Three of four people in France have never read the Bible, and only half of the homes in France have a copy of scripture. These statistics—part of a 2001 survey by market research firm TNS Sofres—have in part inspired a 2003 “Year of the Bible” campaign in which the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Paris is participating.

Bible societies in Austria, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland are participating in the European campaign, according to the United Bible Societies, an umbrella organization of national groups. “Many different events are being planned for 2003 in each of the countries involved, but they will share a common theme: ‘Seek. And Find.’ This theme is designed to bridge the gap between the ‘Book of Books’ and contemporary life and to be relevant to many different types of people,” a UBS news article stated.

The Northern-France district of the Adventist Church, along with its pastors in the Paris area, has organized a series of public events under the heading “FestiBible 2003.” The series is the sixth such campaign organized by the church, in partnership with the Alliance Biblique Française (French Bible Society).

The goal of the “Festivals of the Bible” is to present the Bible through exhibitions of different Bible versions, conferences on biblical topics and, on Sabbath, or Saturday, a special worship service, all aimed at inviting people to worship the God who reveals himself through the Bible.

“This year we shortened the name into ‘FestiBible’ and it has a special meaning because we are doing it in the context of the International Year of the Bible,” said Daniel Jennah, secretary for the Adventist Church in the district.

FestiBible will take place from May 14 to 18 at the main Adventist Church in Paris, he said, and will feature a special program for children, exhibitions on the history of the biblical text and on the impact of the Bible in Europe. Also planned are conferences on “The Bible and Archaeology: Jerusalem and Babylon in the time of Nebuchadnezzar,” and “The role of the foreigner in religious traditions.” A gospel concert and special liturgies are also planned.

“We hope people will have time to discover that the Bible has a message of peace and reconciliation and that no one can make a personal or private property of the Book that is considered as part of universal patrimony,” Jennah said. “Through different messages we will give the opportunity to anyone who comes to hear an objective word from the loving God. The Bible is not an ordinary book: it is the book, as its etymology says.”