Beyond Greek and Latin: Theological Meaning in Early Georgian, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Geʽez Biblical Translation

This article examines early Georgian, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Geʽez biblical translation as forms of theological interpretation rather than as secondary witnesses to Greek and Latin Christianity. Each tradition emerged within a distinct cultural and ecclesial environment, yet all three demonstrate that translation shaped Christian identity, doctrine, liturgy, textual memory, and the reception of scripture. The Georgian tradition reflects layered interaction among Greek, Armenian, Syriac, and Byzantine influences. Christian Palestinian Aramaic preserves the multilingual character of Palestinian Christianity and survives largely through fragmentary palimpsests. The Geʽez tradition became the foundation of an enduring African Christian civilisation and preserved a distinctive biblical canon, including texts lost or marginalised elsewhere. The article argues that translation does not merely transfer meaning. It also interprets, selects, revises, and creates theological vocabulary. These traditions therefore belong at the centre of early Christian history because they reveal how scripture became local without surrendering its universal claim.