Bible Transmediation in Theory and Practice

Bible “transmediation”—the adaptation of biblical texts to different media—is a relatively recent conceptual innovation that needs to be distinguished from Bible translation. People often assume that Scripture-based media communicate well provided they contain translated biblical words. Yet media products often differ from verbal texts. I elaborate a conceptual framework for Bible transmediation in relation to translation that offers both a theoretical basis and a practical tool. The goal of Bible transmediation is to present biblical narratives in different media that allow prospective audiences to understand Scripture as accurately and as clearly as possible. Transmediation is successful when the meaning that specific audiences gain from media products corresponds well with the biblical meaning that Bible transmediators intend to communicate through transmediation.