Revised Science and Health translations

In October 2011 the Christian Science Board of Directors released a revised Spanish translation of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. This release, the first revised translation of Science and Health in over a decade, was joined in March by an updated German translation of Science and Health. The Office of the Publisher’s Agent, Mary Baker Eddy’s Writings, describes the new translations:

Major Revisions

The revised translations are intended to replace the previous translations. Building upon earlier efforts, these revisions aim to hold as closely as possible to the original English text and place the accurate expression of the metaphysical meaning above other considerations.

Modern languages evolve as their speakers encounter new ideas. When conveying the ideas of Christian Science, they may need new vocabulary or flexibility to clearly and precisely communicate its radical statements regarding God, man, and the universe. Thus, translating Science and Health, which Mary Baker Eddy refers to as “the complete statement of Christian Science” (Retrospection and Introspection, p. 37), requires a remarkable amount of ingenuity and inspiration when conveying the ideas in a language for the first time. Over time, subsequent revisions then draw on the previous translation and the growth and inspiration it impelled to deliver a more precise rendering of the original English text.

These revisions are a natural step in the evolution not only of the language, but also in the ability of Christian Scientists who speak that language to contribute to the translation work. As with any translation of Science and Health, the goal is to represent Mary Baker Eddy’s original English text as clearly and accurately as possible. We are immensely grateful for the quality and care that previous translations show in this regard and the important foundational work they provided.

With each of these new translations, both the cover and interior page design are new. The book pages were designed with a “text-first” approach, aimed toward maximum readability. These translations are printed on Bible weight paper, and so are more portable than previous editions. Both are available in paperback and hardcover on ChristianScience.com and in Christian Science Reading Rooms. The German translation is also available in navy blue leather, the first leather edition of a translation of Science and Health in decades.

The NeueLuther Bibel

During the course of the German translation project, a new German translation of the Bible surfaced. Reviewers found this new translation, the NeueLuther Bibel, to more closely align with the King James Version, which Mrs. Eddy so extensively quotes throughout her published writings, than the previously authorized Luther Bibel. Thus, the decision was made to change the authorized Bible for the German-speaking field to the NeueLuther Bibel. Additionally, the publisher of the NeueLuther Bibel graciously agreed to its use in a German full-text version of the Christian Science Quarterly—the first time this product has been available!

Translating the title

The Spanish translation introduces a change in the title, altered slightly from Ciencia y Salud con Clave de las Escrituras to Ciencia y Salud con la Llave de las Escrituras. Both clave and llave can be translated into English as “key,” yet, using llave allows us to achieve better consistency with the Spanish Bible quoted in Science and Health and used in the Spanish editions of the Christian Science Quarterly. In addition, the word clave connotes a sense of mystery, while llave is a more universally understood term—and the goal was to signal that this book, the key to the Scriptures, is truly accessible to all. Acknowledging that the previous title has been in use for over 60 years, this change was considered with utmost care and prayer, in consultation with many native Spanish-speakers.

Office of the Publisher’s Agent, Mary Baker Eddy’s Writings
March 21, 2012

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