Former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of a “God Bless the USA” Bible during the solemn period of Holy Week has generated a wave of backlash from within the Christian community, sparking discussions on sacrilege, the commercialization of faith, and the threads of Christian nationalism woven through this controversial product.
The Bible, retailing for $59.99, not only features the American flag on its cover but also includes texts like The Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of Allegiance alongside the King James Version of the Christian Scriptures. This blend of patriotism and religion has raised eyebrows and opened the floodgates to critical commentary from various religious figures.
Rev. Benjamin Cremer has vehemently criticized the commodification of faith by a political figure, arguing that “a bankrupt Christianity sees a demagogue co-opting our faith and even our holy scriptures for the sake of his own pursuit of power and praises him for it rather than insist that we refuse to allow our sacred faith and scriptures to become a mouthpiece for an empire.”
Historian and author Jemar Tisby echoed these concerns, suggesting that the project plays on people’s devotion to God and their love of country to promote a particular kind of Christianity and nationalism. Tisby, who holds a Master of Divinity degree and has written extensively about Christian nationalism, asserts that the blending of these two elements, especially with Trump as the spokesperson, is alarming and “echoes the values of Christian nationalism.”
The project has encountered stiff resistance previously. HarperCollins Christian Publishing, initially approached to publish the Bible, declined the offer, which led to the Bible being printed using the public domain King James Version instead of the more modern New International Version, which HarperCollins holds publishing rights to in the United States.
This is not the first time Trump has been at the center of a religion-related controversy. His prior use of the Bible for a photo-op in 2020 during racial justice protests, which drew criticism from religious leaders and even vocal Trump supporter televangelist Pat Robertson, has not been forgotten.
The financial aspect of the Bible’s sales raises additional questions. While the “God Bless America” Bible website clarifies that no proceeds from the sales will go towards Trump’s presidential campaign, it remains unclear whether any proceeds could be directed toward his personal legal troubles. The website states that Trump’s name, likeness, and image are under “paid license from CIC Ventures LLC,” a company directly linked to Trump in his financial disclosures.
Relevant articles:
– Why some Christians are angry about Trump’s ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible | CNN
– Trump endorses ‘God Bless the USA Bible’, Baptist Standard, Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:07:11 GMT
– Lee Greenwood hits back at critics of ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible sales: ‘Trump haters’, Yahoo News Canada, Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:11:56 GMT
– Trump rolls out ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible during Holy Week, warns Christians ‘under siege’, The Christian Post, Tue, 26 Mar 2024 20:55:32 GMT