Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a patriotic copy of the Christian Bible themed to Lee Greenwood鈥檚 famous song, 鈥淕od Bless the USA.鈥
鈥淗appy Holy Week!鈥 Trump Tuesday, during the most solemn period of the Christian calendar, the last week of the Lenten season marking the suffering and death of Jesus. 鈥淎s we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible.鈥
The concept of a Bible covered in the American flag, as well as a former president鈥檚 endorsement of a text Christians consider to be sacred, has raised concern among religious circles.
It鈥檚 also raised questions about Trump鈥檚 motivations, as the former president finds himself in the middle of several expensive legal battles.
鈥楽acrilege,鈥 theology, and the shadow of Christian nationalism
The US$59.99 Bible, which was first published in 2021, features an American flag and the words 鈥淕od Bless the USA鈥 printed on the cover. Inside, it has the words to 鈥淕od Bless the USA鈥 and the text of The Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and other historic American documents. Promotional material for the Bible shows the former president alongside country singer Lee Greenwood.
Responses to Trump鈥檚 social media announcement called the endorsement 鈥,鈥 鈥溾 and 鈥溾 and directly from the Bible that suggest taking advantage of people鈥檚 faith for money should be condemned.
鈥淚t is a bankrupt Christianity that sees a demagogue co-opting our faith and even our holy scriptures for the sake of his own pursuit of power and praise him for it rather than insist that we refuse to allow our sacred faith and scriptures to become a mouthpiece for an empire,鈥 said on X.
Jason Cornwall, , said on X that Trump鈥檚 Bible endorsement was a violation of one of the Ten Commandments of the Hebrew Testament that forbids taking God鈥檚 name in vain.
However, the criticism doesn鈥檛 end with whether or not Trump鈥檚 endorsement is un-Christian or not. In fact, it鈥檚 just the beginning.
Historian and author says the whole project echoes the values of 鈥 the idea that America was founded as a Christian nation and the government should work to sanction Christianity on a national scale. The are historically tied to prejudice, nativism and white supremacy.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a very long tradition of what is included and what is not included in the Bible,鈥 Tisby told CNN.
鈥淲hat has caused outrage with this Bible is that it includes the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and even the lyrics to a Lee Greenwood song. So it鈥檚 adding to the Bible, and it鈥檚 adding specific political documents to the Bible that completely erase the separation of church and state.鈥
Tisby, who holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, has written about the dangers of Christian nationalism 鈥 both for the country and the Christian faith.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 so pernicious about this is it plays on people鈥檚 devotion to God and their love of country, either of which by themselves could be innocuous or even good,鈥 he said.
鈥淏ut in this effort, it is blending the two. And with Trump as the spokesperson, is conveying a very clear message about what kind of Christianity and what kind of love of nation (he is) promoting.鈥
When Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, for the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, saw Trump鈥檚 Bible endorsement, he said he saw a politician using fears rooted in racism and prejudice to promote a specific Christian ideology.
鈥淲hen I hear 鈥楳ake America Pray Again,鈥 I hear Christian nationalist promises that we are going to somehow 鈥榬estore鈥 Christianity in this country. And if authoritarianism does come to the United States, it鈥檚 all but guaranteed it will be done in the name of Christianity, which is a very scary thought.鈥
Graves-Fitzsimmons holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City and also works with the group . He says things like the 鈥淕od Bless America鈥 Bible overlook the many, many Christians who do not agree with Trump鈥檚 politics or the blending of patriotism with faith.
鈥淭here is a diversity within American Christianity that gets overlooked whenever politics and religion intersect,鈥 he told CNN. 鈥淭here鈥檚 this false notion that most American Christians are pushing for , and are anti-LGBTQ, and the . Christians, I would argue, are the ones who are most concerned about the effects of Christian nationalism in this country.鈥
This version of the Bible has drawn controversy before
The 鈥淕od Bless the USA鈥 Bible drew and publishers when it was published in 2021. It was originally supposed to be published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, but the company passed on the deal.
HarperCollins that pushback to the concept was not a factor in their decision. (Eagle-eyed Bible buffs will note this is why the Trump-backed tome uses the King James Version of the text, which is in the public domain. ( to the bestselling translation of the Bible.)
Tisby has published three books under Zondervan, the HarperCollins imprint specializing in religious publications. He was among the imprint鈥檚 writers who tried to discourage them from publishing the 鈥淕od Bless the USA鈥 Bible when the idea was first introduced.
鈥淲e did not want to be associated with a publisher who鈥檚 going to publish a Bible like this,鈥 he said. 鈥淎nd I think it took on an elevated sense of urgency because we鈥檙e not just talking about someone鈥檚 book. We鈥檙e talking about the sacred text of the Bible.鈥
While there are innumerable versions of the Bible 鈥 ranging widely in price, theme, and additions like indices, references, maps and graphs 鈥 this particular combination of the Bible and a beloved patriotic song is especially potent.
Such a notion doesn鈥檛 come as a surprise to , an Anglican vicar in Pflugerville, Texas. Peters served as an enlisted Marine Corps and Army Chaplain and was deployed to Iraq in 2005.
鈥淚 am reminded of how we closed every Marine Corps boot camp chapel service with Lee Greenwood鈥檚 鈥楪od Bless the USA鈥,鈥 he told CNN. 鈥淲e鈥檇 all sing and cry. The only emotional release in the week.鈥
He says the range of reactions to something like a patriotic Bible shows just how different American Christianity can be, depending on the denomination or community.
鈥淚 think the essence of liberal progressive faith is compassion, so it is mind boggling (to such people) how someone could say they were a Christian and follow a guy who is very much not compassionate.鈥
For people who view Christianity differently, or who are already unshakeable supporters of Trump, Peters says he doubts this latest incident will do anything to shake their faith.
鈥淚 think it will confirm (to them) that their critics are out of touch,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hy would anyone object to a Bible?鈥
It鈥檚 not clear where proceeds from the Bible鈥檚 sales will go
In addition to the multitude of theological questions it raises, Trump鈥檚 endorsement of the 鈥淕od Bless the USA鈥 Bible coincides with that could put the presumptive Republican nominee for president on the line for hundreds of millions of dollars.
The FAQ section of the clarifies that no proceeds from the sales of the Bible will go towards Trump鈥檚 presidential campaign. However, there is no mention of whether any proceeds could be put toward his personal legal troubles.
鈥淣o, GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign. GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed or controlled by Donald J. Trump, The Trump Organization, CIC Ventures LLC or any of their respective principals or affiliates,鈥 the site reads.
However, it goes on to say Trump鈥檚 name, likeness and image are under 鈥減aid license from CIC Ventures LLC.鈥 CIC Ventures is in his 2023 public financial disclosures.
CNN has reached out to EliteSource Pro, the marketing company behind the 鈥淕od Bless the USA鈥 Bible, for more information.
Trump has been criticized before for his use of the Bible in public settings. In 2020, religious leaders from several Christian denominations in a 鈥減hoto-op鈥 in front of an Episcopal church near the White House as racial justice protests raged around the country.
鈥淵ou just don鈥檛 do that, Mr. President,鈥 televangelist and Pat Robertson said of the incident. 鈥淚t isn鈥檛 cool!鈥
In 2015, Trump also called the Bible his favorite book, but to share a favorite verse.
