April 6, 2025
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) chaplaincy has a long-standing tradition of providing its personnel with access to the Bible— thanks to a legacy of support from Bible Society Australia (BSA). This commitment was reaffirmed on March 13, 2025, with the launch of a new edition of the ADF Bible, ensuring that today’s soldiers, sailors, and airmen continue to have access to Scripture tailored to their unique experiences.
Two decades after the previous edition was introduced, the new ADF Bible was launched in a ceremony in Canberra, Australia’s capital. The new edition—a New International Version (NIV) edition—was officially presented by Chris Melville, BSA Chief of Mission, and Tina King, BSA Grants and Customs Bible Coordinator, to Major General Sue Graham, representing the Chief of Defence Force. At the ceremony, BSA provided a historical display of Bibles, relevant to the Bible’s influence on military service personnel.
A Legacy of Scripture in the ADF
This launch continues a legacy that dates back over a century. BSA, in partnership with then parent entity British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS), has supplied scriptures to Australian service members since the Boer War.
BSA is Australia’s longest, continuously functioning entity – turning 208 years old in March 2025. BSA had its genesis in the turbulent times of the fledgeling New South Wales penal colony under the watch of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. His wife, Lady Elizabeth, a passionate and faithful Christian, was concerned for the spiritual health and moral condition of those living under her husband’s leadership. She championed the idea of establishing an auxiliary of the BFBS, which had only started 13 years prior. On March 7, 1817, at the inaugural meeting, many prominent citizens gathered, memberships were paid, and donations were accepted, which amounted to 300 British Pounds, of which half was immediately sent to BFBS to purchase Bibles for the colony.
As Australia became a unified nation and grew in strength, prosperity and numbers, Australians were called upon to assist the British Empire in colonial and other, later Wars. When the first Boer war began, Australian soldiers were sent to fight under British command. They were offered new Testaments covered with mustard-coloured cloth published by BFBS. These New Testaments were a haven for soldiers, being able to read of God’s care and power during anxious times away from home and family, travelling long distances, and during the horrors of the conflict.
During World War I, hundreds of thousands of New Testaments were distributed to Australian troops, often through the sacrificial giving of Sunday school children, who collected pennies to fund the initiative. Many soldiers carried these small Bibles with them, drawing strength from their pages in times of hardship and uncertainty. Some, like Lance Corporal Phillip Davies, even found physical protection in them—his Bible famously stopped a piece of shrapnel during the Battle of Messines Ridge, saving his life.
By World War II, BSA was distributing New Testaments in distinctive covers: khaki for the Army and shades of blue for the Navy and Air Force. Pocket-sized Scriptures became a constant companion for service members through conflicts where Australian service personnel were serving, including Korea, Vietnam, East Timor, Iraq, Afghanistan, and several others.
Over the years, chaplains and personnel have consistently affirmed the Bible’s role as a source of hope, peace, and moral guidance in the most challenging of circumstances.
Meeting the Needs of Today’s ADF Personnel
This latest version replaces the previous edition, which had been in service since 2005, and is a product of many hours of collaborative work by key representatives of all three services, led by Army chaplains and BSA. The edition includes content specifically designed for Defence personnel, such as including prayers for the Soldier, Sailor, and Airmen.
Recognizing the evolving needs of modern Defence personnel, BSA continues to adapt its offerings. The 2005 edition of the ADF Bible introduced a camouflage-covered full Bible with practical resources tailored to the ADF. More recently, waterproof New Testaments have been developed for extreme conditions, with distinct versions designed for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The newly launched NIV ADF Bible builds on this tradition, incorporating updated language and additional resources to better support current service members. It is designed to be more than just a book on a shelf—it is a tool for daily reflection, offering wisdom and comfort to those in uniform.
Tina King encapsulated this vision during the launch ceremony, in her address to the attendees:
“This is not a book for the bookshelf, it is a book to be near. We hope it will be dog-eared, underlined, searched, and cherished. We have personally known the firm footing the Bible gives when things are going well and the galvanizing force it can have when devastation and challenges burst into our lives.”
Director General Chaplaincy—Army, Principle Chaplain Kerry Larwill, said approximately 44% of Australians identify as Christians, “and more are interested in spirituality of different varieties.”
“For people who serve in Defence, which we know has demands on individuals and their families, it’s a source of light and hope to those who derive their meaning from a Christian perspective or value its wisdom.”
Honouring the Supporters of ADF Bibles
The launch event also provided an opportunity to acknowledge the faithful supporters of this ministry. Bible Society donors have ensured service members receive Scripture freely for over a century. From the early colonial days when Lady Elizabeth Macquarie helped establish Bible Society Australia, to today’s donors who continue to give sacrificially, their generosity has played a crucial role in sustaining BSA’s mission to ‘Open the Bible to all people everywhere, by all means possible’.
Major General Sue Graham expressed gratitude on behalf of the ADF, recognizing the Bible Society’s unwavering commitment: “We acknowledge in the Defence Force how we are continually supported by the public, and the sacrifice from Bible Society volunteers brought forward today is another embodiment of that.”
UBS Fellowship Ministering to the Military
The ADF Bible is not the only military Bible supported by a Bible Society in Oceania. In 2022, a brand new custom waterproof New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs was developed for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. In November 2024, the Bible Society of the South Pacific (BSSP) launched the first-ever Military New Testament Bible for the Republic of Fiji’s Military Forces (RFMF).
These publications resulted from a partnership between the Association of Military Christian Fellowship for the South-West Pacific, BSA, and BSSP. You can read more about the Fijian Military New Testament Bible here.
Looking to the Future
As the new ADF Bible is distributed, it carries forward a rich history of faith and service. ADF chaplains will ensure that all who seek a copy can receive one, whether in Christian chapels on Defence establishments or by request. Just as Bibles have supported countless Australian service members in the past, this new edition will continue to provide spiritual guidance and encouragement to those serving today and into the future.
Some of the information used within this article was sourced from an article published by the Australian Defence Department, available here.
All images provided by Defence Image Gallery.
