Overview
Bible Society Australia (BSA) is working together with like-minded mission and Bible translation organisations to produce audio recordings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scriptures, providing the gospel in a format communities can readily access. This includes translation work, using the Oral Bible Translation method.
A printed Bible, even translated into a heart language, is at times not sufficient for people to Open The Bible for themselves. Because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are oral cultures, important information is conveyed through story-telling rather than the written word. This means that Indigenous communities readily engage with audio content in a way non-Indigenous cultures do not often appreciate or understand.
Year 2023 saw a growing demand for audio players with Scripture ‘in language’, particularly via churches, hospital and prison chaplains.
Statistics
- 8 Indigenous Australian languages currently have translated Scripture that require audio recordings
- 21 of 56 Indigenous languages with Scripture translated has some Scripture audio available
- 1,000 audio players were distributed by early 2023, and a new order for 1,000 placed to meet community needs.
If the appeal is oversubscribed or the project changes due to unforeseen reasons, we will reallocate remaining funds to similar projects.
