"God was the first to speak out about dealing with trauma and fighting for freedom."
– Commissioner William Roberts, The Salvation Army

NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2011 – To honor those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, and celebrate those who led rescue efforts, American Bible Society is releasing The Freedom Bible. A collaborative effort between American Bible Society and The Salvation Army, The Freedom Bible highlights stories of how the Bible has helped people to overcome trauma. Not a new translation, The Freedom Bible is the first to highlight more than 3,500 verses that refer to various aspects of freedom – including from fear, suffering, loss, anger, guilt and more.

To coincide with the release of The Freedom Bible, American Bible Society commissioned a survey (1), conducted online by Harris Interactive, which found that:

• Despite significant security measures taken since Sept. 11, only 9 percent of Americans feel safer today than they did prior to Sept. 11. Thirty-six percent felt safer prior to the attacks of Sept. 11 than they do today.
• Only 4 percent of Americans rely most on professional counseling to help deal with trauma. Four times as many (16 percent) rely most on the Bible.
• Despite living in a predominantly Christian nation, 82 percent of Americans who have dealt with trauma rely most on sources other than the Bible to cope, including 6 percent of whom say they do not rely on anything.

BOOK DETAILS:
The Freedom Bible (Contemporary English Version)
Produced in collaboration by American Bible Society and The Salvation Army
ISBN #: 9781585169887 (softcover)
Pages: 1109
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99
Info: UncoverFreedom.com

"Though 10 years have passed since the attacks on the U.S., many of us vividly recall the images and emotions of that day," said Geof Morin, chief communications officer at American Bible Society. "In the aftermath of 9/11, we at American Bible Society saw first hand the power of the Bible to help people deal with unfathomable trauma."

Headquartered in Manhattan, American Bible Society was on the scene on 9/11 and in the days and weeks following the attacks to minister to first responders and the families of those missing or killed. "Sept. 11 forced us as individuals and as a nation to choose between being prisoner of the trauma of that terrible day or finding the hope and freedom to move forward," said Morin. "For thousands of Americans, the comfort offered through the Bible allowed them to choose freedom."

"God was the first to speak out about dealing with trauma and fighting for freedom," said Commissioner William Roberts, National Commander of The Salvation Army, a collaborator on The Freedom Bible project.

The Freedom Bible is currently available at Bibles.com and in Manhattan at American Bible Society bookstore. In late September, it will also be available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, ChristianBooks.com, and LifeWay and Family Christian stores. For more information, visit UncoverFreedom.com.

About American Bible Society
Headquartered in Manhattan, the 195-year-old American Bible Society exists to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so all people may experience its life-changing message. One of the nation’s oldest nonprofit organizations, today’s American Bible Society provides interactive, high- and low-tech resources enabling first-time readers and seasoned theologians alike to engage with the best-selling book of all time.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to SalvationArmyUSA.org.

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(1) This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive via its QuickQuery omnibus product on behalf of American Bible Society from Aug. 4-8, 2011, among 2,572 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Amy Anderson (770.813.0000).