Feature: Bible ministry exhibition tells China's Bible story

As thousands of German Protestants gather on Friday for the largest biennial Protestant event, the 31st German Protestant Church Day, an exhibition of China's Bible ministry tries to tell a China Bible story rarely truthfully described to the outside world.

Through the Bible's various Chinese versions, ancient or modern, as well as pictures, paintings, calligraphy, art works and historical documents, the exhibition titled "A Lamp to My Feet, A Light to My Path -- The Bible Ministry Exhibition of the Church in China," documents the history of Bible printing and distribution in China.

The history of the Bible in China dates back to 635 A.D, as it was brought to the country along with Nestorianism during the Tang Dynasty. In the 19th and 20th century, foreign missionaries together with Chinese Christians made a great contribution to the Chinese translation of the Bible and its publication, laying a solid foundation for the ministry work of the latter-day Church in China.

During the chaotic Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, however, a large amount of Bibles were destroyed. In the 1950s, Chinese Protestants launched a campaign to break away from the old image of "foreign religion," on the principles of self-governance, self-support and self-propagation of the gospel. Since then, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China came into being.

In 1980, the China Christian Council was established to unite and provide services for churches in China by encouraging theological education through seminaries and Bible schools and publications.

Dr Cao Shengjie, president of China Christian Council, said from 1980 to 2005, over 43 million copies of the Bible were published in China, including in ethnic minority languages, Braille, and picture books for children.

Bible distribution is also promoted to ensure a copy reaches every Christian. Since 1990, a distribution network at different levels has been set up, comprising over 70 venues for selling copies of the Bible.

According to incomplete statistics, to date, there are more than 16 million Protestant Christians in China, with 55,000 churches and meeting points, as well as more than 36,000 pastoral personnel.

There are also over 100,000 voluntary church workers helping to fulfil the ministries. The 18 seminaries and Bible schools are churning out some 500 students. In 2005 alone, about 26,000 church volunteers were trained at provincial levels.

What's more, interest in the Bible has gone beyond the dwelling sphere of Christians in China. "The academic circles are also studying the Bible. After all, it is the embodiment of western civilization and culture," said Cao.

Over the years, Chinese Christians have infused their love for God in different traditional art styles to show their understanding of the word of God.

During the ongoing three-day exhibition, the art works by Chinese Christian artists reflect colorful church life in China.

Paper-cutting, sculpture, hand-copied Bibles are just a few of the exhibits. A Rare exhibit is a giant wood carving named "The Life of Jesus," in which 75 Bible stories with 1,000 biblical figures are carved in sixty-layers on a 100-year-old block of camphor wood.

After a brief tour at the China exhibition Thursday, Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, said, "I'm impressed with the clarity of the story being told about Bible publication in China. The story should be told beyond China and Asia.'

"I know through my visits to China that the church there is very vibrant and alive. I believe the future of the church in China will be very bright, and hope China will take it (exhibition) to every part of the world."

Just as Bishop K.H. Ting, a prominent leader for the Church in China, said, "The Bible unites us."

Dr Cao hopes the Bible ministry exhibition, the first ever in Europe, would help German Protestants witness the wonders of God's work in China.

Source: Xinhua