Back in 2012, we posted two articles by poet J. Chester Johnson about his work with W.H. Auden on the revisions to the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER. You can read Johnson's posts here and here.
We've just learned that the current issue of Illuminations features an interview with J. Chester Johnson in which he continues to deepen our understanding of his groundbreaking work with Auden--how he came to replace Auden, correspond with the great poet, and then set about helping the Episcopal Church refine the Psalms in the light of new scholarship. Poet and translator Ann Cefola interviews Johnson about the influence this experience with Auden and the retranslation of the Psalms had upon Johnson's literary career; she also discusses with Johnson the principles and practices that guided the retranslation process that lasted for nearly a decade. The interview encapsulates a critical period in Episcopal Church history and valuable insight into translating sacred texts.
You can find the interview in its entirety here.
Find out more about J. Chester Johnson's work here.
-- sdh
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