Chinese Factory to Supply One in Four Bibles
China to open a new printing press that will employ 600 non-Christian locals producing 23 Bibles a minute
China will become one of the biggest Bible producing countries in the world when a new printing press opens this month.
Nanjing, once the country's capital, is home to a 48,000-sq meter factory in an industrial park which will employ 600 non-Christian locals producing 23 Bibles a minute. Most will be distributed in China in 10 languages and braille. The plant is expected to supply a quarter of the world's Bibles by 2009.
The Amity Printing Company, a joint venture with the British Bible Society, printed its 50 millionth Bible last December and its new press, opening on May 19, will double annual production to 12m.
Peter Dean, a consultant for the Bible Society in Nanjing, said: "We got to the point where the volume of work was so great we hadn't got enough room to store the books in stages of binding and all the paper. It was everywhere."
Chinese people are becoming increasingly interested in Christianity, he added. "There are differing views on how many Christians there are but everyone agrees there is a lot of growth in the church." At least 7% of the population are estimated to be believers.
Although authorities lifted the ban on Christianity 30 years ago, restrictions remain. Smuggling unauthorized Bibles can still lead to a jail sentence.
Nanjing, once the country's capital, is home to a 48,000-sq meter factory in an industrial park which will employ 600 non-Christian locals producing 23 Bibles a minute. Most will be distributed in China in 10 languages and braille. The plant is expected to supply a quarter of the world's Bibles by 2009.
The Amity Printing Company, a joint venture with the British Bible Society, printed its 50 millionth Bible last December and its new press, opening on May 19, will double annual production to 12m.
Peter Dean, a consultant for the Bible Society in Nanjing, said: "We got to the point where the volume of work was so great we hadn't got enough room to store the books in stages of binding and all the paper. It was everywhere."
Chinese people are becoming increasingly interested in Christianity, he added. "There are differing views on how many Christians there are but everyone agrees there is a lot of growth in the church." At least 7% of the population are estimated to be believers.
Although authorities lifted the ban on Christianity 30 years ago, restrictions remain. Smuggling unauthorized Bibles can still lead to a jail sentence.
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