TORONTO, Canada, November 21, 2002 — Thanksgiving week, November 24 to December 1, many Americans will pick up a Bible - for the first time, or for the first time in a long time, in commemoration of National Bible Week.
For over 60 years, people from across the United States have been encouraged to set aside one week out of every year to collectively turn their thoughts to the Holy Bible.
The encouragement comes from the lowly (friends e-mailing scripture verses to friends) and the lofty; every American President since Franklin Roosevelt has issued a Message for National Bible Week. But mostly, it comes from the National Bible Association.
The National Bible Association is the organization that founded the first such week, back in 1941, as a means of providing hope and comfort to a nation only too aware of the war raging in Europe.
The first week was scheduled for December 8 - 14, 1941
Their plan called for the use of the latest media technology, the cooperation of respected leaders from every field of endeavour, and the support of civic clubs, public libraries, business leaders and religious groups. Events were scheduled, broadcasts designed and dignitaries put in place. The first week was scheduled from Monday, December 8 through Sunday, December 14, 1941.
A more significant timing could not have been planned. The week was to launch with a nation-wide radio broadcast on Sunday, December 7. Given the news from Pearl Harbor earlier that very afternoon, the largest possible radio audience was tuned in when the National Bible Week broadcast began at 8 p.m.
National Bible Week is still going strong. Gallup Polls have indicated as many as eight million people either began for the first time, or began again to read the Bible regularly because of National Bible Week.
Source: Bible Network News with notes from the National Bible Association
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