Year of the Bible
Year of the Bible - The Purpose
The goal of the Year of the Bible project is to present the message of God's love, hope and comfort through Bible reading and distribution to millions of Americans nationwide in 2010.
Year of the Bible - History
The 1983 Year of the Bible Proclamation was signed into law by President Reagan in October 1982. The idea was conceived by the late Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade. Prior to President Reagan's signing of the Proclamation, the 97th Congress declared the Bible "The Word of God" under Public Law 97-280 on October 4, 1982.
Dr. Bill Bright then formed The National Committee for the 1983 Year of the Bible. This committee consisted of 85% of our nation's top religious leaders representing the Catholic, Jewish and Protestant faiths. This national committee, plus regional, state, and city directors influenced scores of governors and mayors to sign their own "1983 Year of the Bible Proclamations."
During that year the National Committee asked John L. Uffelmann to serve as the New York State Director and then asked him to serve as the Northeast U.S. Regional Director covering 17 states. Through everyone's efforts millions of Bibles were distributed and read nationwide that year. The country was greatly impacted spiritually, morally, economically, socially and educationally.
Thus the historical success of the 1983 Year of the Bible Proclamation prompted Uffelmann to ask Congressional leaders to pass a similar Proclamation. In 2008 there were 45 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives who became cosponsors of this Resolution, HCR 284. Many people nationwide have welcomed the idea with enthusiasm and prayer. This includes many national leaders especially Members of Congress. Currently Congressman Paul Broun (R-GA) has agreed to champion this Resolution. He will re-introduce it into Congress sometime in Spring 2009, along with other Members of Congress who supported it in 2008.
Year of the Bible - The Proclamation
Encouraging the President of the United States to designate 2010 as
“The National Year of the Bible”
In the House of Representatives --- May 7, 2009
Whereas the Bible has had a profound impact in shaping America into a great nation;
Whereas deep religious beliefs stemming from the Old and New Testament of the Bible have inspired Americans from all walks of life, especially the early settlers, whose faith, spiritual courage, and moral strength enabled them to endure intense hardships in this new land;
Whereas many of our Presidents have recognized the importance of God and the Bible, including George Washington; Franklin D. Roosevelt; Harry Truman; John F. Kennedy; Ronald Reagan, who declared 1983 as “The National Year of the Bible”; and especially Abraham Lincoln, whose 200th Birthday Celebration in 2009 highlighted freedom for the slaves;
Whereas shared Biblical beliefs unified the colonists and gave our early leaders the wisdom to write the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States, both of which recognized the inherent worth, dignity, and inalienable rights of each individual, thus unifying a diverse people with the right to vote, and the freedoms of speech and vast religious freedoms, which inspired courageous men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the Civil Rights Movement;
Whereas the Bible has been the world’s best selling book since it was first published in English in 1526, and has influenced more people than any other book;
Whereas the Bible has been a cornerstone in the development of Western civilization, influencing the nations in the areas of history, law, politics, culture, music, literature, art, drama, and especially moral philosophy;
Whereas the Bible, used as a moral guide, has inspired compassion, love for our neighbor, and the preciousness of life and marriage, and has stimulated many benevolent, faith-based community initiatives and neighborhood partnerships that have healed and blessed our families, communities, and our entire Nation, especially in times of war, tragedy, and economic and social crisis;
Whereas the Bible has inspired acts of patriotism that have unified Americans, commemorated through shared celebrations such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas; and
Whereas 2010 is an appropriate year to designate as “The National Year of the Bible”: Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the President is encouraged—
(1) to designate an appropriate year as “The National Year of the Bible”; and
(2) to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great democratic form of government, as well as its rich spiritual heritage, and which has unified, healed and strengthened its people for over 200 years.Learn More About the Bible
For more information, visit http://nationalyearofthebible.org/index.html. This article is compliments of John Uffelmann.
