The French Bible Society (ABF) celebrates the Month of the Bible in March. For six years, the group organizes this very important month with the French Union of booksellers of religious literature (SLLR) “to raise interest in the Bible and make it known to the general public.”
This year’s theme is “Solidarity in the light of the Bible” and more than 200 bookstores and libraries are joining. Bibles are prominently displayed on tables and bookstore windows to engage customers. There will also be workshops, conferences and talks about the theme, reports Evangelical Focus.
In a press release, the ABF said, “The event will be an opportunity to show that this multi-millennial work has inspired and still inspires many people to act in favor of their neighbor.” The society hopes the activities lined up this month will help people in choosing and understanding the Bible.
Included in this year’s magazine is an interview with Dr. Denis Mukwege, a Congolese pastor and Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2018 for his global efforts to end the use of rape as a weapon of war. In the article, he talks about how the Bible is a great instrument in his fight for women who have been victims of rape and violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “The commandment of love of neighbor guides all my actions,” Mukwege said.
Looking at the data from several surveys, it showed that 69% of the population do not have a Bible, despite the Evangelical church in France growing over 10 times in the last 70 years and more than 90% of its population are within a 30-minute drive from an Evangelical church. The annual Month of the Bible hopefully increases the number of French people who owns and reads the Bible.
In addition to setups in bookstores, the organizers partnered with the weekly magazine La Vie and radio station Phare FM to promote the Bible month. ABF’s social media will report on the various activities of churches and Christian associations on this campaign.
