“Text, Translation and the Nature of Reality”: A Talk by Steven Phelps

This video, produced by the Association for Baha’i Studies (ABS), presents a talk given by Dr. Steven Phelps at the 2016 ABS Conference held in Montreal, Canada. 

In this fascinating talk, the full title of which is “’The Word that Shineth and Flasheth Amidst the Books of Men’: Text, Translation, and the Nature of Reality”, Dr. Steven Phelps asks the following questions: What is the relationship between language and reality? What distinguishes the words uttered by the Prophets? How are old words used in new ways in the Baha’i Writings, and what implications does all this have for the translation of the Sacred Writings? This presentation explores these questions in the context of the translation program at the Baha’i World Centre, guided by the Writings of the Central Figures of the Baha’i Faith.

If you’re interested in watching other ABS presentations, feel free to check out their Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/absna

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Sonjel Vreeland

In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.