25.06.2024

The Bible as a Survival Aid

The podium assembled guests who, each in their own way, make encounters possible with Bible, Church and Faith. Photo by: German Bible Society

“For United Evangelical Mission (UEM), the Bible is a central element for the transformation processes inside UEM, so that all members are equipped and enlightened spiritually to face a number of challenges, including the current numbers of people leaving the church in Germany.”, says Rev Dr Andar Parlindungan, General Secretary of the UEM. On the occasion of the General Assembly of the German Bible Society, he was invited to join a panel at the “Conference House on the Holy Mountain” in Wuppertal, Germany.

For him, the Bible is part and parcel of UEM’s work in Asia, Africa and Germany.

Rev Andar explained that the members of the UEM Communion overcame challenges like wars, poverty, discrimination and natural disasters also because of their faith. That's why it was so important to introduce the Bible from childhood age due to the complex living challenges for the younger generations, which needed to be protected and accompanied by the word of God. UEM published the All Children’s Bible to offer a non-discriminatory, anti-racial and equal story of the Gospel. Rev Andar also reminded the audience of the western and eurocentric way of thinking that for centuries dominated the way in which biblical stories were told.

“UEM members in Africa and Asia survive their daily lives from war, poverty and discrimination by placing their faith on the Bible. It is so important to introduce the Bible from childhood age due to the complex living challenges for the younger generations, which needs to be protected and accompanied by the word of God. As UEM, we published the All Children’s Bible as an attempt to offer a non-discriminatory, anti-racial and equal story of the Gospel, which has been for many years dominated by the western and Eurocentric way of thinking.”

The General Assembly connects the work of the regional societies in Germany, of Christian Churches and other associations working for Bible Mission, Bible Spreading and Bible Education. At this General Assembly, Prof Mirjam Zimmermann, who is a teacher on Religious Education in Siegen University, gave a lecture about “Pulling the Bible Into Life: What is Mimetic Bible Education?”. This approach invites youth to imitate characters, story lines and books of the biblical tradition. This way they can discover their own approach to the Bible.