Bible Sunday

Definition and Meaning

Bible Sunday (Korean: Seongseo Juil, 聖書主日) means "the Sunday commemorating the Bible." On this day the church reflects on the place the Bible holds in faith and life, prays for the work of translating and distributing the Scriptures, and gives an offering for that purpose. Korean churches generally observe it on the second Sunday of December each year, a date that falls within the season of Advent in the church calendar.

Biblical and Historical Background

The following passages are frequently cited in connection with Bible Sunday:

• 2 Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God"
• Psalm 119:105: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
• Nehemiah 8: the account of Ezra reading the book of the law before the people

The observance originated in the tradition of the Church of England. In 1549, during the Reformation, the Book of Common Prayer included in its collect for the Second Sunday in Advent a prayer addressed to God, "which hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning." This collect is based on Romans 15:4. This Sunday thereafter came to be regarded as a day for honoring the Bible, and it is said to have become established as "Bible Sunday" through its association with the Bible distribution efforts of the Bible societies. Today some in the Church of England observe it in the autumn instead.

In Korea, the observance is closely associated with the history of Bible translation into Korean. In 1882 the Gospel of Luke was translated into Korean and published in Manchuria, and in 1911 the Seonggyeong Jeonseo (Complete Bible), containing both the Old and New Testaments, was published. Later developments are covered in the article on Bible translations.

Practice in Korean Churches

The observance of Bible Sunday is led by the Korean Bible Society, which is known to send churches materials for worship and publicity in advance of the day. Many churches forward the "Bible Sunday offering" collected that day to the Korean Bible Society, which uses it to distribute Bibles in Korea and abroad and to produce specialized editions such as Braille Bibles.

Common church activities on this day include:

• Preaching on the authority of Scripture and the importance of Bible reading.
• Encouraging members to plan to read through the Bible in the new year.
• Presenting Bibles as gifts to new believers or to the younger generation.

Practice varies among denominations:

• Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, and other denominations that follow the church calendar: Many include Bible Sunday in their denominational calendars.
• Anglican Church of Korea: Understands the day in connection with the tradition of the collect for the Second Sunday in Advent.
• Some churches, such as Baptist and independent churches: Because some place less emphasis on the church calendar, they may not observe the day separately or may simply mention it in the announcements.

The Second Sunday in Advent and the second Sunday of December do not fall on the same day every year. As a result, the date of observance differs slightly from church to church.