A More Literal Translation: Recovering Barmen's Focus on Lordship

Abstract

This article examines the standard English translation of the Theological Declaration of Barmen, by Arthur C. Cochrane, and argues that a more literal translation demonstrates more forcefully just how much the Declaration challenges notions of “lordship” that continue to distort the life of the church and of society. While Cochrane's translation is fluid and reliable, it does not convey the way in which the Declaration plays with the cognates of certain key German words. Moreover, Cochrane uses the RSV for biblical quotations, rather than translating Barmen's Luther Bible. The article focuses especially on how Barmen pairs and contrasts “lording” (and its cognates) with “serving” (and its cognates). Further, the article carefully explicates the Declaration's attention to Christ as the Word who, as free and enduring, frees and claims us for this service. The article concludes with a retranslation of the Declaration as a whole