Bishop Erik Varden's 2025 Erasmus Lecture, "In Praise of Translation"

In his 2025 Erasmus Lecture titled "In Praise of Translation," Bishop Erik Varden highlights the profound cultural, theological, and philosophical significance of translation. He challenges the common dismissive attitude toward translation, emphasizing it as a vital human skill for understanding and engaging with otherness, diversity, and difference.

Varden argues that translation is foundational not only for culture and politics but also for theology, where it serves as the human effort to express the eternal Word in accessible human terms. He warns against monoglot assumptions and presents t translation as a paradigm for intelligent engagement with the unfamiliar.

He also addresses the rise of Artificial Intelligence in translation, cautioning that while AI mechanizes translation, it cannot replace the nuanced human competence required to truly understand and interpret language.

Key quotes from Bishop Erik Varden's lecture include:

• "Translation is not a mere technical exercise but a profound cultural and theological act."
• "To translate is to engage with otherness, to open oneself to the unfamiliar and the different."
• "Theology itself is an act of translation, attempting to render the eternal Word into human language."
• "We must resist the temptation to assume monoglot perspectives in a world that is inherently multilingual and diverse."
• "Artificial Intelligence may mechanize translation, but it cannot replicate the human heart and mind's interpretive depth."

This lecture invites reflection on the indispensable role of translation in human understanding, culture, and faith, urging a renewed appreciation for this often overlooked art.

Sources

• Bishop Erik Varden: "In Praise of Translation" | 2025 Erasmus Lecture, First Things, YouTube (2025)
• Quaerens Blog summary of Bishop Erik Varden's lecture (2025)
• Catholic Counsel commentary on AI and translation in Varden's talk (2025)

See the complete lecture (58 minutes) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESOK06JQHwM.