The following item from the Zimbabwe government newspaper The Herald was seen on AllAfrica.com at http://allafrica.com/stories/200601300069.html ... DZO
Mujuru Launches Shona Bible The Herald (Harare) http://www.zimbabweherald.com/ January 28, 2006 Posted to the web January 30, 2006 Harare THE church and its leaders in Zimbabwe should continue to be relevant and shun activities, behaviour and pronouncements that bring the name of the church into disrepute, Acting President Joice Mujuru said yesterday. She was speaking at the launch of the New Contemporary Shona Bible by the International Bible Society (Zimbabwe) at the Celebration Centre in Harare. The Acting President said the Government cherished co-operation between itself and the church and hoped that the relationship will grow from strength to strength. "We in Government feel honoured to be part of the religious history in Zimbabwe as we receive today the new Bible, finally translated into standard Shona, an exercise which you may agree with me was long overdue," said Cde Mujuru. The nation lived in the new millennium where Christians throughout the country were seeking God's intervention and new insights not only in their personal lives but also for their beloved Zimbabwe. Cde Mujuru said she was pleased to note that leaders from other nations had come to dedicate and launch the new Bible. The Acting President said the launch of the Shona Bible was a welcome Silver Jubilee present. "Some people may ask why another Bible in Shona? What is new and why this excitement, pomp and fanfare? We are all aware that language is always changing. Language is dynamic," she said. The Shona version Bible in use in the country today was first published in 1947. Translation of the Shona New Testament began in 1982, culminating in its publication in 1996. The new version of the Old Testament launched yesterday went through a similar process, beginning in 1997. The New Shona version Bible was translated into contemporary Shona and is therefore more user-friendly, especially for the younger generation who have been struggling to read the existing versions, leading to many either resorting to the English version or losing interest in the Shona equivalent altogether. Cde Mujuru said a unique feature of the new Bible was the inclusion of additional notes which were a good prelude for the life application notes which were currently being translated into Shona from English. The International Bible Society still had a challenge to translate other religious books into Shona and Ndebele to make the message more accessible to the majority of the population. "To the people of Zimbabwe I say komborerwayi pamunenge muchiverenga Bhaibheri iri muChishona chanhasi," she said. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
