Genetrix our Mother: Translating Theological Ambiguity and Imagination in The Life of Christina of Markyate

The medieval Latin hagiography The Life of Christian of Markyate: A Twelfth Century Recluse uses a range of literary devices and Latin wordplay in order to produce an effect known as controlled ambiguity. Medieval Christian literature utilized this in order to provoke its readers into complex theological dialogue, forcing them to navigate challenging and uncomfortable questions of doctrine and practice by refusing to provide straightforward clarity. As a result, ambiguity became a necessary aspect of theological literary production. However, this poses a problem for translation which traditionally prioritizes content accuracy over stylistics. This paper proposes new translations from The Life of Christina as examples of possible interventions in theological translation norms, refocusing on developing new parameters for ambiguity within the target text. By unsettling models for scholarly translation, it suggests new practical methodologies as well as new interpretive frameworks for future scholarship.