Opening Doors on the Bible in Congo’s economic heart

CONGO, Republic — The city of Pointe-Noire on the Republic of Congo’s Atlantic coast was the venue for a series of events designed to raise the profile of the Bible in the country’s economic heart. From an exhibition of Scripture products to a tuneful, colourful march, the Bible Society in Congo and its partners found many ways to revive interest in the Bible among church-goers and to attract support for Bible work.

Marchers on their way to the closing ceremony for the Opening Doors on the Bible Days events held by the Bible Society in Congo and partners in Pointe-Noire in December 2005. Republic of Congo. Photo: BS Congo (CON05DJ-4.JPG)

The Opening Doors on the Bible Days in early December marked both the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) and the Protestant Church of Congo’s annual Bible Sunday. Each event held over the four-day period was designed with the particular goal of presenting the Scriptures in as many different formats as possible. The Society and its partners therefore held an exhibition of Scripture products, followed by two conference/debate sessions at which the emphasis was on putting God’s Word into action in everyday life. One of the speakers was General Secretary Etienne Diatha, who looked at the role of the Bible in the development of societies.

One of the Bible Society’s most high-profile projects at present is the Espérance 2005 (‘Hope 2005’) centre for blind and visually impaired people in the grounds of Bible House in Brazzaville (see World Report 388/17, 393/13 and 396/19). It was therefore fitting that the music group which forms part of this project should perform at the Opening Doors on the Bible Days in order to encourage support from churches. As well as singing and performing sketches, the blind and visually impaired participants read from the Bible in Braille.