BasisB – ‘a reason for living’

By Dr Christian Brenner, Editor, German Bible Society

GERMANY — “How can the meaning of the Bible, especially the New Testament, be made clearer and more credible to these young people, whose everyday life is increasingly shaped by new communications and information technologies?” This is the basis of an extraordinary Bible translation project that began life five years ago when youth workers attending the Annual General Meeting of the German Bible Society concluded: “None of the current German Bible translations is really suitable for work with unchurched young people.”

The project’s goal is to allow young people to discover the places where their world and the world of the Bible overlap. This will be achieved by using media which young people regard as their own. In this way, they will be helped to find satisfactory answers to life’s important issues, such as loneliness, fear, worry and distress, along with pleasure and the desire for happiness and freedom.

Connections

It recognises that today’s young people need credible answers that allow them to make connections between heaven and earth and to find ‘a reason for living’. They need to discover that the Bible can be the foundation for their life and also to be encouraged to shape their life through trusting in the Bible’s message.

The outcome is BasisB. Following a three-year development phase, this will bear its first fruit in spring 2006 when the Gospel of Mark is launched. BasisB taps into young people’s reading habits and their curiosity and offers innovative new ways of accessing the Bible by CD-ROM, book and web site.

What is BasisB?

BasisB is a new communications concept that offers young people aged between 16 and 25 new ways of accessing the Bible. It is based on a new Bible translation: the BasisBibel (‘Basic Bible’). This is the first Bible translation produced specifically for new media. The text has been set out in a way that makes it particularly easy to read on screen. It closely follows the original text and uses very straightforward language (no more than 16 words per sentence). Additional information in various formats (pictures, maps and text) explains key or complex concepts.

The New Testament will be completed Portion by Portion over five years, with young people giving ongoing feedback.

Multimedia CD-ROM

At the heart of BasisB is a multimedia CD-ROM containing the Bible text. As well as the actual Bible text, users can view additional information, maps, photos and explanations of all complex concepts. Bible texts which have not yet been produced in the Basic Bible translation are contained on the CD in the Good News translation, thus giving users access to the complete Bible.

Website

The CD-ROM is accompanied by a comprehensive website which offers users the opportunity to participate in a virtual community. In addition, they can find more detailed information about the Bible, participate in discussion forums, read FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the subjects ‘Faith’ and ‘Bible’, try out Bible games and much more.

This project also includes a print edition which makes the Bible text available in softback format. It contains the translation and a small amount of additional information essential to understanding the text.

Who is working on BasisB?

Providing young people with new ways of accessing the Bible is the goal of both the German Bible Society and many other organisations. For this reason, the Bible Society sought partners which were interested in jointly developing the opportunities arising from BasisB. Two large partners involved in Christian youth work were found: The Organisation of Protestant Young People in Germany and the Christian Youth Village Organisation. Both are keen to contribute to ensuring that this project really reaches young people. The former is the umbrella organisation of all Protestant youth groups in Germany and has the potential to reach 1.2 million young people associated with the Church. It has been involved in the project since the outset. The latter has more than 150 educational centres in Germany and is particularly involved with unchurched young people.

Working together, the partners can offer many different ways of bringing young people into contact with the Bible.

We hope that, through the innovative Basic Bible translation and the modern media mix of CD-ROM, book and web site, we can make a contribution to returning the Bible to a strong position in the everyday lives of young people. (WR 399/7 - 01/02.06) [1 photo]