British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in Britain as simply as the Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian charity that exists to make the Bible available throughout the world. The Society was formed on March 4, 1804. The British and Foreign Bible Society is sometimes confused with the Bible Lands Society.
History
The British & Foreign Bible Society dates back to 1804 when a group of Christians sought to address the problem of a lack of affordable Bibles in Welsh for Welsh-speaking Christians. This was highlighted by a young girl called Mari Jones who walked over 20 miles to get a Bible in Bala.
From the early days the British and Foreign Bible Society sought to be ecumenical and
included groups such as Catholics and Unitarians, and from 1813 allowed inclusion of the Apocrypha. Controversy in 1825-6 about
the Apocrypha resulted in secession of most Scottish auxiliaries, which later formed what is now the Scottish
Bible Society. A similar 1831 controversy about adherents of
The British & Foreign Bible Society extended its work to England, India, Europe and beyond. Protestant communities in many European countries (e.g. Croatia and Albania) date back to the work of nineteenth century BFBS Bible salesmen. Auxiliary branches were set up all over the world which later became Bible Societies in their own right, and today operate in co-operation as part of the United Bible Societies. The Bible Society is a non-denominational Christian network which works to translate, revise, print, and distribute affordable Bibles in England and Wales.
Overseas work
The majority of the Bible Society's work is overseas, making the Bible available in a language people can understand and at a price they can afford. In doing this, Bible Society is responding to a situation where:
- For a billion people, the Bible is a luxury they cannot afford.
- 4,500 languages still wait for even one book of the Bible.
- One billion people are illiterate – but only 3% of languages have the Bible in audio.
- Someone goes blind every five seconds – but the Bible in Braille exists only in 30 languages.
Bible Society is linked with a 140 national Bible Societies through the United Bible Society. Together, they distribute most of the world’s Bibles.
In England and Wales the Society works to build bridges between the Bible and people’s everyday lives, as well as to rebuild confidence in its message. In this context Bible Society is a campaigning organisation which works to engage people with the Bible’s message through culture, the arts, the media, education and politics. Its main strategic approaches are geared towards a mission to the world, to the Church, to society and to other Bible Societies across the world.
See also
- Mari Jones A poor Welsh girl who loved the Bible and inspired the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society
- Bible Society
- American Bible Society
- Protestant missionary societies in China during the 19th Century
External links
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