnic names listed as having convened in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost (Serbians, Czechs, Germans, Spanish, Franks, Albanians) are striking: not only are they anachronic in relation to the Greek text, but they do not come up in the Slavonic Vorlage, either. The comparison between the Ms. 85 and the pre-1646 Romanian translations of the Apostolos yields no similarities. In all likelihood, the authors of A1646 used Varlaam’s homiliary (Carte cu învățătură) as a source, inaugurating a tradition which was followed by the New Testament translators working in the subsequent decades. Substituting contemporary ethnonyms for ancient ones was probably motivated by the desire to “domesticate” the Biblical text and render it meaningful for readers unfamiliar with arcane details about the original context. Thus, the accuracy of the text was sacrificed in order to minimize its strangeness and facilitate its understanding along contemporary lines.

Biblicum Jassyense, 2021

The present paper (written in Romanian, with an extended summary at the end) looks closely at the... more The present paper (written in Romanian, with an extended summary at the end) looks closely at the cultural influence exerted by Robert Hill’s A Christian Directed, a conduct book that was part of a collection of writings entitled The Pathway to Prayer and Pietie. Although Hill hardly figures as a major exponent of English Puritanism, his devotional works appeared in multiple editions and were translated into several European languages. The Hungarian version of this particular work, translated and expanded by István Matkó as Kegyes cselekedetek Rövid Ösvenykeje (“A Short Path to Godly Deeds”), was printed in Sibiu (Szeben), in 1666, and was used as a source-text by the protopope Ioan Zoba, a prominent ecclesiastic who served as Secretary of the Great Synod of the Orthodox Church in Transylvania in the second half of the 17th century. Zoba’s Cărare pre scurt pre fapte bune îndreptătoare (“A Short Pathway Leading to Good Works”) evinces editorial changes motivated no doubt in part by a desire to render the text more suitable to the Eastern Orthodox milieu. Far from being a slavish re-casting of the Hungarian Vorlage, the Romanian version improves on its predecessor by correcting the biblical references erroneously cited by Hill and Matkó and eliminating those that had become irrelevant in the new context.

Limba română, 2020

The present paper sets out to analyze the extent to which the fifteenth funeral homily printed by... more The present paper sets out to analyze the extent to which the fifteenth funeral homily printed by Ioan Zoba in his sermon collection titled “The Golden Casket” (1683) is indebted to David Pareus’ commentary on Genesis printed in 1609 in Frankfurt. Far from being an original work, the sermon is suffused with exegetical observations which were made by the Heidelberg-based Reformed scholar, whose works were hugely influential among the Hungarian religious intelligentsia. The last section of the paper probes the influence which 4 Maccabees might have had on Zoba’s notion of στοργή.

The introduction (in Romanian) of the newly-revised Pentateuch (translated by Dumitru Cornilescu)... more The introduction (in Romanian) of the newly-revised Pentateuch (translated by Dumitru Cornilescu). The thorough revision of the Cornilescu version was undertaken by the Interconfessional Bible Society of Romania, in 2015, with support from BFBS and ABS. The NT was published in 2019.

Archiva Moldaviae, 2019

An Interview with Dumitru Cornilescu from 1974: A Fresh Look at his Activity as a Bible Translato... more An Interview with Dumitru Cornilescu from 1974: A Fresh Look at his Activity as a Bible Translator
One year before his death, Dumitru Cornilescu (1891-1975) was visited by a group of Romanian Evangelicals at his home in Montreux, Switzerland. Among the visitors were Iancu Moscovici, a Lutheran pastor based in Hamburg, Peter Truța, a Baptist pastor based in Hollywood, Florida, and Ionel Truța, who was in charge of “Speranța” Church in Arad, Romania. Also attending the meeting was pastor Ieremia Hodoroabă, who was known for his broadcasts from Radio Monte Carlo. During the visit, Lidia Truța, Ionel Truța’s wife, recorded various questions addressed to Cornilescu by members of the Romanian group. The resulting haphazard interview, totaling 95 minutes, has surfaced recently and is now made available in an edited form, for a wider audience, with numerous notes and comments. The transcription helps clarify the early history of Cornilescu’s activity as a Bible translator, while also bringing to light previously unknown information which could be of use for specialists interested in the religious history of the Romanian interwar period.

Studii teologice, 2011

Studiul de față constituie o trecere în revistă a tradiției biblice românești din perspectiva pri... more Studiul de față constituie o trecere în revistă a tradiției biblice românești din perspectiva principalelor ei ramuri: ortodoxă, protestantă și catolică. Pe de o parte, sunt reluate în sinteză informații cunoscute, iar pe de altă parte sunt prezentate informații inedite despre ediții biblice mai puțin cunoscute, îndeosebi cele realizate în mediul protestant. Autorul face referire și la versiuni supraconfesionale (precum Septuaginta NEC-Polirom) ori versiuni cu anumite idiosincrazii doctrinare și stilistice (Traducerea lumii noi și Fidela).

Vernacular Psalters and the Early Rise of Linguistic Identities: The Romanian Case, 2019

The paper introduces and comments on the main source used by the anonymous author of the “Preface... more The paper introduces and comments on the main source used by the anonymous author of the “Preface to the Reader”, the second prefatory material of the Alba Iulia Psalter (1651). Long thought to be an origi¬nal composition, the twenty-three-page preface proves to be, on careful inspection, an assemblage of excerpts from various Western scholars who made their mark in the field of Old Testament scholarship: Immanuel Tremellius (1510-1580), Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Franciscus Junius the Elder (1545-1602), and Johannes Piscator (1546-1625). The focus of this paper is on Piscator’s “In librum Psalmorum commentarius”, published separately in 1611 (2nd edition, 1618), and republished later as part of the multi-volume “Johannis Piscatoris Commentariorum in Omnes Libros Veteris Testamenti”.

Noul Testament EDCR, 2019

În acest text sunt prezentate principiile care au stat la baza demersului de revizuire a versiuni... more În acest text sunt prezentate principiile care au stat la baza demersului de revizuire a versiunii Cornilescu

Vernacular Bible and Religious Reform in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Era (BETL, 287), 2017

The paper discusses the Reformed features of the 1648 NT, published in Bălgrad (modern-day Alba I... more The paper discusses the Reformed features of the 1648 NT, published in Bălgrad (modern-day Alba Iulia), under the influence of the so called “frontier Calvinism”. As it is known, Protestantism made important inroads into Central and Eastern Europe after the Battle of Mohács (1526), which led to the dismantling of the Hungarian Kingdom. In this chapter, special attention is paid to the 24 prefaces appended to the biblical books and key Reformed theological commonplaces are identified and explained.

Cuprinsul volumului „Omul evanghelic”, apărut la Editura Polirom. Un capitol din carte este rezer... more Cuprinsul volumului „Omul evanghelic”, apărut la Editura Polirom. Un capitol din carte este rezervat istoriei versiunilor folosite de evanghelicii români.

The document discusses the importance and necessity of subjecting the text of the Cornilescu Bibl... more The document discusses the importance and necessity of subjecting the text of the Cornilescu Bible (1921, 1924) to a thorough revision undertaken by a committee of biblical scholars from the major Protestant and Evangelical denominations in Romania. After a general presentation of the principles used by the Committee, a set of criteria is discussed, with relevant examples which help illustrate every criterion. The pilot-edition comprises 4 books (Genesis, Mark, John, Romans) and will be available in print beginning with December 1st.

The current paper – “Benjamin Barker and the Smyrna New Testament (1838). A letter from the ‘Wall... more The current paper – “Benjamin Barker and the Smyrna New Testament (1838). A letter from the ‘Wallachian correspondence’ of the BFBS agent in the Levant” – introduces and explains a letter sent by Benjamin Barker from Bucharest, the capital of Wallachia, to the BFBS headquarters in London, on the 20th of September 1835. The original document, housed in the archives of the BFBS, has been known to historians, but the full extent of the text has never been edited and circulated. Barker’s
letter is a valuable testimony concerning the efforts made by the BFBS to produce and circulate Romanian and Bulgarian translations of the NT during the first half of the 19th century.

The present article will analyze the interpretations given by Martin Luther and John Calvin to th... more The present article will analyze the interpretations given by Martin Luther and John Calvin to the expression “the husband of one wife”, used in 1 Timothy 3:2,12 and Titus 1:6. The interpretations given by the two reformers, though informed by the perspectives of the Church Fathers, are largely shaped by the concerns specific to the 16th‑century mind. While Luther is more interested in using the text as a weapon against the institution of clerical celibacy, Calvin, taking the cue from John
Chrysostom, understands the text as a criterion of the integrity which must characterize those who aspire to the "ordo episcoporum".

The present article focuses on a Reformed theological commonplace (“Faith as the hand of the soul... more The present article focuses on a Reformed theological commonplace (“Faith as the hand of the soul”) present in the prefaces of the Bălgrad NT (1648). This notion occurs not only in Luther’s writings, but also in John Calvin, Theodore Beza, William Perkins and the Confessio of Cyril Lucaris published both in Latin (1629) and Greek (1633). An Eastern Orthodox confessional statement (1672) condemned explicitly the Reformed imagery used in the Lucarian document and, implicitly, in the prefaces of the 1648 NT. In all likelihood, the condemnation made the prefaces of the Bălgrad NT come across as being heretical to the Eastern Orthodox clergy in the neighboring principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia).

This paper presents the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Romanian translations of... more This paper presents the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Romanian translations of C. S. Lewis’s best known works. In the first part, the author gives information about the Romanian authors who were acquainted with Lewis’s writings during Communism, when the translation and printing of books on religious topics was under the tight control of a totalitarian government. In spite of that control, two Lewis titles—The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Mere Christianity—which were translated in the US, were smuggled into Romania. The second part of this paper deals with the remarkably changed situation after the emergence of a new regime in 1990. Since then Lewis’s books have been published, often in multiple print runs, by secular as well as Christian publishers, with a total of 12 fiction and 13 non-fiction titles, indicating a wide popular reception of his work.

This paper—“The Reception of C.S. Lewis in Post-Communist Romania”—presents the circumstances sur... more This paper—“The Reception of C.S. Lewis in Post-Communist Romania”—presents the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Romanian translations of C.S. Lewis’s best known works. In the first part, the author gives information about the Romanian authors who were acquainted with Lewis’s writings during Communism, when the translation and printing of books on religious topics was under the tight control of a totalitarian government. In spite of that control, two Lewis titles—The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Mere Christianity—which were translated in the US, were smuggled into Romania. The second part of this paper deals with the remarkably changed situation after the emergence of a new regime in 1990. Since then Lewis’s books have been published, often in multiple print runs, by secular as well as Christian publishers, with a total of 12 fiction and 13 non-fiction titles, indicating a wide popular reception of his work.

„Receptarea Sfintei Scripturi între filologie, hermeneutică şi traductologie”, Lucrările simpozionului naţional „Explorări în tradiţia biblică românească şi europeană”, ed. a II-a, Iaşi, 4‒5 noiembrie 2011, 2012

The present paper (FIDELA, a Faithful Romanian Version of the KJB 1611) assesses the relationship... more The present paper (FIDELA, a Faithful Romanian Version of the KJB 1611) assesses the relationship between the KJB (whose 400th anniversary has been celebrated in 2011) and the so-called FIDELA, a Romanian version published in 2010 by a group of KJB-only Baptist believers, under the supervision of Cluj-based American missionary Brian Nibbe. Although the preface of FIDELA claims that the translation was made from the Textus Receptus, a close analysis of the Romanian text, in relation both to Textus Receptus and KJB reveals many calques which demonstrate beyond doubt that the Vorlage of the Romanian translators was not a Greek Text, but the “Authorized Version”.

Philologica Jassyense, 2024

Scholarly consensus holds that Coresi’s second Postil, Carte cu învățătură (1581), is largely bas... more Scholarly consensus holds that Coresi’s second Postil, Carte cu învățătură (1581), is largely based on Ivan Fedorov’s Zabludov Postil (1569). Pandele Olteanu’s research, however, reveals that Coresi’s Postil also incorporates other homilies, such as the Ascension Sermon by the Russian monk Cyril of Turov. This paper adds further depth to the perspective by focusing on the Palm Sunday sermon and demonstrating that it contains a fragment originally composed by Severus of Antioch, a Miaphysite archbishop whose writings were condemned in 536. Despite the severe condemnation of Severus and his works, his entire corpus was preserved in Syriac, with fragments of his Greek homilies surviving in Catenae.
The 20thhomily of Severus presents an allegorical interpretation of Christ as the heavenly palm, whose topmost branches can only be reached through strenuous spiritual effort. This theological motif, preserved in Greek and later borrowed by Theophylact of Ohrid in his Commentary on the Gospel of John, was transmitted through the Slavonic Postils and gained renewed significance with the printing of the Zabludov Postil in 1569. Thanks to the editorial efforts of Lukas Hirscher – who commissioned the translation of the Zabludov Postil into Romanian and tasked Coresi with printing Carte cu învățătură – the motif of Christ as the Heavenly Palm entered the Romanian cultural context. This paper closely examines the transformations and adaptations of this motif over its thousand-year journey from its original Greek form to its Romanian version.

Limba română, 2023

Although the Protestant ideas in Coresi’s early Postil (Tâlcul evangheliilor), published in 1567,... more Although the Protestant ideas in Coresi’s early Postil (Tâlcul evangheliilor), published in 1567, have long puzzled scholars interested in the first Romanian books, attempts to trace the exact origin of these elements have yielded no decisive results. The current paper focuses on the 47th homily of the Postil, based on Mark 8:34–9:1, and identifies the Commentary on Matthew (1544) by Wolfgang Musculus (1497–1563) as one of the main sources. Commenting on Matthew 16:24-28 and its Markan parallel, Musculus introduces the concept of duplex crux, asserting that the common cross notwithstanding (by virtue of which all Christians must put off the flesh with its passions and desires), each believer has his or her unique cross, ordained by God. Writing at a time when the emergent magisterial Protestants were trying to forge their confessional identities in opposition to the Catholic Church, Musculus singles out Catholic monks for criticism, asserting that in pursuing asceticism they bear a cross of their own choosing, not the cross ordained by God. The Reformed theologian also writes that the cross must be borne joyfully and provides various Scriptural prooftexts to support this idea. The 47th homily of Coresi’s Postil is developed along the same theological lines and provides strong evidence that Wolfgang Musculus served as a source of inspiration for the anonymous author of the first Romanian collection of homilies.

Philologica Jassyensia, 2023

Early Romanian translations of the biblical texts were sometimes accompanied by a Slavonic versio... more Early Romanian translations of the biblical texts were sometimes accompanied by a Slavonic version intended to augment the authority of the text while also reassuring the public (clergy and laypeople alike) that the new version avoided all suspicion of Protestant taint and remained true to the Eastern Orthodox faith.
Ms. 85, a bilingual manuscript of the Apostolos dating from 1646, raises many questions, foremost among them being the precise source of the Romanian translation. Since the parallel Slavonic text does not match the translation made by the scribes belonging to the Agapia monastery, a collation of the Romanian text with previous version could be illuminating. A relevant case study is a text sequence from the first part of the manuscript.
The ethnic names listed as having convened in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost (Serbians, Czechs, Germans, Spanish, Franks, Albanians) are striking: not only are they anachronic in relation to the Greek text, but they do not come up in the Slavonic Vorlage, either. The comparison between the Ms. 85 and the pre-1646 Romanian translations of the Apostolos yields no similarities. In all likelihood, the authors of A1646 used Varlaam’s homiliary (Carte cu învățătură) as a source, inaugurating a tradition which was followed by the New Testament translators working in the subsequent decades. Substituting contemporary ethnonyms for ancient ones was probably motivated by the desire to “domesticate” the Biblical text and render it meaningful for readers unfamiliar with arcane details about the original context. Thus, the accuracy of the text was sacrificed in order to minimize its strangeness and facilitate its understanding along contemporary lines.

Biblicum Jassyense, 2021

The present paper (written in Romanian, with an extended summary at the end) looks closely at the... more The present paper (written in Romanian, with an extended summary at the end) looks closely at the cultural influence exerted by Robert Hill’s A Christian Directed, a conduct book that was part of a collection of writings entitled The Pathway to Prayer and Pietie. Although Hill hardly figures as a major exponent of English Puritanism, his devotional works appeared in multiple editions and were translated into several European languages. The Hungarian version of this particular work, translated and expanded by István Matkó as Kegyes cselekedetek Rövid Ösvenykeje (“A Short Path to Godly Deeds”), was printed in Sibiu (Szeben), in 1666, and was used as a source-text by the protopope Ioan Zoba, a prominent ecclesiastic who served as Secretary of the Great Synod of the Orthodox Church in Transylvania in the second half of the 17th century. Zoba’s Cărare pre scurt pre fapte bune îndreptătoare (“A Short Pathway Leading to Good Works”) evinces editorial changes motivated no doubt in part by a desire to render the text more suitable to the Eastern Orthodox milieu. Far from being a slavish re-casting of the Hungarian Vorlage, the Romanian version improves on its predecessor by correcting the biblical references erroneously cited by Hill and Matkó and eliminating those that had become irrelevant in the new context.

Limba română, 2020

The present paper sets out to analyze the extent to which the fifteenth funeral homily printed by... more The present paper sets out to analyze the extent to which the fifteenth funeral homily printed by Ioan Zoba in his sermon collection titled “The Golden Casket” (1683) is indebted to David Pareus’ commentary on Genesis printed in 1609 in Frankfurt. Far from being an original work, the sermon is suffused with exegetical observations which were made by the Heidelberg-based Reformed scholar, whose works were hugely influential among the Hungarian religious intelligentsia. The last section of the paper probes the influence which 4 Maccabees might have had on Zoba’s notion of στοργή.

The introduction (in Romanian) of the newly-revised Pentateuch (translated by Dumitru Cornilescu)... more The introduction (in Romanian) of the newly-revised Pentateuch (translated by Dumitru Cornilescu). The thorough revision of the Cornilescu version was undertaken by the Interconfessional Bible Society of Romania, in 2015, with support from BFBS and ABS. The NT was published in 2019.

Archiva Moldaviae, 2019

An Interview with Dumitru Cornilescu from 1974: A Fresh Look at his Activity as a Bible Translato... more An Interview with Dumitru Cornilescu from 1974: A Fresh Look at his Activity as a Bible Translator
One year before his death, Dumitru Cornilescu (1891-1975) was visited by a group of Romanian Evangelicals at his home in Montreux, Switzerland. Among the visitors were Iancu Moscovici, a Lutheran pastor based in Hamburg, Peter Truța, a Baptist pastor based in Hollywood, Florida, and Ionel Truța, who was in charge of “Speranța” Church in Arad, Romania. Also attending the meeting was pastor Ieremia Hodoroabă, who was known for his broadcasts from Radio Monte Carlo. During the visit, Lidia Truța, Ionel Truța’s wife, recorded various questions addressed to Cornilescu by members of the Romanian group. The resulting haphazard interview, totaling 95 minutes, has surfaced recently and is now made available in an edited form, for a wider audience, with numerous notes and comments. The transcription helps clarify the early history of Cornilescu’s activity as a Bible translator, while also bringing to light previously unknown information which could be of use for specialists interested in the religious history of the Romanian interwar period.

Studii teologice, 2011

Studiul de față constituie o trecere în revistă a tradiției biblice românești din perspectiva pri... more Studiul de față constituie o trecere în revistă a tradiției biblice românești din perspectiva principalelor ei ramuri: ortodoxă, protestantă și catolică. Pe de o parte, sunt reluate în sinteză informații cunoscute, iar pe de altă parte sunt prezentate informații inedite despre ediții biblice mai puțin cunoscute, îndeosebi cele realizate în mediul protestant. Autorul face referire și la versiuni supraconfesionale (precum Septuaginta NEC-Polirom) ori versiuni cu anumite idiosincrazii doctrinare și stilistice (Traducerea lumii noi și Fidela).

Vernacular Psalters and the Early Rise of Linguistic Identities: The Romanian Case, 2019

The paper introduces and comments on the main source used by the anonymous author of the “Preface... more The paper introduces and comments on the main source used by the anonymous author of the “Preface to the Reader”, the second prefatory material of the Alba Iulia Psalter (1651). Long thought to be an origi¬nal composition, the twenty-three-page preface proves to be, on careful inspection, an assemblage of excerpts from various Western scholars who made their mark in the field of Old Testament scholarship: Immanuel Tremellius (1510-1580), Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Franciscus Junius the Elder (1545-1602), and Johannes Piscator (1546-1625). The focus of this paper is on Piscator’s “In librum Psalmorum commentarius”, published separately in 1611 (2nd edition, 1618), and republished later as part of the multi-volume “Johannis Piscatoris Commentariorum in Omnes Libros Veteris Testamenti”.

Noul Testament EDCR, 2019

În acest text sunt prezentate principiile care au stat la baza demersului de revizuire a versiuni... more În acest text sunt prezentate principiile care au stat la baza demersului de revizuire a versiunii Cornilescu

Vernacular Bible and Religious Reform in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Era (BETL, 287), 2017

The paper discusses the Reformed features of the 1648 NT, published in Bălgrad (modern-day Alba I... more The paper discusses the Reformed features of the 1648 NT, published in Bălgrad (modern-day Alba Iulia), under the influence of the so called “frontier Calvinism”. As it is known, Protestantism made important inroads into Central and Eastern Europe after the Battle of Mohács (1526), which led to the dismantling of the Hungarian Kingdom. In this chapter, special attention is paid to the 24 prefaces appended to the biblical books and key Reformed theological commonplaces are identified and explained.

Cuprinsul volumului „Omul evanghelic”, apărut la Editura Polirom. Un capitol din carte este rezer... more Cuprinsul volumului „Omul evanghelic”, apărut la Editura Polirom. Un capitol din carte este rezervat istoriei versiunilor folosite de evanghelicii români.

The document discusses the importance and necessity of subjecting the text of the Cornilescu Bibl... more The document discusses the importance and necessity of subjecting the text of the Cornilescu Bible (1921, 1924) to a thorough revision undertaken by a committee of biblical scholars from the major Protestant and Evangelical denominations in Romania. After a general presentation of the principles used by the Committee, a set of criteria is discussed, with relevant examples which help illustrate every criterion. The pilot-edition comprises 4 books (Genesis, Mark, John, Romans) and will be available in print beginning with December 1st.

The current paper – “Benjamin Barker and the Smyrna New Testament (1838). A letter from the ‘Wall... more The current paper – “Benjamin Barker and the Smyrna New Testament (1838). A letter from the ‘Wallachian correspondence’ of the BFBS agent in the Levant” – introduces and explains a letter sent by Benjamin Barker from Bucharest, the capital of Wallachia, to the BFBS headquarters in London, on the 20th of September 1835. The original document, housed in the archives of the BFBS, has been known to historians, but the full extent of the text has never been edited and circulated. Barker’s
letter is a valuable testimony concerning the efforts made by the BFBS to produce and circulate Romanian and Bulgarian translations of the NT during the first half of the 19th century.

The present article will analyze the interpretations given by Martin Luther and John Calvin to th... more The present article will analyze the interpretations given by Martin Luther and John Calvin to the expression “the husband of one wife”, used in 1 Timothy 3:2,12 and Titus 1:6. The interpretations given by the two reformers, though informed by the perspectives of the Church Fathers, are largely shaped by the concerns specific to the 16th‑century mind. While Luther is more interested in using the text as a weapon against the institution of clerical celibacy, Calvin, taking the cue from John
Chrysostom, understands the text as a criterion of the integrity which must characterize those who aspire to the "ordo episcoporum".

The present article focuses on a Reformed theological commonplace (“Faith as the hand of the soul... more The present article focuses on a Reformed theological commonplace (“Faith as the hand of the soul”) present in the prefaces of the Bălgrad NT (1648). This notion occurs not only in Luther’s writings, but also in John Calvin, Theodore Beza, William Perkins and the Confessio of Cyril Lucaris published both in Latin (1629) and Greek (1633). An Eastern Orthodox confessional statement (1672) condemned explicitly the Reformed imagery used in the Lucarian document and, implicitly, in the prefaces of the 1648 NT. In all likelihood, the condemnation made the prefaces of the Bălgrad NT come across as being heretical to the Eastern Orthodox clergy in the neighboring principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia).

This paper presents the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Romanian translations of... more This paper presents the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Romanian translations of C. S. Lewis’s best known works. In the first part, the author gives information about the Romanian authors who were acquainted with Lewis’s writings during Communism, when the translation and printing of books on religious topics was under the tight control of a totalitarian government. In spite of that control, two Lewis titles—The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Mere Christianity—which were translated in the US, were smuggled into Romania. The second part of this paper deals with the remarkably changed situation after the emergence of a new regime in 1990. Since then Lewis’s books have been published, often in multiple print runs, by secular as well as Christian publishers, with a total of 12 fiction and 13 non-fiction titles, indicating a wide popular reception of his work.

This paper—“The Reception of C.S. Lewis in Post-Communist Romania”—presents the circumstances sur... more This paper—“The Reception of C.S. Lewis in Post-Communist Romania”—presents the circumstances surrounding the publication of the Romanian translations of C.S. Lewis’s best known works. In the first part, the author gives information about the Romanian authors who were acquainted with Lewis’s writings during Communism, when the translation and printing of books on religious topics was under the tight control of a totalitarian government. In spite of that control, two Lewis titles—The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Mere Christianity—which were translated in the US, were smuggled into Romania. The second part of this paper deals with the remarkably changed situation after the emergence of a new regime in 1990. Since then Lewis’s books have been published, often in multiple print runs, by secular as well as Christian publishers, with a total of 12 fiction and 13 non-fiction titles, indicating a wide popular reception of his work.

„Receptarea Sfintei Scripturi între filologie, hermeneutică şi traductologie”, Lucrările simpozionului naţional „Explorări în tradiţia biblică românească şi europeană”, ed. a II-a, Iaşi, 4‒5 noiembrie 2011, 2012

The present paper (FIDELA, a Faithful Romanian Version of the KJB 1611) assesses the relationship... more The present paper (FIDELA, a Faithful Romanian Version of the KJB 1611) assesses the relationship between the KJB (whose 400th anniversary has been celebrated in 2011) and the so-called FIDELA, a Romanian version published in 2010 by a group of KJB-only Baptist believers, under the supervision of Cluj-based American missionary Brian Nibbe. Although the preface of FIDELA claims that the translation was made from the Textus Receptus, a close analysis of the Romanian text, in relation both to Textus Receptus and KJB reveals many calques which demonstrate beyond doubt that the Vorlage of the Romanian translators was not a Greek Text, but the “Authorized Version”.

The second edition of my book (written in Romanian) that explores the impact of the Reformation o... more The second edition of my book (written in Romanian) that explores the impact of the Reformation on the initial complete edition of the Romanian New Testament, published in Alba Iulia. Among the primary sources utilized by the Romanian translators was the Greek New Testament, edited by Theodore Beza.

The third edition of my doctoral dissertation, originally published (in Romanian) in 2011 and sub... more The third edition of my doctoral dissertation, originally published (in Romanian) in 2011 and subsequently revised (2nd edition: 2015).

The books of Joshua and Judges, translated into Romanian, with an introduction and ample notes an... more The books of Joshua and Judges, translated into Romanian, with an introduction and ample notes and comments.

Ediție îngrijită de Francisca Băltăceanu și Monica Broşteanu

Traducere, studii introductive și note de Maria Francisca Băltăceanu, Monica Broșteanu, Melania Bădic, Emanuel Conțac, Octavian Florescu, Victor-Lucian Georgescu, Cristinel Iatan, Alexandru Mihăilă, Delia Mihăilă, Ovidiu Pietrăreanu, Tarciziu-Hristofor Șerban, Silviu Tatu

The Bible according to the Hebrew Text. Numbers and Deuteronomy. A new translation of the Masoret... more The Bible according to the Hebrew Text. Numbers and Deuteronomy. A new translation of the Masoretic text, with notes and comments.

The second volume (Exodus and Leviticus) of the series “The Bible according to the Hebrew Text”, ... more The second volume (Exodus and Leviticus) of the series “The Bible according to the Hebrew Text”, a Romanian translation of the Masoretic Text, with notes and comments, published by Humanitas.
The project was initiated under the aegis of The New Europe College.
***
Volumul de faţă, „Exodul. Leviticul” este al doilea (primul fiind Geneza) dintr-o serie care va cuprinde traducerile celor treizeci şi nouă de cărţi ale Bibliei ebraice însoţite de studii introductive, note şi comentarii.
Acest proiect a fost realizat în cadrul Colegiului Noua Europă.

Monumenta Linguae Dacoromanorum. Biblia 1688. Pars XXIV. Novum Testamentum II: Actus Apostolorum, Pauli Epistolae, Catholicae Epistolae, Iudae, Apocalypsis Ioannis, 2015, 2015

Concise notes and comments (in Romanian) on key Greek terms used in the Epistle to the Hebrews

Monumenta Linguae Dacoromanorum. Biblia 1688. Pars XXIV. Novum Testamentum II: Actus Apostolorum, Pauli Epistolae, Catholicae Epistolae, Iudae, Apocalypsis Ioannis, 2015

Notes and comments on the Romanian text of 1 Corinthians published as part of the first Romanian ... more Notes and comments on the Romanian text of 1 Corinthians published as part of the first Romanian Bible, printed in Bucharest (1688).

Î ncepând cu anul 2011, jurnalul teologic Plērōma va avea şi un supliment teologic în care vor fi... more Î ncepând cu anul 2011, jurnalul teologic Plērōma va avea şi un supliment teologic în care vor fi publicate referatele prezentate la sesiunile de comunicări ştiinţifice de la Institutul Teologic Penticostal sau lucrări monografice cu specific biblico-teologic. Ne dorim ca seria suplimentelor să reflecte cu precădere roadele cercetărilor întreprinse de autori penticostali, dar ea rămâne deschisă contribuţiilor ştiinţifice provenite din întreg spaţiul evanghelic românesc sau din alte tradiţii creştine.

Volumul de faţă, Geneza, este primul dintr-o serie care va cuprinde traducerile celor treizeci şi... more Volumul de faţă, Geneza, este primul dintr-o serie care va cuprinde traducerile celor treizeci şi nouă de cărţi ale Bibliei ebraice însoţite de studii introductive, note şi comentarii.
Ediţie îngrijită de Francisca Băltăceanu şi Monica Broşteanu
Traducere, studii introductive şi note de Francisca Băltăceanu, Monica Broşteanu, Melania Bădic, Emanuel Conţac, Octavian Florescu, Victor-Lucian Georgescu, Cristinel Iatan, Alexandru Mihăilă, Delia Mihăilă, Ovidiu Pietrăreanu, Tarciziu-Hristofor Șerban, Silviu Tatu

Lucrarea de față umple un gol în bibliografia de specialitate, evaluând în mod sistematic Noul Te... more Lucrarea de față umple un gol în bibliografia de specialitate, evaluând în mod sistematic Noul Testament de la Bălgrad din perspectiva influenței pe care o exercitat-o protestantismul de factură reformată (calvină) asupra acestei cărți. În pregătirea analizei detaliate a principalelor elemente specifice hermeneuticii și teologiei reformate, autorul prezintă sintetic atât contextul care a făcut posibilă declanșarea Reformei în Germania, cât și miza primelor dezbateri care au făcut din Martin Luther un personaj cu anvergură europeană. Tot în partea de început a cărții, autorul trece în revistă principalele direcții în care s-a manifestat Reforma transilvăneană, scindată relativ devreme în trei ramuri principale: luteranism, calvinism, unitarianism. Un important capitol este rezervat Catehismului lui Coresi, document ale cărui surse sunt reevaluate metodic de către autor.

„Cartea lui Emanuel Conțac nu oferă doar amănunte biografice despre Dumitru Cornilescu, ci recons... more „Cartea lui Emanuel Conțac nu oferă doar amănunte biografice despre Dumitru Cornilescu, ci reconstruiește într-un fel o lume: pentru că raza de acțiune a Societății Biblice Britanice acoperea continentele. [...] Și, dincolo de disensiunile uneori confesionale, adesea izvorâte doar din ambiții personale, ar trebui să fim mândri că a existat și în România această dragoste pentru Biblie care face să se dorească, să se întreprindă traducerea și răspândirea ei. Și, în acest context, elanul, stăruința, generozitatea, spiritul de jertfă cu care a lucrat Dumitru Cornilescu. Există în scrisori mai multe caracterizări pozitive ale persoanei lui, făcute de diverși oameni cu care a lucrat împreună, mai ales străini. Dar în special merită o reflecție aprofundată întrebarea: care i-au fost omeneștile satisfacții personale în această lucrare perseverentă, îndârjită, în condiții din ce în ce mai grele? Se zbate cu diferite dificultăți tehnice, trebuie să convingă diverși decidenți care nu-l cunosc personal și nici nu posedă limba română suficient ca să-i evalueze lucrarea, întâmpină opoziția unor autorități bisericești sau civile (până la interdicția de a i se colporta cartea la sate!), lipsa de bani, sărăcia tot mai mare, nevoia de a pleca din țară, boala între străini, editarea cărții fără numele celui care a tradus-o... Dar peste toate – un elan, aproape o încrâncenare de a face Biblia să ajungă la oameni, să fie accesibilă (iar dacă comparăm ediția din 1924 cu orice text biblic existent atunci în limba română, înțelegem mai bine entuziasmul celor care apreciau un text „în fine curgător”), de a face ca ea să fie iubită și trăită.” (F.M. Băltăceanu)

An analysis of the Romanian biblical tradition (cca. 40 editions of the Bible) with a view to the... more An analysis of the Romanian biblical tradition (cca. 40 editions of the Bible) with a view to the way in which 11 terms (bones of contention among different Christian denominations) are rendered into Romanian.

Biblicum Jassyense. Romanian Journal for Biblical Philology and Hermeneutics, 2019

Emanuel Conțac, recenzie la Ioan Zoba din Vinț, Cărare pre scurt pre fapte bune îndreptătoare, ed... more Emanuel Conțac, recenzie la Ioan Zoba din Vinț, Cărare pre scurt pre fapte bune îndreptătoare, ediție, note, studiu introductiv, glosar și lista prescurtărilor de Alin-Mihai Gherman, transcrierea textului maghiar de Kolumbán M. Judit, Alba Iulia: Editura Cognitiv, 2019, 488 p., în „Biblicum Jassyense. Romanian Journal for Biblical Philology and Hermeneutics”, nr. 7 (2019-2020), p. 137-142.

Reviews of Biblical and Early Christian Studies, 2019

A review of the following title: Soeng Yu Li. Paul’s Teaching on the Pneumatika in 1 Corinthians ... more A review of the following title: Soeng Yu Li. Paul’s Teaching on the Pneumatika in 1 Corinthians 12–14. Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament II 455. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2017. pp. xx + 543. ISBN 978-3-16-155146-8.

Scurtă prezentare a volumului lui Georg Captivus Septemcastrensis, „Tratat despre obiceiurile, ce... more Scurtă prezentare a volumului lui Georg Captivus Septemcastrensis, „Tratat despre obiceiurile, ceremoniile și infamia turcilor”, trad prof. univ. dr. Ioana Costa.

Chrys C. Caragounis. New Testament Language and Exegesis: A Diachronic Approach (WUNT I/323). Tüb... more Chrys C. Caragounis. New Testament Language and Exegesis: A Diachronic Approach (WUNT I/323). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2014. pp. xiii + 409. Cloth. ISBN: 9783161527647

Reviewed by Emanuel Conțac, Theological Pentecostal Institute of Bucharest

2017.12.28 | Stanley Porter and Bryan R. Dyer (editors), Paul and Ancient Rhetoric: Theory and Pr... more 2017.12.28 | Stanley Porter and Bryan R. Dyer (editors), Paul and Ancient Rhetoric: Theory and Practice in the Hellenistic Context, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017. xviii + 330 pp.

Reviewed by Emanuel Conțac, Pentecostal Theological Institute of Bucharest

The third volume in the New History of the Bible series published by CUP, assembles 34 papers and... more The third volume in the New History of the Bible series published by CUP, assembles 34 papers and essays surveying the complex evolution and influence of the most disseminated hypertext in the printing era. Whereas the editors of the initial series had compressed the post-Reformation period into a single volume, in the revised series the past 500 years are covered by two separate volumes, each addressing a wider variety of topics than would have been possible to include in a single 650-page volume.

Richard B. Hays. Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2016. xix... more Richard B. Hays. Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2016. xix + 504 pages. ISBN: 9781481304917.

Review by Emanuel Conțac, Pentecostal Theological Institute of Bucharest.

Steaua, 2024

Steaua magazine (July 2024), edited by historian Ovidiu Pecican, published an extensive "Coresi d... more Steaua magazine (July 2024), edited by historian Ovidiu Pecican, published an extensive "Coresi dossier." The in-depth interview I gave provided me with the opportunity to update the *status quaestionis* on "Coresi" in general, and specifically on Coresi's First Homiliary (Tâlcul evangheliilor, 1567).

Numărul 7.2024 din revista Steaua, condusă de istoricul Ovidiu Pecican, a publicat un amplu „dosar Coresi”. Interviul pe care l-am acordat mi-a dat prilejul să fac o aducere la zi a subiectului „Coresi” în general, respectiv a cercetărilor privitoare la Cazania I coresiană (Tâlcul evangheliilor, 1567)

Dilema veche, 2020

A concise presentation (in Romanian) of the Gospel of Judas, with a focus on the role played by "... more A concise presentation (in Romanian) of the Gospel of Judas, with a focus on the role played by "the thirteenth daimon".

Cuvântul Adevărului, 2020

A concise exposition (in Romanian) of the word charis and its financial overtones in 2 Corinthian... more A concise exposition (in Romanian) of the word charis and its financial overtones in 2 Corinthians 8:1-9. The exegetical insights are followed by observations concerning the rendering of charis in various Romanian versions of the NT.

Dilema veche, 2020

A cursory analysis (in Romanian) of the main Late Antiquity sources which describe the destructio... more A cursory analysis (in Romanian) of the main Late Antiquity sources which describe the destruction of the Alexandrine Serapeum. Among the authors discussed are Rufinus, Socrates Scholasticus, Sozomen, Theodoret and Eunapius.

Dilema, 2019

Un material despre strada Olteni nr. 45, unde John Howard Adeney, misionar englez venit în Bucure... more Un material despre strada Olteni nr. 45, unde John Howard Adeney, misionar englez venit în București la începutul sec. XX, a construit o școală pentru copii evrei. În aceeași clădire a funcționat o vreme biserica păstorită de Richard Wurmbrand și Iancu Moscovici.

Dilema veche, 2019

Problema "fraților lui Iisus" este discutată concis în orice comentariu exegetic de referință la ... more Problema "fraților lui Iisus" este discutată concis în orice comentariu exegetic de referință la Evanghelii, dar a fost analizată in extenso și în monografii erudite, care prezintă atît dosarul biblic, cît și ramificațiile dogmatice ale acestuia. Ipotezele cu privire la "frații lui Iisus", conturate încă din perioada patristică, rediscutate apoi cu multă patimă în timpul Reformei, au ajuns să-și pună amprenta inclusiv asupra felului în care este tradusă Scriptura în limba română.

Dilema, 2018

În care se arată că instituțiile din România nu au mișcat un deget în cei zece ani de când pledez... more În care se arată că instituțiile din România nu au mișcat un deget în cei zece ani de când pledez pentru digitalizarea unor importante obiecte de patrimoniu cultural.

Articolul face referire la câteva elemente de teologie protestantă din predosloviile Noului Testa... more Articolul face referire la câteva elemente de teologie protestantă din predosloviile Noului Testament de la Bălgrad (1648).

A brief paper on the theological meaning of the Last Supper and the process which led to its grad... more A brief paper on the theological meaning of the Last Supper and the process which led to its gradual transformation into Easter as we know it.
„Dilema veche”, XV, nr. 737, 5-11 aprilie 2018, p. 22.

O scurtă analiză a termenului grec metanoia, ca răspuns la articolul intitulat „Cuvinte asasinate... more O scurtă analiză a termenului grec metanoia, ca răspuns la articolul intitulat „Cuvinte asasinate“, publicat în Dilema (nr. 701, 27 iulie – 2 august 2017) de istoricul Petre Guran

Convergențe, 2021

In 1913, before enlisting Dumitru Cornilescu to make a new translation of the Bible, princess Ral... more In 1913, before enlisting Dumitru Cornilescu to make a new translation of the Bible, princess Ralu Callimachi supported the so-called Romanian Bible Institute, founded by the Orthodox priest Constantin Morariu. The aim of the Institute was to publish cheap editions of the Bible. Although a new version of the NT was produced in 1913 by Fr Morariu, it was never printed, due to the great upheaval created by WWI. The money donated by Ralu Callimachi to the Institute was eventually used to print the NT translated by Dumitru Cornilescu during the war.

MUSEIKON: A Journal of Religious Art and Culture | Revue d'art et de culture religieuse, 2019

Following in the footsteps of the two conferences of Poitiers (Heresy and Bible translation in th... more Following in the footsteps of the two conferences of Poitiers (Heresy and Bible translation in the Middle Ages and at the dawn of the Renaissance, October 27, 2017, Centre d’Études Supérieures de Civilisation Médiévale) and Alba Iulia (Vernacular Psalters and the Early Rise of Linguistic Identities, June 27-28, 2018, Museikon), the nucleus of researchers already collaborating in a previous Museikon publication (Vernacular Psalters and the Early Rise of Linguistic Identities: The Romanian Case, 2019) decided to expand the scope of their common effort and see how a comparative philological approach would work on a practical level. The idea of this collective research and paper came naturally in the early stages of the preparation of a future project dealing with a comparative approach of vernacular Psalters and Gospels both in relation to their high-prestige Greek, Latin, or Church Slavonic sources, and at an intravernacular level, where some of them could have influenced the others. The comparisons between vernacular translations are useful for the identification of translation clusters active in several languages and for the reconstruction of a pan-European forma mentis which shaped the early vernacular renderings of the Bible. The present paper is also an editorial test. While experimenting with format, the contributors equally tested how common publications such as this may be replicated in the near future, in a journal dedicated only to a comparative philological study of early Bible translations. The current subject (musical instruments terminology) was chosen in order to provide a representative prospective section of the entire corpus. New collaborators were invited to join in and contribute to the exploration of the more difficult aspects of the study, thus anticipating the opening of philology to a wider array of disciplines, according to the needs of the explored realia. Since the topic is far from being exhausted and since many European languages are not yet dealt with, the study will be continued in the next issue of Museikon.

A cursory look at the ancient sources which refer to the Serapeum, in light of the reconstruction... more A cursory look at the ancient sources which refer to the Serapeum, in light of the reconstruction attempted by Catherine Nixey in her book "The Darkening Age". I will survey the pagan historians Ammianus Marcellinus and Eunapius and the Christian writers Rufinus of Aquileea, Socrates Scholasticus, Sozomenus and Theodoret. For additional color, I included the rhetor Libanius’s oration Pro templis.

Referat susținut pe 11 septembrie 2021 la colocviul organizat de Societatea Biblică Maghiară, în ... more Referat susținut pe 11 septembrie 2021 la colocviul organizat de Societatea Biblică Maghiară, în colaborare cu Societatea Biblică Interconfesională din România, pentru a sărbători 360 de ani de la publicarea „Bibliei de la Oradea” (Váradi Biblia, 1661).
În cuprinsul referatului am prezentat succint necesitatea revizuirii versiunii Cornilescu, precum și criteriile care stau la baza procesului care a început în iunie 2015.

This is the English version of a presentation I gave at the Colloquium celebrating the 360th anni... more This is the English version of a presentation I gave at the Colloquium celebrating the 360th anniversary of the Oradea Bible (Váradi Biblia), a Hungarian version of the Holy Scriptures published in 1661. The event, held on the 11th of September 2021, was organized by the Hungarian Bible Society, in cooperation with the Romanian Interconfessional Bible Society.