Most Valuable Book Stolen

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — In the early hours of Sunday, August 29, the night watchman at the Colombian Bible Society (CBS) bindery was surprised by a gang of robbers. They tied him up and gagged him, and then calmly loaded up two trucks belonging to the CBS and drove off.

Luxury Bibles

A large quantity of luxury Bibles, US $600 in cash, a fax machine, telephones and a binding machine, along with tools and a variety of other moveable items to the value of $100,000, were taken. Despite the fact that these items were all insured, the staff at the press are very discouraged.

“With the economic problems we already have to face, as well as the problems of insecurity especially for distribution, this sort of event comes as an extra blow to the Bible Society and our targets for the year,” said Alfonso Corzo, General Secretary of the CBS.

Lost work

“We now have no vehicles for distribution, although police have already traced one vehicle. But with the formalities involved in getting it back and in use again we will lose at least two weeks of work.”

He said that the CBS had informed Christian organisations, the main bookshops, and the churches of Bogota about the theft so that they would not be tricked into buying any of the stolen Bibles. The luxury Bible is one of the most expensive editions produced by the CBS, highly-favoured as an item for presentation. (WR 344/11 - 10.99)

Tribunal Bans Bible in Schools

TORONTO, Canada — The Canadian Bible Society (CBS) reported in late July that a Saskatchewan Human Rights tribunal has banned the use of the Bible in schools under the jurisdiction of the Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) School Board District.

Complaints

The decision was a result of an inquiry into complaints registered by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission and made by a number of special-interest groups questioning the Education Board’s policy of having the Lord’s Prayer said and the Bible read in classrooms. Saskatoon is one of the few areas left in Canada where the Bible is regularly read and prayers are said in school.

The Rev Greg Bailey, National Director of the CBS, said that the withdrawing of biblical teaching from the classroom has always had a detrimental impact upon the morality and conduct of young people.

“Not being exposed to the teachings of the Bible could have irreparable consequences among our youth,” he said. “The U.S. Congress has recognised this and is now attempting to restore the Ten Commandments in the school system.”

Challenge

The tribunal’s ruling is being challenged by the CBS. In an open letter to heads of Christian denominations across Canada, the CBS states clearly that its mission for almost two centuries has been to “encourage Bible availability and use through a program of translation, publishing and distribution, at home and abroad”.

“Our strict policy of neutrality regarding theological interpretation of the Scriptures has earned us almost universal respect and support throughout the spectrum of Christian belief,” the letter adds.

The letter calls on all churches and Christian organisations to contact government officials petitioning them to preserve the right to use the Lord’s Prayer and Bible readings as part of the state school curriculum wherever there is a majority of Christian pupils.

It suggests that, together with a teaching that any type of bigotry is unacceptable, teachers responsible should show an understanding attitude towards students of other faiths. Alternative options could be provided for them; they should not be forced to participate in the Christian exercises.

The letter claims that the judgement gives unfair advantage to special-interest groups at the expense of the majority faith, as well as restricting the human rights of Christians. It also has implications upon the ‘freedom of religion’ issue currently being legislated.

Banning the Bible not only removes the exposure of pupils to such concepts as the quality of love, mercy, and the morality of the Ten Commandments, but it could deprive the younger generation of a rudimentary knowledge of the Christian faith.

“Taken to the extreme, the banning of Bible use in the public forum as recommended by retired judge Ken Halvorson (who chaired the Board of Inquiry) might also lead to the eventual banning of works such as Shakespeare’s plays, which contain hundreds of Scriptural quotations and allusions,” said Mr Bailey. (WR 344/12 - 10.99)

Scriptures Offer Alternative Goal

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — “We had a vision of hundreds of thousands of people coming to the stadium and receiving the Word of God,” said Alfredho Altamirano, Communications Director of the Paraguayan Bible Society (PBS).

“And this is precisely what happened when the America Cup (soccer) tournament began. A stadium full of some 50,000 people received the Scriptures from hundreds of young Christians who braved the drizzle and cold weather to see that everyone got their Portion or Selection.”

Under the theme of ‘Something more than football’, the Association of Paraguayan Evangelical Pastors had met on June 24 in preparation for the final stages of the America Cup, which had been running since the end of March.

The PBS involvement was to supply 15,000 copies of the Gospel of Luke, 300,000 Selections entitled ‘The Goal of Your Life’, which also contained a schedule of the matches, 520 Spanish Bibles, 56 Portuguese Bibles, 32 Guaraní Bibles, 50 Japanese Bibles, 1,044 Spanish New Testaments, and 10,000 Portions – ‘The Sermon on the Mount’.

These Scriptures were distributed among officials, politicians and diplomats, and among participants and spectators attending the matches. Music and drama groups, and Christian athletes also played a part, testifying to the saving power of Jesus in the streets and squares surrounding the different stadiums and in the stadiums themselves where the matches were played. (WR 344/13 - 10.99)

Bible Boosts ‘Time to Read’ Project

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — “Teach children the path to follow, and even when they are old, they will not stray from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) This verse inspired the Brazil Bible Society (BBS) to donate 400,000 books recently to Rio de Janeiro’s children, in support of the State government’s project ‘Time to Read’.

The donation gave a huge boost to the project, launched at the Brazilian Academy of Arts on May 4, which aims to encourage the habit of reading among school children, teachers, and workers across the state. The project recommends that half an hour a day be set aside for reading, and there are plans to ensure that every town in the state has a library.

The Bible Activity Books, and the Portion, Learning about Jesus, were presented by the President of the BBS, the Rev Guilhermino Cunha, to the Secretary of Education, Professor Hesio Cordeiro, who will oversee their distibution to schools.

“We are here to add to the initiatives taken by the State government, so that each child in the State of Rio de Janeiro can have a Bible, which is a whole library in itself,” said Mr Cunha.

State Governor, Anthony Garotinho, speaking at the launch ceremony, thanked the BBS for the books, and stressed the importance of encouraging children to read.

Television’s influence

“We live in a time when television pours a massive array of images into children’s heads – they barely have time to read,” he said.

“The donation of these books about Jesus’ life will serve a double purpose: the children will rediscover the joy of reading, and they will be brought up in the Word of God, which will teach them about Jesus who changed all mankind,” he said.

“We know that where the Word of God goes there is no room for evil,” he said. “We hope that the number of people trusting in the Bible grows constantly.”

The Bible Activity Books form a collection of 15 stories, seven from the Old Testament and eight from the New Testament. They are illustrated, and contain games and brain-teasers.

Learning About Jesus is a four-volume series of Portions telling of the life and teachings of Jesus. All material contained in the books is taken straight from the Bible, and can be used by children of any denomination. (WR 344/14 - 10.99) [PHOTOS]

Bible Boat Brings Joy to Thousands

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Two and a half thousand people living in towns along the Amazon river recently visited the Bible Society of Brazil’s (BBS) boat, ‘Light of the Amazon III’, as it anchored at jetties along the route of its latest journey from Belém to Manaus and back.

Millions distributed

The 30-day round trip, from March 11 to April 9, was highly successful, with 2.5 million Selections, 2,400 Portions and 108 Bibles given out to the boat’s many visitors.

Sales figures for the trip were also high. More than 4,500 Bibles were bought by pastors, missionaries, and other BBS customers, while around 11,000 New Testaments and Bible Portions were also sold.

The real measure of the trip’s success, however, was the impact it had on people’s lives. According to project co-ordinator, Rita Albuquerque de Sena, the boat was welcomed with great joy wherever it went, attracting thousands of local people, who rely on the Bible Society’s river trips to bring them medical and dental services, as well as Gospel materials.

One 86-year-old man in Manaus was particularly grateful for the boat’s visit. He wore thick-lensed glasses, but still needed to use a magnifying glass to see the books on display. He told staff that due to his poor eyesight, he was no longer able to read his Bible at night, something that he used to love doing.

When the Bible Society team presented him with a complimentary copy of the Large Print Bible, he was overcome with emotion because he could discard his magnifying glass.

Church support

Part of the boat’s success is due to the support it receives from local churches along the way, and also the media, which helps to publicise its coming. In Santarém and Manaus, local TV stations broadcast programmes about the boat, and at one stop, a group of young evangelists from Belo Horizonte put on a play to attract the public. (WR 344/15 - 10.99)

Sports New Testament Takes Prize

SÁO PAULO, Brazil — The Bible Society of Brazil (BBS) recently received the most prestigious prize in the field of Christian publishing for their publication The New Testament in Today’s Language, with contributions from Christian athletes.

Competing with more than 207 titles by 21 publishers, the BBS received the Best Book prize in the Evangelisation category for 1998 from the Brazilian Association of Christian Publishers during the S‹o Paulo International Book Fair on April 24.

The award-winning book contains testimonies from twelve well-known Brazilian footballers interwoven with the New Testament in modern-day language, making it easy to read and understand. The BBS hopes that the publication will provide the church with a creative evangelistic tool, and help to take the Gospel to all athletes, and through them, reach the Brazilian people.

Athletes contribute

The BBS has also launched another similar publication this year, called the Road to Victory, which combines The New Testament in Today’s Language with contributions from 14 top athletes in different sports from around the world.

Book Fairs

The Brazil publishing market is very active, and the BBS always takes full advantage of publishing events to publicise its work. Taking part in both the Sáo Paulo and the Rio de Janeiro International Book Fairs, both held in late April, the BBS gave visitors a choice of activities in four different areas. The workshop area showed visitors how to use the CD-ROM – The Bible On-line which includes 51 Bibles in more than 25 languages, with commentary by experts, the Almeida Bible Dictionary, and maps.

The children’s area was specially decorated, based on the theme of David and Goliath. The children who visited the stand read about the story, and used the materials provided to draw pictures based on the theme.

There was a special area dedicated to the launches of new publications, such as the Almeida Study Bible, The Bible On-line, and the sports publications.

The fourth area was an exhibition of rare Bibles. Exhibits included The Smallest Book in the World, which is the size of a grain of rice, containing the Lord’s Prayer in various languages; a page of the Gutenberg Bible; the first Bible in Portuguese; and a 13th-century leather Bible from Normandy.

Attraction

The stands attracted hundreds of visitors, including the Governor of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Anthony Garotinho. Stories about the Bible and the work of the BBS appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines, and on radio and television. (WR 344/16 - 10.99) [PHOTOS]