WCC NEWS: Argentinian churches celebrate the “Month of the Bible”

[WCC media <noreply@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - News

ARGENTINIAN CHURCHES CELEBRATE THE “MONTH OF THE BIBLE”

For immediate release: 15 September 2011

As happens in many Latin American countries, September marks the month
of the Bible in Argentina. For several decades, during this time of the
year, different churches organize several activities, highlighting the
importance of the Bible in relation to community life and faith.

Through the years, the activities of this festival have remained diverse.
Many churches in Latin America that are members of the World Council of
Churches (WCC) coordinate lectures, workshops, conferences for youth and
children, sales of promotional copies of the Bible, and they engage in
even building monuments dedicated to sacred scripture.

A few historical facts serve as reasons for choosing September as the month
of the Bible. It is in September that the Roman Catholic Church celebrates
Saint Jerome, who translated the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin.
It was also during this month, in the 16th century, that the first Spanish
translation of the Bible, la Biblia del Oso, appeared.

The work is attributed to Casiodoro de Reina. The text was later revised by
Cipriano de Valera, and gave rise to one of the most appreciated
translations of the Bible in the evangelical world, the Reina Valera.

Churches find different ways to experience and enjoy this celebration. The
month of the Bible also initiates ecumenical activities among different
churches, most of which are WCC member churches.

In this context, two of the Argentinean Protestant voices have remained
pertinent in adding value to this activity and developing programmes
around the month of the Bible.

Pastor Gerardo Oberman, from the Reformed Churches of Argentina associated
with the Evangelical Church of the River Plate (IERP), notes that, "the
overall experience has different local nuances, but we are also motivated
by the spirit of the Reformation in which one of the main slogans was the
Sola Scriptura – that is, “Scripture alone”.

In regard to the activity itself, Oberman notices the importance of setting
aside a specific time of the year to remember, recognize and celebrate the
ever-living written word of God. “The Bible must be read on a daily
basis. However, spending a month each year focusing on the Bible helps us
to affirm the Word as an essential nutrient to our faith and our
commitment to life and justice", he said.

Bishop Nully Frank Brown, of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina,
also considers the importance of these activities, “…because it helps
to remember the centrality of the word of God and it is a good opportunity
for workshops, exhibitions and other opportunities to learn more about the
tasks undertaken by the Bible Societies in our country”.

The celebration of the month of the Bible also attracts participation from
churches that are not necessarily engaged with ecumenical movement. The
Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of Argentina (ACIERA), for
instance, is inviting their members for a time of fasting and prayer of 40
days, signifying this celebration as an opportunity to reflect on the
Bible and emphasizing the difference it can make to the life of the
country as well.

The ACIERA brings together churches that may have developed a more
literalistic reading of the Bible and organizes regular mass
demonstrations and marches in cities across the country, often featuring
the presence of conservative politicians and media evangelists such as
Luis Palau.

WCC member churches in Argentina (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2cf65d7a69ae945e8c2f )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



You receive this information as a subscriber of our media list. You are 
registered as Worldwide with the address wfn-editors@wfn.org.
Click here to unsubscribe or change your distribution settings 
(Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=eccff689c77d430cbc03 ).