You Tube Theology

In this episode, Dr. Fausto Liriano and Dru Johnson explore the fascinating world of oral Bible translation—why it matters, what it reveals about the Hebrew Bible, and how it challenges modern assumptions about literacy and legitimacy. Liriano shares his experiences working in Guatemala, Mexico, and the Philippines, where many indigenous cultures continue to transmit tradition through spoken word, not written text.

He explains the massive gap in access to scripture: while over 7,000 languages exist globally, only around 700 have a full Bible, and most of the unreached languages belong to oral cultures. Traditional translation methods first require teaching people to read and write—often a 15+ year process. Oral Bible translation skips that barrier, preserving both language and culture through memorization and performance.

Surprisingly, Liriano discovered that oral cultures often preserve linguistic features—ambiguity, idioms, and redundancy—that align more closely with the Hebrew Bible than Western languages do. Rather than being a deficiency, orality becomes a powerful asset in understanding scripture as it was originally heard and lived.

For more on Fausto's work:
https://translation.bible/staff-profile/fausto-liriano/

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