Many in the Catholic community are overjoyed.
Pål Johannes Nes, co-founder of EWTN Norway, told CNA: “For the first time, we can now have a Catholic canon in our own language. This is a major and significant event. This is also a very important element in the re-evangelization of Norway toward 2030 through Mission 2030, which EWTN Norway together with the Diocese of Trondheim are working on.”
“It is also a great joy for me to be able to read the Bible to my children in Norwegian,” he added.
United mission across denominational divides
The project also stands out for its effort to embrace Norway’s linguistic diversity, offering translations in both of the country’s official written languages, Bokmål and Nynorsk. This initiative ensures wider accessibility and acknowledges Norway’s rich linguistic heritage.
“The fact is that the Norwegian Bible Society has sponsored a lot of editions of the Bible for the use of the Catholic Church… but not in Norway,” Øyma noted, highlighting the ecumenical spirit that guided this historic collaboration. The collaboration between the Catholic Diocese of Oslo and the Bible Society paved the way for this publication, emphasizing a united Christian mission over denominational divides.