Kohima: The Bible Society of India (BSI) officially stopped all future printing of the Sümi Bible. A lawsuit forced this immediate shutdown. The organization spent over 215 years serving the Christian community since its 1811 founding. It claims the current controversy caused severe reputational damage.
The BSI states it did not invent any of the controversial terminology in the 2025 edition. The Sümi Baptist Convention (SBC) requested the re-editing project back in 2013. The society followed standard procedures, including proofreading and approval by the editor representing the SBC before it went to the printer.
Advocate Surjya Das of the Calcutta High Court initiated the litigation. Kahuto Chishi engaged the lawyer on behalf of the Society for Sümi Language Preservation. The BSI maintains that its silence during the dispute was not an admission of guilt. "God’s Word for God’s World" remains the organization’s motto.
The BSI delivered the printed volumes to the SBC. The SBC maintains sole ownership and custody of these books. Therefore, the BSI insists that decisions regarding the recall, distribution, or non-use of the 2025 edition rest solely with the churches. The society hopes to resume its ministry once the parties reach a resolution rooted in forgiveness.
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