That is the religious panorama: not many individuals go to church, and plenty of of those that do go both out of behavior or as a result of it's socially acceptable. There are additionally loads of clergy, however lots of them are solely in it for the cash and standing. A lot of persons are utterly blind to the Bible and know little, if something, of Christianity. There are lots of atheists, however much more individuals who by no means take into consideration faith. The church is valued, if in any respect, as a part of the standard cloth of society, good for marrying and burying individuals, however not way more.
Are we in twenty-first century Britain? By no means: we’re in Britain in 1804. The Napoleonic Wars are about to take a brief break, however spiritually the state of affairs is bleak. There are some shiny spots – the Methodists and a few non-conformist denominations are fairly alive, the evangelical motion is rising within the Church of England and there’s a Catholic revival. However the brand new city facilities rising from the economic revolution are largely churchless, and new generations are rising up with out data of the Christian religion (just a few years later a apprehensive authorities would vote one million kilos to construct a church, an enormous sum on the time).
It was on this context that the British and Overseas Bible Society was based on March 7, 1804 – 220 years in the past. A younger woman, Mary Jones, walked 26 miles throughout the tough terrain of North Wales to purchase a Bible in Welsh from the Reverend Thomas Charles of Bala. The story of her deep need for her personal Bible led one other clergyman, the Reverend Joseph Hughes, to marketing campaign for cheap Bibles to be printed for Welsh audio system. And in a daring flight of fancy he requested: “If for Wales, why not for the dominion? And if for the dominion, why not for the world?” Now, two years after his speech, on the London Tavern on Bishopsgate Avenue, some 300 individuals – Quakers, Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans and plenty of others – would start to show that dream into actuality. The British and Overseas Bible Society was shaped and practically £30,000 was pledged that day to fund the enterprise.
The Bible Society—the title by which it’s now recognized—sparked a motion that unfold all through the world; there at the moment are about 150 Bible Societies in about 240 international locations and territories working collectively by the United Bible Societies group. What distinguished her from the start was her single-minded concentrate on the Bible. It didn’t have interaction in theological controversy and intentionally included Christians from all kinds of various denominations. The Bible Society wished the Bible—the foundational textual content for each church—to be printed, distributed, and browse.
On the similar time, it demonstrated the transformative energy of the Bible. Her supporters – who included William Wilberforce – had been energetic anti-slavery campaigners. Others had been jail reformers. One of many pioneers of social work was Ellen Ranyard of the Bible Society, who based a motion of “Bible Ladies” who visited the poor of London. Wherever it was learn, the Bible made a distinction.
However what about as we speak? Every native society faces its personal challenges and the Bible Society helps them of their work – we assist with Bible printing and distribution, literacy applications, translations, theological schooling and coaching of pastors and church employees. In England and Wales, there are lots of similarities between the state of affairs of the church and wider society in 1804 and in 2024 – and plenty of variations.
There isn’t a scarcity of Bibles today, and most of the people studying this text have one on their telephones. And though it might appear counter-intuitive, in some methods the Church is stronger than it was then! There could also be proportionately fewer individuals in church on Sundays, however as we speak once you go to church you actually imply it – and nobody goes to the service for the cash.
However much more so as we speak, a really massive variety of persons are not within the Bible or Christianity – proper now 86 % of individuals in England and Wales by no means or rarely learn the Bible. The Bible Society is set to alter that. We need to remind the Church of the sense of the facility of the Scriptures to alter lives and encourage believers to place the biblical mission on the middle of what they do. And we would like the Bible to change into a part of the nationwide dialog about how one can dwell the nice life, simply because it was to start with.
So we spend money on Church constructing sources similar to Bible programs and a Course in Romans. We pioneer the digital mission by working with new on-line “tribes”. We join with spiritually curious individuals and present them the wealthy sources of Scripture. We proceed to achieve out to people who find themselves on the margins of society as a result of they’ve skilled trauma or are in jail. We embrace people who find themselves excluded from the “Bible studying norm” by making a dyslexia-friendly Scripture. The boundary for us as we speak just isn’t the provision of the Bible, it’s biblical engagement – bringing individuals to a spot the place the Scriptures change into for them a channel to come across the residing God.
There's a stable physique of distinctive analysis behind what we do – and a few of its findings are actually encouraging. In 2018, we surveyed practically 20,000 individuals by YouGov, asking them questions on their lives, beliefs and churchgoing habits. We discovered that whereas some individuals had been hostile to faith, many extra had been detached or genuinely curious: 1 / 4 of adults in England and Wales need to know extra in regards to the Bible. This presents an enormous alternative. Since then, we’ve got repeated the survey at common intervals and located that – opposite to common perception – the Church in England and Wales is now not in decline. It actually is elements, however elements are rising. That is tremendously encouraging!
We consider we’re seeing new alternatives for mission and progress opening up not solely abroad, however right here at residence as properly. These are thrilling instances and we’re glad to be residing in today.
Rev Mark Woods is Head of Communications for the Bible Society.
