Revd Katy Partridge, a curate at Holy Trinity, Combe Down in Bath, is the brainchild behind the first New International Version (NIV) audio Bible voiced fully by women. Christian Women with different accents from all walks of life across the UK are included in the audio recording which is to be launched on International Women’s Day.
Revd Katy, who directed and produced Her Audio Bible says, “Women’s voices matter to God. If women are somehow excluded from religious spaces, the message they receive is that their voice does not matter to God or is less important. Sometimes theophanies come in thewind and the fire, and sometimes in the gentle whisper, so it’s interesting to me to hear Scripture in a wide range of tones and depths and strengths.”
The project is run by a group of volunteers in the UK who all share a passion for the Bible to be freely available and widely accessible. Its creators say that “An audio version makes the Bible accessible for those for whom reading is a struggle, as well as for those in situations where Bible reading is unsafe or socially unacceptable.”
They believe that “Listening to a woman’s voice can be particularly helpful for those who have experienced harm such as domestic abuse, and those for whom hearing a male voice can be triggering. We have sought to represent, as much as possible, something of the range of backgrounds and voices of women in the UK.”
Each reader shares a two to three-minute testimony, which it is hoped will encourage those who have a Christian faith and those who might be curious. Readers include: Revd Prebendary Dr Isabelle Hamley (Old Testament Scholar and theological advisor to the House of Bishops), Revd Sonia Hicks (previous President of the Methodist Church) and Revd Canon, Liz Shercliff (writer and teacher) – Paxi Chirau (community nurse), Kally Adderkin-Hall (journalist, broadcaster and producer), Rupa Jayaraj (NHS Doctor) and Sarah McCullough (secondary school teacher)
Her Audio Bible UK is the first project of the newly registered Charity Open Word UK, trustee Jo Swinney, an author, speaker and editor with a deep love of the Bible, says, “For most of its existence the Bible would have been heard rather than read - and heard in familiar voices echoing the speech patterns and inflections of the listeners. Her Audio Bible UK offers British women the chance to hear these words of life spoken in a way we can most easily hear and absorb their significance to us, here and now.”
Her Audio Bible UK is free to listen to. It is available on its own dedicated website as well as digital audio platforms such as Spotify. The four Gospels and Revelation will be released on International Women’s Day, with the remainder of the New Testament released on a monthly basis. It's hoped a recording of the Old Testament will start later in the year.
Revd Katy Partridge spoke to BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme about the project. You can hear her interview below.