Provocative Bible Magazine Makes U.S. Debut
A controversial magazine that intertwines Bible passages with provocative poses, images of Hollywood celebrities, and snapshots depicting human strife and triumph has hit U.S. bookstores after gaining success in Sweden.
Arranged in a magazine format with columns, Bible Illuminated: The Book, New Testament uses running text instead of verses and features photographs, captions and call-outs to deliver the stories in a contemporary way and to provoke thoughts among readers.
"I don't want to push religion on anyone. That isn't the heart of this project," says Dag Söderberg, co-founder of Illuminated World, the Sweden-based company that published Bible Illuminated, or The Book – the title that appears most prominently on the front cover.
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"Illuminated World's mission is to provoke thought and dialogue about texts that, undoubtedly, have had a huge impact on post-modern society," adds the former Swedish advertiser, who says he's "spiritual but not religious."
While The Book is not the first publication to present the Bible in magazine format, it is perhaps the most controversial.
Its Swedish counterpart raised some flags over images including a sensuous kiss and a topless male model emerging from the ocean.
Despite such images, the magazine did receive a positive response from the largest church in Sweden, garnering even a forward signed by Archbishop Anders Wejryd, primate of the Church of Sweden.
The Book also managed to increase the Bible market in Sweden by nearly 50 percent in less than a year, the publishers report. In Sweden, where an estimated 60,000 Bibles are sold each year, The Book reached 30,000 in its first year of sales.
"It's closer to the way people read today," explained Söderberg, after the release of the Swedish version. "People prefer a text that is journalistically laid out: split into articles, with headlines, quote boxes, pictures and captions. This way they can more easily pick the parts they're interested in reading."
Only time will tell how The Book fares in the United States, where the largest Protestant denomination – the Southern Baptist Convention – is notably much more conservative than the Church of Sweden, which last year declared that it is in favor of allowing homosexual couples to have weddings in church.
The publishers, however, are very optimistic.
"Because of the success in Sweden last year, we believe this new format will appeal to any reader, regardless of faith or background," says veteran publishing executive Larry Norton, Illuminated World's U.S. president. "What makes this different than other non-traditional Bibles in the market is that Bible Illuminated complements the stories with striking, contemporary photographs that tie back to people's lives today."
The release of The Book last week also comes at perhaps the perfect time – as economic turmoil continues to batter the United States. Experts say Bible sales tend to rise in times of war and economic crisis.
And, according to Book Industry Study Group, a Bible publishing boom is indeed under way. The group says the market size has grown steadily over the past several years and is expected to jump in the coming years. The market will reach an estimated $823.5 million this year, the group predicted.
For its U.S. publication, Illuminated World has partnered with the American Bible Society (ABS), which licensed the rights to the Good News version of the Bible to Illuminated World. ABS has also played an integral role in the project, ensuring that the biblical texts were treated with dignity.
"We encourage efforts that invite conversations with new audiences about the Holy Scriptures," explained Dr. Philip H. Towner, Dean of the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship, the scholarly arm of the American Bible Society.
"Our commitment to this project supports our mission to reach all people − those outside of the church, not just those on the inside − with the biblical message," he continued. "The Good News Translation is a faithful rendering of the ancient text which will allow anyone who is inspired, ignited or intrigued by the photos within The Book to acquire a biblical perspective on many of the issues that we face in our times.
"Our goal is to ensure that the message of God's hope shines brightly and penetrates the fog of life's complexities."
The release of The Book was accompanied by a new website, www.bibleilluminated.com, which will serve as a forum for discussion on diverse topics ranging from religion, inequality, social justice and the use of imagery in The Book.
The 288-page, softcover Bible magazine is now available online and at major bookstores for $35 USD. A list of retailers is available at www.bibleilluminated.com.
