Latest News #300 – Czech Republic
February 3, 2005

The following news concerns the Czech Republic.

Exhibition places the Bible at heart of Czech culture

Photo: The Rev Dr Jiri Lukl, former General Secretary of the Czech Bible Society (left), and Dr Noel N Lehoko, South African Ambassador (second from left), at the opening of the Czech Bible Society's permanent exhibition in Prague on December 8, 2004. The exhibition is entitled 'The Bible: Its story through the ages'. Photo: CBS (CZE04DJ-1.JPG)
The Rev Dr Jiri Lukl, former General Secretary of the Czech Bible Society (left), and Dr Noel N Lehoko, South African Ambassador (second from left), at the opening of the Czech Bible Society's permanent exhibition in Prague on December 8, 2004. The exhibition is entitled 'The Bible: Its story through the ages'. Photo: CBS (CZE04DJ-1.JPG)

Czech Republic — When the Czech Bible Society opened its first permanent Bible House in Prague in September 2001 (see Latest News #216), it was described by the Rev Dr Jirí Lukl, then General Secretary, as a "building for the future". One way in which this vision is now being fulfilled is with the creation of a permanent exhibition designed to present the Bible to people of many different backgrounds.

Formally opened on December 8, 2004, by Dr Lukl, the Rev Joel Ruml, Moderator of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, the second-largest denomination in the Czech Republic, and Dr Noel N Lehoko, South African Ambassador to the Czech Republic, the exhibition, entitled The Bible – Its Story Through the Ages, emphasises the historical and cultural significance of the Bible. Avoiding an overtly theological approach, it seeks to address the fact that, although there is widespread awareness of the Bible in the Czech Republic, many Czechs are unfamiliar with its history and content.

Inspired by the Austrian Bible Society's touring exhibition Discover the Bible, aimed at developing an interest in the Scriptures among people who do not go to church (see World Report 349/15), the Czech Bible Society has developed 37 panels which describe the Old and New Testaments, the oldest biblical languages, the structure of the Bible, the oldest translations of the Bible into Slavonic languages and the history of the Bible in the region. Particular attention is given to the impact of the Bible on the development of Czech culture and the culture of other Slavonic countries.

The desire of the Society, says current General Secretary Pavel Kral, is that this exhibition will make more people aware that "the Bible is an exceptional book, of tremendous importance for the cultural history of not only the Slavonic lands, but of Europe and indeed the whole world. For this reason, knowledge about the Bible should be part of the basic store of knowledge of every educated person." (327 words - CZECH REPUBLIC.03.02.05)
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For further information please contact Andrew Mathewson, UBS Editor.
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Andrew Mathewson
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