The Vulgate among Ancient Bible Translations will gather scholars interested in exploring Jerome’s Latin Bible within the broader landscape of ancient scriptural translations. The meeting will examine the art and theory of translation in antiquity and how Jerome negotiated fidelity, tradition, interpretation, and linguistic elegance. Particular attention will be given to the Vorlage of the Vulgate in comparison with the Septuagint, the Vetus Latina, and other ancient translations of the Bible, and how those lost Hebrew writings are related to the Masoretic text and the Dead Sea Biblical scrolls. Contributions will also address the earlier translations and collections of translations, such as Origen's Hexapla, which Jerome consulted in the process of composing his own.

The second focus of the conference is the historical perspective. Particular attention will be given to Jerome's reasons for following the veritas Hebraica and implications of this choice at the time. Finally, the symposium will also study the reception of the resulting text and the centuries-long legitimacy it enjoyed. 

By bringing together philological, textual, and historical perspectives, the conference aims to reassess the Vulgate’s place among ancient Bible translations and its lasting significance for the history of the Biblical text. 

1.      Jerome’s Approach to Translation in Its Historical Context 

2.      The Influence of the Hexapla and Other Translations of the Bible on the Vulgate

3.       The Hebrew Vorlage of the Vulgate, the Septuagint, etc. Comparison with Qumran and Masoretic Texts 

4.      The Reasons for Following the Veritas Hebraica: Historical Context and Impact in Early Christianity 

5.      The Long-Term Reputation of the Vulgate in Western Christianity