Bible Society launches the Year of the Bible 2004

Beirut-LEBANON: The Bible Society in Lebanon organized a series of events during the first week of December 2003 as part of its campaign to declare the Year of the Bible 2004 . The work and planning of months unraveled through the consensus of Church support that was quite evident in these events.

Tuesday, December 2 nd, 2003, at 11:00 AM

Friday, December 5th, 2003, at 6:00 PM

Saturday, December 6th, 2003, at 8:15 PM

 

Tuesday, December 2^nd, 2003, at 11:00 AM

 Extensive media interest surrounded a special event which took place at the Catholic Information Center in Beirut on December 2. Television broadcasters Télé Lumière, SAT-7 and the Spirit Channel joined the Voice of Charity radio station in covering the main launch ceremony for the initiative which will make 2004 the Year of the Bible for Christians across the Middle East. Through a range of activities, churches will acknowledge the importance of the Bible in religious life over the centuries and highlight its continued importance today.

 Initial discussions between the Bible Societies and their partner churches and organizations led to agreement being reached in May on a preamble listing its main aims, which were read as a Press Release by Rev. Lucien Accad, Bible Society General Secretary:

 

• To encourage the Churches in the Middle East and support their mission
• To increase the accessibility and availability of the Bible to all those who wish to obtain it
• To affirm the authenticity of the Bible and its teaching
• To emphasize that the Bible is relevant to all generations and speaks to all ages

 

Much time was devoted during the planning phase to considering potential elements within the Year of the Bible 2004 initiative. Suggested elements, all designed to improve the communication of the Bible, included using Bible video clips, developing material specific to Christian festivals, providing information packs to churches, broadcasting Bible ‘spots’ on television and radio and developing biblical material relating to the 2004 Olympic Games.

 The choice of location for the Year of the Bible 2004  launch ceremony is a clear reflection of the increasingly positive links between the Bible Society and the Roman Catholic Church, a fact highlighted by several speakers. Father Joseph Muwannes, a Christian broadcaster, illustrated it by holding up a copy of the Scripture calendar for 2004 on which the names of the Bible Society and the Catholic Information Center appear alongside the Year of the Bible logo. Bishop Roland Abou Jaoudeh reminded the audience of church representatives, Bible Society board members and journalists that it was 23 years since the last Year of the Bible: “Certainly high time,” he said, “that we … once more make known the role of the Bible in our lives.”

 Bringing the formal part of the launch to a close, Bible Society Executive Director and Deputy General Secretary Mike Bassous emphasized that this was first of a series of events planned for 2004, many of which will be publicized on a dedicated web site soon to be launched in Arabic – www.Bible2004.org.