New Bible Commentary for Central and Eastern Europe
After several years of hard work, tragic loss, many prayers, and new and unlikely friendships, the Langham-supported Central Eastern European Bible Commentary (CEEBC) was finally launched in March this year.
Many of the commentary authors attended the special launch service in Prague, alongside various denominational leaders and Langham representatives: Ministries Director and Global Ambassador Chris Wright, International Director Tayo Arikawe and former Langham Literature Director Pieter Kwant.
It was a significant occasion as this is a unique project, bringing together evangelical scholars from 20 different Central and Eastern European countries to comment on the Bible and write articles from within their specific contexts.
The countries include Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro and Serbia.
Significant hurdle
The project hit a significant hurdle in 2021, when tragically the General Editor Corneliu Constantineanu (a Langham Scholar and Langham Preaching trainer) died of Covid-19. But praise God that a new editor stepped in (Peter Penner) and the commentary has now been printed and is ready to be promoted and distributed.
During the moving launch event, Peter noted Pieter Kwant’s vast experience working on other one-volume commentaries and thanked him for sharing his expertise and inspiring the CEEBC to continue on.
Peter also thanked Langham as a whole: “They have been helping, pushing, praying, supporting, completing and standing behind us with finances to help us. We want to say thank you to Langham, for those who have been supporting and making this project come true.”
Celebrating God
He also said it was important to celebrate God, who has made the commentary possible. “When I think about our region, imagine 40 years ago something like this happening, when we were in communist realities? Some of you have struggled with the realities.
“This commentary has been written by those people, but especially for the next generation, a generation that should have roots. Some of the roots are in this commentary. It also has wings to go beyond what we were.”
Peter said he hopes the commentary helps people to honour God as they serve their churches and institutions, and to participate in the building of the kingdom and the mission of God until He comes.
The Central Eastern European Bible Commentary is available to purchase from langhamliterature.org.
The new commentary features:
Theological applications of biblical teaching contextualised for Central and Eastern Europe
More than 100 articles covering topics relevant to the Christian life in the present-day world
A language that is easily understood and appealing to Christians across the globe.
