Whereas modern English wants to pin down every thought in an unequivocal proposition, the Korean of that time often renders thought loosely and dynamically, utilizing metaphor and context to convey meaning. Wherever a literal translation would not adequately express the thought and argumentation of the text, we have rearranged the order of thought in a manner more suitable to the Western mind. At times we used creative phraseology rather than dictionary definitions to evoke comparable understandings, feelings and cultural associations. Furthermore, the Divine Principle employs some technical terminology and gives distinctive meanings to certain common words. Wherever possible, for this translation, we drew from common English vocabulary rather than invent new theological terms.
Proper understanding requires attention to their particular usage in the text.
The time and cultural context of this book was another issue for the translators. It was written in the 1960s, when communism was still a worldwide menace and Christianity was still confident of its cultural superiority and continuing expansion. Although these and other conditions of the time may have changed in the intervening decades, we have preserved the original perspective of the text. God's providence continues to advance precisely as explained in the Divine Principle. In one sense, this new version seeks to accomplish more than a conventional translation.