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The Bible in a changing world<br />
By Derek Hill, United Bible Societies<br />
The Bible has been fundamental to such things as the abolition of slavery in the UK and the<br />
establ<strong>is</strong>hment of the American constitution, as Chr<strong>is</strong>tians sought to apply Biblical principles in<br />
their situation.<br />
H<br />
owever, h<strong>is</strong>tory tells us that the<br />
Church was not always in favour of<br />
ordinary people being able to read<br />
the Bible for themselves. Some of<br />
the first Bibles imported into the UK were<br />
bought by a B<strong>is</strong>hop not to be read but to be<br />
burnt! Ironically, th<strong>is</strong> provided the funding<br />
for more Bibles to be printed. Today<br />
although Bible translations in the First<br />
World are available in every style, from<br />
“street” language to literary Engl<strong>is</strong>h, and<br />
every format from <strong>paper</strong>back novel to<br />
MP3, the greatest demand and thirst <strong>is</strong><br />
coming from the rapidly growing Third<br />
World churches of Africa, Asia and South<br />
America.<br />
Meeting needs<br />
The Brit<strong>is</strong>h and Foreign Bible Society was<br />
establ<strong>is</strong>hed in 1804 in recognition of the<br />
need for the Bible to be available not just<br />
in the UK, but throughout the world. Many<br />
Bible Societies were establ<strong>is</strong>hed around<br />
the world and in 1946 the United Bible<br />
Societies was formed as a coordinating<br />
body. Its charter states: “The world fellowship<br />
of national Bible Societies joins<br />
together, as the United Bible Societies, for<br />
consultation, mutual support and action in<br />
their task of achieving the widest possible,<br />
effective and meaningful d<strong>is</strong>tribution of<br />
the Holy Scriptures and of helping people<br />
interact with the Word of God. Bible<br />
Societies seek to carry out their task in<br />
partnership and co-operation with all<br />
Chr<strong>is</strong>tian churches and with church-related<br />
organ<strong>is</strong>ations.”<br />
Today the Bible Societies d<strong>is</strong>tribute<br />
between 21 to 25 million Bibles annually.<br />
The number of Gospels and portions of<br />
scriptures produced annually <strong>is</strong> in the hundreds<br />
of millions. Together, the Bible<br />
Societies are the largest d<strong>is</strong>tributor of the<br />
Bible globally.<br />
www.<strong>paper</strong><strong>is</strong><strong>better</strong>.com<br />
“Paper <strong>is</strong> the single most important material in the production of Bibles.”<br />
31<br />
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