Weltbibelhilfe der Deutschen Bibelgesellschaft
The Bible and the world – these two dimensions show the starting and target point of the commitment of Weltbibelhilfe: The Bible is to be made accessible to all people in the world, for everyone in their native language, in a form that appeals to them and at a price they can afford. This is the mission of all Bible societies worldwide. Together with them – 148 in total – the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft is part of the worldwide network of the United Bible Societies.
Through Weltbibelhilfe, the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft has been collecting donations for 50 years and thus supports projects for Bible translation and Bible dissemination within this network, but also for literacy and exceptional, socially relevant actions with the Bible. Every year, more than 18 million people benefit from projects supported by Weltbibelhilfe: Christians around the world are strengthened in their faith when they can finally read the Bible in their own language. Often indigenous population groups receive their own scripture in the first place through the work of the Bible translators and thus often also a greater self-confidence. “God now speaks to us in our own language,” they say.
But also people who have never come into contact with the Bible gain access to the biblical texts through the Bible societies and find comfort, security and orientation. Others, who were previously excluded from education, learn to read and write in literacy courses with the Bible and thus receive on the one hand the chance for personal spiritual growth, and on the other hand the opportunity for self-determined participation in social life. The same applies to people with visual impairments, who learn Braille at the Bible societies and receive Bibles in Braille. Bible societies also care for people in need – in the event of natural disasters or wars, relief supplies and Bibles are distributed, and spiritual support is offered regardless of religion. Accompanying people with traumatic experiences has become important in recent years. In more and more countries, people are confronted with war and violence, experiences that leave behind physical and emotional injuries. For this reason, Bible societies, together with churches and other specialized agencies, are initiating trauma counseling programs for adults and children.
However, it is not only individuals who benefit from the work of Bible societies, but also the churches. They see themselves as committed to ecumenism, so they work together with all Christian churches and thus often also promote networking between the different denominations. They supply the churches with inexpensive editions of the Bible and, on request, translate the Bible into the languages in which it is needed. If a translation has become outdated and incomprehensible, the Bible societies make efforts to revise it. For many Christian churches, they are irreplaceable partners and bridge builders to other denominations.
Another important field of Weltbibelhilfe creates a close link with the concerns of the EMW: the promotion of theological education worldwide and the further training of full-time and volunteer workers. Bible societies in poorer countries receive scientific Bible editions, which are maintained and published by the publishing house of the German Bible Society. This means that students and teachers in these countries can also work with these editions, which would otherwise be unaffordable for them. Weltbibelhilfe also supports the production of study Bibles, such as the most recent study edition in Mandarin, the Chinese standard language, which can be used by 1.2 billion people. And the Bible societies are also concerned with the further training of pastors and volunteers. Local churches benefit from well-trained young people: they ensure the quality of preaching and biblical interpretation and contribute to the strengthening of Christianity in a country – and thus not infrequently to the development of society as a whole.
The Weltbibelhilfe of the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft is in close contact with the national Bible societies whose projects it supports. Through regular project trips, the employees assure the work on site. In addition to financial support, it also advises certain Bible societies on questions of structure, future planning and other current issues.
Weltbibelhilfe pursues a great vision: The Bible should be available to all people in the world in the language of their hearts. Because the Bible moves people. It tells of God’s love, it gives hope, comfort and confidence – something our world needs today more than ever. Or as the then 106-year-old Maria Hugo, who supported the Bible Society in South Africa until her death, put it: “The Bible is still the anchor I hold on to after all these years.”
Weltbibelhilfe der Deutschen Bibelgesellschaft
Balinger Str. 31A
70567 Stuttgart (Möhringen)
Tel.: +49 711 7181-0
Fax: +49 711 7181-250