It's a Fair Dinkum Read!

By Martin Johnson
Special to The Master's Table

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (ANS)
What's different or unusual about this question, "Will you read me something from the Bible?" I'm sure many of us have heard such a question often, but when it's asked by an interviewer on a secular radio station - and by someone who's keen to hear the answer, you have to ask, "what¹s going on?"

Back in May this year Bible Society NSW (Australia) announced that we were going to publish "The Aussie Bible (Well, bits of it anyway!)" written by Christian journalist and author, Kel Richards. Kel had based his book on a similar one written using Cockney slang called "The Cockney Bible (Well, bits of it anyway!)" and his response was that if its good enough for just one area of a city to have their own version of the Good News, why not a whole country, like Australia.

He also knew that Australia had its own 'heart language' which was first developed over 100 years ago and included such words as 'dinkum' and phrases like 'beaudy mate'. (Dinkum means 'real'). Those who went to school in the 1950's, 60's and 70's in Australia read stories and poems by Adam Lindsay Gordon, Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson which used these sorts of slang words - by now well understood by the growing baby-boomer generation. Whilst the words Kel chose to include in his new book are not everyday words, they are an important part of the development of the Australian psyche.

Kel's Aussie Bible re-told the story of Jesus from His birth to resurrection.

Luke 2:8 reads; "There were some drovers camped out in a paddock nearby, keeping an eye on their mob of sheep that night. Their eyes shot out on stalks when an angel of the Lord zapped into view, and the glory of the Lord filled the air like a thousand volts of electricity. The angel said: "Stop looking like a bunch of stunned mullets. Let me give you the drum, the good oil, it's top news for the whole crew-everyone, everywhere. Today in that little town on the hill a rescuer has been born: he is the Promised One, the King, the Lord. And here's how you'll find him: the nipper is wrapped up in a bunny rug, and lying in a food trough."

The response to the announcement of the books impending publication generated a huge amount of media interest, mainly from press and radio. It extended throughout Australia and into the UK with interviews on the BBC and to the USA with interviews on National Bible Radio.

It was in this climate that Kel was repeatedly asked, "will you read me something from the Bible?"

The opportunity this gave Kel and myself (on occasions) was quite amazing. Before Kel read a relevant section on-air, he was able to give some background to the story and then explain what he was going to read - before quoting from his Aussie Bible. Whilst Kel's book uses the Australian vernacular, the story of God sending His Son to die for us on the cross is as clear as day. Kel always chose key passages that set out the reason for Jesus' birth, ministry, death and resurrection. To be asked constantly to read these on air and to have them quoted in our national dailies was quite remarkable.

Certainly it was the novelty value of the story and we made sure this was the theme of our media coverage, but being able to hear God's Word quoted on-air was remarkable.

Bible Society NSW launched the book at the end of August with Sydney's Anglican Archbishop, Dr Peter Jensen doing the honors.

".. when I read it, I was surprised by my own feelings. It is not a translation. It is more like a re-telling of what it would be like if the whole story had happened here, and been written down in our sort of style. I hope that you can feel the impact of it. I hope that you can begin to see that the events of the Bible happened to real people in a real place, not so very different from our people and our place," said Jensen.

The launch generated another round of publicity - again with national and international coverage and the opportunity for Kel to talk about why the Bible may have 'gone out of fashion' in some areas and how 'The Aussie Bible' is designed to reconnect people back to the Biblical account of Jesus' life and ministry.

Last year, Bible Society UK researcher Martin Robinson, spoke at the South-East Asian Bible Societies conference in Thailand. "In western Europe we have succeeded in producing a generation that knows nothing about the scriptures," he said. "When we consider that it is the story of the Bible that has shaped western culture, this is a sad comment." "So serious is this lack of knowledge that in some departments of Fine Arts in our universities they are having to run courses in the Bible so students can understand medieval art and English literature," he said.

Martin Robinson's answer was that Bible Societies world-wide needed to present the story of the Bible in a way that is culturally relevant. He gave an example of how Bible Society UK worked with Icon Films to distribute their animated feature 'Miracle Maker' to over 300 cinemas in England. "As I watched some of the children watching this film about the life of Jesus, it was quite clear that many of these children did not know the ending of the story," said Martin. "Thousands were seeing the story of the life of Christ for the first time. It was their first living encounter with the Bible," he said.

"The Aussie Bible (Well, bits of it anyway!)" is seeking to do the same thing here in Australia. It's presenting the story of Jesus in a relevant way so that readers will have their interest aroused and then read the whole story in the New Testament.

Has it worked? Here are just two comments from readers Š

Dear Bible Society,
About the Aussie Bible: I purchased a copy at the Bible Society Bookshop the day it was launched, 21st August, and I am very impressed with it. The messages of the passages selected by Kel Richards come through very clearly, and I do not feel that the Aussie slang distorts the Scripture at all, but will give greater impact for those who are not used to "churchy" language.

On the following day I took two Year 10 High School classes for SRE (Scripture class), and read to each class the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) from the Aussie Bible. When I asked the students what they thought, they said that it was good. I also read the passage to the rest of our group of volunteer SRE teachers at recess time, and they expressed approval; one browsed through the book and said that he appreciated Kel's rendering of Psalm 23.
So I am glad to pass on to you this positive feedback, as well as my own favourable reactions. Best wishes in your work. God bless.
Neville

Kel,
Just to encourage you... I have just returned from bible study tonight where I heard of a young chap who was never able to understand the language of the bible. He was given a copy of The Aussie Bible by a loving Christian work colleague and came back after reading it stating "the penny¹s finally dropped. Now I get it! " Thank you for your Aussie Bible.
Mandy

For Bible Society to publish such a book was a risk and we have had some older supporters write and tell us we have done the wrong thing. But if we can encourage people to re-engage with the 'greatest story ever told', then we believe we have continued to be faithful to our mission of making God's Word available in a language, format and price that is accessible by everyone.