中文圣号问题： 从历史角度探索

Chinese Term Question: Study from a Historical Perspective

蔡锦图(CHOI Kam To Daniel)

《聖經文學研究》 9輯 (2014/08) Pp. 141-162

摘要

本文纵览中国圣经翻译历史中的“圣号问题”。“圣号问题”注目于如何为希伯来文用词＂Elohim＂和希腊文用词＂Theos＂，以及另一希伯来文用词＂YHWH＂寻找中文译名。在17世纪末叶，圣号问题首先在罗马天主教会众修会中出现，环绕着一个本土儒家用词上帝”和一个创新词“天主。然而，19世纪基督新教传教差会对于圣号问题的第二阶段讨论，争议更大。关键是在于以一个本土神明的名字（上帝），或是以通称（神）来表述。对于＂YHWH＂的译法，也有不同的意见。圣号问题涉及究竟应以本土神名的方式（上帝）、以创新外语的方式（天主），或是以通称神）来翻译。但圣号问题至今仍然没有结论。这段历史反映了西方基督教与中国文化相遇时的困难。

關鍵字

圣经翻译 ； 神 ； 上帝 ； 天主 ； 耶和华

並列摘要

This paper is an overview of the ＂Term Question＂ in the history of Bible translation in China. Term Question was focused on the proper rendering of the biblical God in the Hebrew term of ＂Elohim＂ and Greek term ＂Theos＂, as well as another Hebrew term＂YHWH＂. In the end of the 17^(th) century, the Term Question first arose among Roman Catholic missions between an indigenous Confucian term, Shangti, and a neologism, T'ienzhu. However, more argument came from the second phase of the Chinese Term Question involved the 19^(th) century Protestant missions. The core issue is whether to adopt the name of a native God (Shangti) or a generic term (Shen) to render God in the vernacular. There are also different suggestions in the translating of the term ＂YHWH＂. The Term Question was a terminological controversy between an indigenous theistic term (Shangti) on the one hand, and a neologism (T'ienzhu) or a generic term (Shen) on the other. However, the Term Question still has not reached an agreement. This history reflected the difference and thus predicament between western Christianity and Chinese culture.

並列關鍵字

Bible translation ； Shen ； Shangti ； Tienchu ； Jehovah