Unique edition of the Bible crafted by African women

Apr 19, 2024

By Charlotte Gambert
“This is the first time that such diverse biblical societies, on a continent as heterogeneous as Africa, have managed to design a project of such magnitude!” says Elsbeth Scherrer, Head of Global Bible Publishing and Distribution at United Bible Societies, not hiding her enthusiasm.

The Meditation Bible by the Women of Africa was officially launched in Paris, April 13. Designed by 26 African Bible Societies, the nearly 2,000-page volume was on sale in France since February. To date, 26,000 copies have been printed, intended for about 15 French-speaking countries.

What does this unique project of a Meditation Bible by African women entail? In addition to the biblical texts, it offers a detailed introduction to each book, a plan to read the entire Bible in one year, 365 meditations accompanying daily reading, about 50 portraits of women from the Bible, and 52 thematic articles addressing everyday life topics. “This is the great interest of this Bible,” says Scherrer. The most sensitive topics for readers are discussed: female genital mutilation, widowhood, polygamy, homosexuality, divorce, curse, financial management, among others.

“The approach is emancipatory but not militant,” Scherrer clarifies. The motto of this work: to illuminate these topics from the biblical text, giving readers a tool for reflection. “The interest is to offer them help for a difficult daily life and personal meditation without depending on a male pastor,” continues Anne-Laure Danet, pastor of the United Protestant Church of France and responsible for relations with Christian Churches within the French Protestant Federation.

She insists on a cultural context that leads to a different approach to the texts and results in different choices regarding the passages to meditate on. Like the story of Ruth, subject to the law of levirate, which “still exists in Africa” and requires a widow to marry her brother-in-law.

The general assembly of all the Bible Societies in the world committed in 2016 to paying more attention to readerships and their daily concerns. And they decided to address women. “It is a proof of the possible collaboration between Bible Societies,” says Scherrer. This guarantees the “desire to serve women on the African continent where they represent 60 per cent of the Church, across all Christian denominations, yet remain the least educated,” she says.

This new Bible, first published in English on March 8, 2020, favours an existential and meditative approach. Designed only by African women from all walks of life, including Sr Josée Ngalula, a Congolese Catholic theologian involved in the pastoral care of abuse victims in the Church, and pastor, teacher, and researcher Laurence Ndong from Gabon, it is the result of a long effort. “Just for the French adaptation of the English version, we spent two years!” Scherrer explains. “We wanted to give a voice to those who know what they are talking about,” she says. --LCI (https:// international.la-croix.com/