In Midst of Econ Crises, New Bible Highlights 2,000+ Verses that Refer to Poverty & Social Justice

Bono, U2 lead singer: “It’s no coincidence that in the Scriptures poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It’s not an accident.”

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2009—Nearly 40 million Americans are living in poverty heading into this holiday season (The Census Bureau)-a 13.2 percent increase since 2007 (Reuters).  The Bible - on people's minds this time of year perhaps more than others - has a lot to say about poverty and social justice "that may surprise even Christians," said the publishers of a gritty new Bible releasing this fall.

The Poverty and Justice Bible (American Bible Society, 2009) is a first for the United States, highlighting across the pages of the Bible the more than 2,000 verses that refer to poverty and justice.  Not a new translation - The Poverty and Justice Bible uses the Contemporary English Version - what is new is the bright orange highlighting as well as an integrated study guide that offers practical ideas for how readers can get their hands dirty and help with issues of poverty and injustice in their own communities and beyond. 

Challenging the notion that the Bible is a dusty, outdated rulebook, The Poverty and Justice Bible  provides practical insights into what the best-selling book in history says about today's toughest topics:  from homelessness to healthcare, literacy to wages, immigrants to abuse. 

"Nearly every page of the Bible includes a message about poverty or justice," said R. Lamar Vest, president of American Bible Society. "The Poverty and Justice Bible acts as God's megaphone revealing that, from Genesis to Revelation, concerns for justice are never far from the heart of God and the minds of biblical writers."

Why Another New Bible?

"In North America, Europe and among the affluent world, the issue of poverty and justice has become front and center.  It's what we're increasingly talking about," said Richard Stearns, president of World Vision Christian relief and development organization, a collaborator on the project. "The Poverty and Justice Bible demonstrates that, when it comes to today's most pressing social issues, God got there first."

British and Australian versions of The Poverty and Justice Bible have been well received in recent weeks with Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd launching the Australian project in Parliament and MP Andy Reed saying, "This is the Bible I've been wanting for a long time...It's vital for us in the public square because it shows God's heart for tackling poverty and establishing justice."

The Poverty and Justice Bible will be available at Bibles.com, American Bible Society bookstore in Manhattan, and other online retailers starting Nov. 9.  More information available at www.JusticeBible.org.

About the American Bible Society, one of America's oldest charities:

Headquartered in New York City, the mission of the 193-year-old American Bible Society is to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so that all people may experience its life changing message.

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