Icelandic editions of the Bible
Hið íslenska biblíufélag (the Icelandic Bible Society) is the oldest society still active in Iceland and celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2015.
The Society’s origins go back to the meeting of Ebenezer Henderson, a Scottish missionary, and Grímur Thorkelín, Keeper of the Royal Archives in Copenhagen. At the urging of Henderson and his colleague Jon Patterson, Grímur wrote a letter in English with an account of Iceland and the Icelanders, which was published in the annual report of the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS). After that it was agreed that the society would support a new edition of the New Testament in Icelandic. Grímur Thorkelín was put in charge of the printing, which was completed in 1807. Henderson offered to go to Iceland to see to the sale and distribution of the Bible; by then he had, among other things, studied Icelandic. Henderson left for Iceland on 5 July 1814 and stayed for a year and a half. On Sunday 10 July 1815 the synod of the clergy opened with a service in Reykjavík Cathedral. Bishop Geir Vídalín was unable to attend because of illness, but Rev. Árni Helgason, the cathedral priest, preached on the founding of Bible societies and their usefulness. Henderson was invited to attend the synod’s meeting that afternoon, where it was unanimously agreed to found an Icelandic Bible society, and a provisional board was elected. A year later the society’s first annual general meeting was held and the following were elected to the board: Bishop Geir Vídalín, president; Rev. Árni Helgason, secretary; Ísleifur Einarsson, chief justice, vice-president; and Sigurður Thorgrímsen, treasurer of the realm, treasurer. The BFBS contributed to a founding fund and the king promised an annual grant. From the start the society’s role was to work for the translation, publication, distribution and use of the Bible. At first the society was only for priests, but in 1945 it was agreed that lay people could join. Later it was arranged that the board should have four theologians and four lay people, with the Bishop of Iceland as the society’s president. It is also worth mentioning that the society is ecumenical, that is, members of all Christian denominations can join.
An exhibition of Icelandic Bible editions from the holdings of the Icelandic Bible Society opened in Þjóðarbókhlaða, the library building at Arngrímsgata 3, on Saturday 26 September 2015. The exhibition is a joint project of the National and University Library of Iceland and the Icelandic Bible Society, which on this occasion handed over Bibles and minute books for safekeeping in the Library.
The exhibition runs until 1 May.