As it seeks to engage Australians with the living Word of God, Bible Society Australia will soon have a new ally.

Following nine months of conversations, the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) has announced it will join BSA in helping Australians encounter the Bible.

BSA’s chief executive Dr Greg Clarke says the partnership is a natural fit.

“We’re constantly looking for new ways to impress on the world the relevance of God’s Word, and ever more so in this digital age,” Dr Clarke says.

“If CPX didn’t already exist, we would probably have to create it.”

Dr Clarke says the partnership brings with it some of the “most credible Christian minds Australia has to offer”.

The partnership will complement Bible Society’s public theology network Sophia Think Tank which brings key Christians together to discuss the wisdom of the Bible for drivers of society.

The new corporate structure has been approved by the boards of both CPX and BSA and will take effect on January 1 next year.

“I couldn’t be happier with the result,” says CPX founding director Dr. John Dickson. “Bible Society Australia’s non-denominational character fits perfectly with CPX’s mission to represent historic Christianity rather than any particular version of the faith.”

CPX will remain an independent company, working under its own constitution and the supervision of its own board. It will retain its own public identity as well as editorial independence.

Under the new arrangement Bible Society Australia will become the sole shareholder of CPX.

CPX will still need to raise its own operational funds but the Bible Society will provide savings in back-office costs and access to accounting, marketing and fundraising services.

“We’re talking about economies of scale that minimise our administration costs and give us access to resources that would be otherwise unavailable to an organisation of CPX’s size,” CPX CEO Allan Dowthwaite says.

The Bible Society is Australia’s oldest continuous organisation, founded 195 years ago. It has been a leading force in translating, publishing, and distributing the Bible, as well as engaging people with its timeless message.