Anthropomorphisms in the Septuagint: Status Quaestionis and New Perspectives
(2026) God’s Body: Divine Embodiment in the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Judaism, and Early Christianity — ISBN: [9789004439962], submitted
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- A general introduction to the Septuagint (LXX) often asserts that the translators deliberately avoided anthropomorphisms. While this theory lost some credibility,2 the perception that the LXX presents a more transcendent, less physical God persists. The question of how LXX treats anthropomorphisms – descriptions of God in human terms, whether physical or psychological – has a long and complex history, and scholarly consensus remains elusive. The present study offers a status quaestionis of this debate, tracing its developments, problems, and methodological shifts. To date, no comprehensive overview of LXX’s attitude towards anthropomorphisms exists. Thus, terminology is often confused, positions polarized, and conclusions from individual studies remain unsynthesized. I first present a general history of the research, without attempting exhaustive coverage. I then provide a summary of the problems emerging from the research history, offering a more comprehensive overview of the issues associated with “LXX-anthropomorphisms.” These in turn lead to methodological considerations that address these various issues and offer suggestions for further research in this area. I conclude by tracing some striking strategies reflected throughout LXX-translations of anthropomorphisms, without speaking of an actual “trend.”
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De Doncker, E. (2026). Anthropomorphisms in the Septuagint: Status Quaestionis and New Perspectives. In collectif d’auteurs (ed.), God’s Body: Divine Embodiment in the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Judaism, and Early Christianity.