August 22, 2024
On April 10, 2024, during the Japanese Catholic bishops’ periodic Ad Limina visit to the Apostolic See, a significant event took place at the Vatican. The Japan Bible Society (JBS) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan (CBCJ) presented Pope Francis with a special edition of the Japan Bible Society Interconfessional Version (JIV). This dedication, marking this project of unity and collaboration between Japan’s Christian faith traditions, occurred at Pope Francis’ general audience in St. Peter’s Square.
The presentation was made by Rev. Kiyoshi Gushiken, JBS General Secretary, and Fr. Kaoru Kawaguchi, CBCJ Secretary General. They dedicated the Bible on behalf of Dr. Manabu Ishida, Board Chair of JBS, and the Most Reverend Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi, S.V.D., Archbishop of Tokyo, President of the CBCJ and the Vice-Chair of JBS. The Pope also received a dedication letter in English, with translations in Italian and Japanese, and a photographic booklet documenting the Bible’s artisanal binding and journey to Rome.
“This visit to the Vatican was a special one,” Rev. Gushiken remarked. “Thanks to the efforts of Archbishop Kikuchi, a prominent figure in the Catholic Church in Japan [and Vice-Chair of the Japan Bible Society], I was given the opportunity to meet Pope Francis and present him with a Bible.”
The special edition Bible was crafted by Mr. Wytze Fopma, an artisanal bookbinder from the Netherlands, who personally transported it to Rome to ensure its security. This bespoke Bible features a classic binding with five raised bands on the spine, alum-tawed pigskin covers, and decorations in 22-carat gold leaf and leather on-lays. The end-sheets are embellished with marbled paper, and the head and tail bands are sewn with binding yarns, showcasing the refined tradition of French bookbinding.
The dedication of this Bible coincides with the fifth anniversary of the JIV’s first publication in December 2018. The JIV is the second Japanese interconfessional translation from the biblical source texts – beginning in 2010 and completed in 2017 – and aims to be the standard version for worship in both Catholic and Protestant churches in Japan. This collaborative effort began with the CBCJ’s decision in February 2010 to endorse the new Interconfessional Bible translation project.
Rev. Gushiken emphasized the importance of this Bible for both faith and ecumenism:
“We published a new translation, ‘Japan Bible Society Interconfessional Version,’ in 2018. We are conducting a campaign to widely distribute this Bible. This is the second joint-project by the Protestant Church and the Catholic Church. It is not yet widely known in the Catholic Church. So, at the suggestion of Archbishop Kikuchi, we decided to use this opportunity to make it widely known. I think it was a very good plan.”
The Pope’s reaction to receiving the JIV Bible was heartfelt and encouraging. “We had a few minutes of conversation with Pope Francis. At that time, even before we were able to hand him the Bible, he literally (but gently) snatched it out of our hands, this heavy large-size Bible, opened it, and shared some comments. He said, ‘The Bible is very important to us. May God bless you in your work.’ He gave us very grace-filled words,” Rev. Gushiken remembered.
The JIV project engaged 148 scholars and laity, including 62 translators, 43 editors, 20 external monitors, and 23 advisors, and adopted the skopos theory to achieve a stylistically refined and beautiful Japanese translation suitable for worship. The goal is to deliver the Word of God to everyone who needs it, a mission that Rev. Gushiken believes is crucial given the small number of Christians in Japan:
“All works are by faith. That faith begins with the words of the Bible, and through the Bible, we grow and are prepared for the ministry. The number of Christians in Japan is small compared to other countries. However, there are still many believers who diligently study the Bible. There are many people who have not yet encountered Jesus Christ through the Word. We want to deliver the Bible, the Word of God, to everyone who needs it. We are convinced that this is our mission.”
