wfn.org | Desired Bible Formats Changing in China

[Christian B. Schäffler (APD Schweiz)]

May 15, 2005

Adventist Press Service (APD)

Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief APD

Fax +41-61-261 61 18

APD@stanet.ch

http://www.stanet.ch/APD

CH-4003 Basel, Schweiz

Desired Bible Formats Changing in China

Nanjing/China.	   For the first time in the recent history of Bible
printing

in China the production of pocket-sized Bibles in 2004 exceeded that

of the standard-sized Bible by 500,000. The trend is continuing in 2005

with 500,000 produced in the first four months of the year compared

with 300,000 of the standard-sized Bibles. The reason for the change

in preference is an increasing demand for Bibles from young Chinese.

More and more of them are asking for Bibles and the pocket-sized

edition is the one they want.

The last two years have also seen a significant rise in demand for

Chinese-English diglot Bibles. Distribution doubled from 2003 to 2004

when 113,000 copies were sold. In the first four months of this year,

45,000 have already been sold. Again, it is the younger generation

of Chinese Christians who are keen to hone their skills in English

by using the diglot Bible, who are driving this change in preference.

In the next few months a CD-ROM version of the diglot Chinese-English

Bible will be distributed. After years of prayer and discussion with

the authorities, the United Bible Societies (UBS) and the Shanghai

headquarters of the China Christian Council (CCC) received permission

to go ahead with the production of these CD-ROM Bibles. They are the

first legally approved and locally produced CD-ROM Bibles in China.

Initially, 10,000 copies will be distributed.

Former General Manager of the Amity Printing Press (APP), Rev. Peter

McInnis, revealed in an open letter in 1994: "When I came to China

in 1988 ? the [Chinese] government would not let us print Bibles; we

would be forced to print Communist propaganda; our Bibles would not be

allowed to include Daniel or Revelations; no Bibles could be printed

in simplified characters that young people read; Bibles could not be

sold to Christians; Christians buying Bibles would have to register

and be subject to harassment; Christians in house churches would not

be allowed to buy Bibles. By the time I left in 1993 Amity had printed

and the China Christian Council distributed more than 5.5 million

Bibles."

According to Dr. Han Wenzao, General Secretary of the Amity Foundation,

as of spring 2004, more than 36 million Bibles have been printed at

the Amity Printing Press.