Under the motto Follow the Bible, a motivational event was held at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Vienna, Austria, on February 26, 2009. The event was designed to encourage people to invest themselves in a more intensive study of the Bible.
The initiative, sponsored by the world headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its world divisions, features an oversized Bible written in 66 different languages that is traveling around the globe to promote Bible study. Its journey started in the Philippines in October 2008 and will conclude in Atlanta, Georgia (USA), in the summer of 2010.
The Bible was admired by visitors attending the evening lecture presented by Dr. Jutta Henner, Director of the Austrian Bible Society. Dr. Henner spoke about the “Authenticity and Religious Tradition of the Bible.” In her statements, Dr. Henner revealed why the Bible has remained the most historically handed down book of the ancient world. She also explained why comments on the Bible made in modern novels such as Sacrilege or Illuminati lack scientific foundation.
For his presentation, Dr. Martin Pröbstle, a professor at the Theological Seminary in Bogenhofen, chose the topic “Spirituality in the Bible.” Amazingly, the definition of spirituality, as given on Wikipedia, is in accordance with the description found in the second chapter of the Book of Acts. “The Biblical concept of spirituality,” Pröbstle said, “is beautifully illustrated by the account of those two travelers who were on their way to Emmaus exclaiming 'Did we not feel our hearts on fire as He talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us!' (Luke 24:32). Their motivation and enthusiasm resulted from staying engaged in the Word of God.” It is still the same today. Pröbstle pointed out several ways of staying motivated to read the Bible, especially in times of spiritual crisis. In conclusion, Pröbstle encouraged people to also read the Bible in public. He stated that “as Christians, we should not care so much what people think of us. We should quite naturally take out our Bibles for instance on the subway.”
The Bible traveled from Vienna to Bogenhofen Seminary, St. Peter am Hart, Upper Austria, from where it will continue its journey around the globe. The Bible's entire route can be followed at www.followthebible.net.
