Bible News in Brief

Bible Society Pioneer Dies
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri, USA — Dr Ivan H Nothdurft, the Bible Society pioneer credited with establishing the Argentine Bible Society as a legal entity, died on the last day of 1998.
     Dr Nothdurft began his Bible Society career in 1956 as an employee of both the American Bible Society (ABS) and the British and Foreign Bible Society as executive secretary for Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. He became the general secretary of the Argentine work in 1959, and by 1966 had legally established the Argentine Bible Society.
     Under his leadership, the Argentine Bible Society became the world’s third largest in terms of Scriptures circulated. He returned to the U.S. in 1967 to serve at the ABS headquarters in New York. (WR 341/IB1 - 6.99)


O.T. Handbooks Available
NEW YORK — The United Bible Societies’ Translation Services, based in New York, have issued two new volumes in their series of handbooks. The new titles are A Handbook on Song of Songs and A Handbook on Ecclesiastes, both by Graham S. Ogden and Lynell Zogbo. While designed primarily for Bible translators, the series has found a ready audience among both clergy and lay Bible students. Both volumes are available through the American Bible Society at 1865 Broadway, New York, NY 10023. UBS price for Song of Songs is $8.68, compared to a catalogue price of $14.99, while Ecclesiastes is available for $11.98, compared with $19.99. (WR 341/IB2 - 6.99)


Netherlands Bible Society Produces Video
HAARLEM, The Netherlands — The Netherlands Bible Society has produced and is making available to the UBS fellowship a video highlighting Bible Society work among the Miskito and Sumo Indian language groups in Nicaragua. The video features the translation and production of New Reader Scriptures into the two languages. There are an estimated 150,000 Miskitos and 12,000 Sumos in Nicaragua, and the video brings their story to life through on-site interviews with the people, with translators, and with Freddy Fonseca, general secretary of the Bible Society in Nicaragua. The video is available from the Netherlands Bible Society using the form enclosed in the June 1999 mailing from the UBS World Service Center. (WR 341/IB3 - 6.99)
 

Philip Oliver to Retire
CANBERRA, Australia — The Rev Philip Oliver, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Australia (BSA), has announced that he will be retiring from the Bible Society at the end of this year.
     Philip joined the Bible Society in Australia in June 1993 after serving four years with the United Bible Societies as World Service Officer for the Asia-Pacific and Europe-Middle East regions, based in Reading, England.
     An Anglican clergyman, the Rev Oliver said he was retiring so he and his wife, Ruth, could return to the parish ministry. He also said he wanted to allow the Bible Society in Australia to seek new leadership to take it into the next century and millennium.
     A task group has been appointed, under the leadership of the Chairman of the Australian Council, Mr Ken Geyer, to seek a new General Secretary. (WR 341/IB4 - 6.99)