Aligning Translation Projects with Wycliffe Philosophy on Bible Translation: Bridging Impact

A philosophy statement that outlines the biblical and missiological (or missional) basis for doing Bible Translation developed by Wycliffe Global Alliance in collaboration with partners was released in 2013 and later revised in 2019. The statement provides a description of the transformational impact aimed at through Bible translation programs and the scope of Alliance Organization involvement. It is intended to guide and to inspire participating organizations in the Bible translation stream to imbibe and align values and practices in their management of Bible translation projects that promote the transformational impact desired. In recent years, the philosophy has been rolled out by many Alliance Organizations in Africa. Ever since the roll out began, there has been a significant shift in the way translation projects have been conducted by these organizations. The commitment to discern together in community and to enshrine best practices that ensue from the values of this philosophy statement has been an ongoing endeavor among many Alliance organizations. What are these values that ensue from this philosophy statement? In what ways has project management changed and what has been the impact on these communities? These questions constitute the key foci of this paper.