by Liz Hogarth
France, the nation that once led Christendom, has morphed into a secularist state. To speak about the claims of Christ, except in an academic context, is banned in French schools. Religion rarely makes it into the public domain, and Protestant churches have such a low profile that are often labelled as cults.
However, a dedicated band of European Christians have sought to make a dent in French secularism by claiming 2003 as the ‘Year of the Bible’.
A survey in the French journal La Croix indicated that three in four French people never read the Bible and only half of French homes have a Bible. One of the main goals of the campaign is to encourage people to discover the Bible as modern and relevant.
Under the logo ‘Seek. And Find’, the Year of the Bible 2003 is currently in top gear, with exhibitions, press advertising and a national poster campaign. Churches all across the country are running Bible exhibitions, holding gospel concerts and giving away thousands of Bibles and New Testaments.
One of the key events of the year will be a Bible Festival from October 10-12 in France, Switzerland and Belgium, during which congregations will be encouraged to go into town centres to place the Bible at the heart of local life.
While the organisation of the Year of the Bible is entirely in the hands of Protestant Groups such as France Mission and the French Bible Society, the French Roman Catholic Church, which 81 per cent of the population claim as their chosen denomination, has welcomed the initiative.
“After 450 years the Bible could become the most talked about book in France once again!” said Peter Farley, France Mission’s British Director.
Sydneysiders Paul and Sandra King, who have spent the last twelve years living in France as CMS missionaries, are very conscious of the importance of this initiative. “I think it is a really exciting idea, partly because it has come from the French people themselves,” says Sandra, 41.
“Churches are often small and Christians feel very much in the minority. So to have a program that’s been worked out and where they know they are working with other churches gives people a lot of courage and a lot of hope.”
Paul, 43, Sandra, and children Philip, 13, Natalie, 10 and Michael, 7, have been living in Paris for the past 12 years, working with university students. Over that time the number of Bible study groups they lead has increased from 10 to 27.
Originally from Sydney’s eastern suburbs, the couple became aware of the need to bring God’s word to France as students. But it was not until they had both worked in the city for a few years that they decided to become full-time missionaries in France.
Currently at home on furlough, they plan to return to France early next year and take up a new missionary role in Strasbourg.
They are also keen for other Aussies to join them. “French people are very welcoming to those who ‘come from the land of the kangaroos’,” Paul says.
