Trump Endorses God Bless the USA Bible: Controversy and Criticism

TFD – Delve into the controversy stirred by former President Trump’s endorsement of the God Bless the USA Bible, raising questions about Christian nationalism, theological integrity, and financial motives.

Officially, former President Donald Trump is offering a Christian Bible with a patriotic theme based on the well-known hymn “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood.

“Happy Week of Easter!” During the most serious time of the Christian calendar—the final week of Lent, which commemorates Jesus’ suffering and death—Trump made the announcement on social media on Tuesday. “I urge you to get a copy of God Bless The USA Bible as we approach Good Friday and Easter.”

Religious communities are alarmed by the idea of a Bible draped in the American flag and the former president’s support of a book that is revered by Christians. It has also sparked concerns about Trump’s intentions, given that the former president is embroiled in a number of costly legal disputes.

Theology, “sacrilege,” and the specter of Christian nationalism

First released in 2021, the $59.99 Bible has the phrase “God Bless the USA” printed on the cover with an American flag. It contains the phrase “God Bless the USA” as well as passages from the Pledge of Allegiance, the Declaration of Independence, and other important American writings. Bible promotional materials feature the former president with country music artist Lee Greenwood.

Following Trump’s social media statement, comments referred to the endorsement as “sacrilege,” “heresy,” and “borderline offensive” and quoted biblical passages endorsing the idea that exploiting people’s faith for financial gain is wrong.

Reverend Benjamin Cremer on X said, “It 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.”

South Carolina pastor Jason Cornwall said on X that Trump’s Bible support violated one of the Hebrew Ten Commandments, which prohibits using God’s name in vain.

Whether or not Trump’s endorsement is un-Christian is not the end of the criticism, though. It’s really only the beginning.

According to historian and author Jemar Tisby, the initiative as a whole reflects the principles of Christian nationalism, which holds that since America was created as a Christian nation, the government ought to endeavor to support Christianity on a national level. Christian nationalism has historically been associated with nativism, bigotry, and white supremacy.

According to Tisby, CNN, “there is a very long tradition of what is included and what is not included in the Bible.”

The fact that this Bible contains the US Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and even lyrics to a song by Lee Greenwood has outraged many. Thus, the Bible is being expanded upon, and particular political texts that totally undermine the division of church and state are being added.

Tisby, a writer on the perils of Christian nationalism for the nation and the Christian faith, received his Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.

He claimed that the reason this is so harmful is that it preys on people’s love of their nation and their devotion to God, both of which have the potential to be positive traits on their own.

However, this endeavor is combining the two. Additionally, Trump, serving as the spokesperson, is sending a very obvious message about the kind of Christianity and patriotism that he supports.

The BJC Center for Faith, Justice, and Reconciliation’s communications director, Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, said he saw a politician exploiting prejudiced and racist sentiments to advance a particular Christian ideology when he saw Trump’s Bible endorsement.

“When I hear Christian nationalists say, ‘Make America Pray Again,’ I hear pledges to somehow’restore’ Christianity in this nation. It’s also almost a given that dictatorship will be introduced to the US under the guise of Christianity, which is a very unsettling notion.

A graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City, Graves-Fitzsimmons is also employed by Christians Against Christian Nationalism. He asserts that statements like the Bible’s “God Bless America” ignore the countless number of Christians who disagree with Trump’s political views and his merging of faith and nationalism.

“Whenever politics and religion collide, there is a diversity within American Christianity that gets overlooked,” he stated to CNN. There is a misconception that the majority of American Christians support anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion laws; in reality, the reverse is true. I would contend that the people most worried by Christian nationalism’s consequences in our nation are Christians.

This translation of the Bible has already generated debate.

When the “God Bless the USA” Bible was released in 2021, it caused controversy among locals and publishers. HarperCollins Christian Publishing was originally slated to publish it, but the firm declined the offer.

HarperCollins stated in 2021 that they made their choice without considering opposition to the idea. Bible enthusiasts with keen eyes will observe that this explains why the text used in the Trump-endorsed book is from the public domain, the King James Version. (HarperCollins is the US publication rights holder for the best-selling Bible translation, New International Version.)

Under the HarperCollins imprint Zondervan, which specializes in Christian publications, Tisby has released three novels. When the notion of printing the “God Bless the USA” Bible was first floated, he was one of the writers for the imprint who attempted to dissuade them from doing so.

“We didn’t want to be connected to a publisher that would release a Bible in this manner,” he remarked. We’re not simply talking about someone’s book, so I believe there was an increased sense of urgency. We are discussing the Bible’s sacred text.

The Bible is available in countless forms, with differences in price, subject matter, and extras like indexes, references, maps, and graphs. However, this specific pairing of the Bible with a well-known patriotic hymn is very powerful.

David W. Peters, an Anglican vicar in Pflugerville, Texas, is not surprised by this idea. In 2005, Peters was sent to Iraq as an enlisted member of the Marine Corps and an Army Chaplain.

“It reminds me of how we used to end every Marine Corps boot camp chapel service with ‘God Bless the USA,'” the man said to CNN. We would all cry and sing. The sole outlet for emotions during the week.

According to him, the variety of responses to something as simple as a patriotic Bible demonstrates how varied American Christianity can be, contingent upon the group or religion.

“I believe that compassion is at the core of liberal progressive faith, so it baffles (such people) how someone could claim to be a Christian and follow a man who embodies very little compassion.”

Those who have a different perspective on Christianity or who are ardent Trump fans, according to Peters, are unlikely to be moved by this most recent event to question their beliefs.

He stated, “I believe it will validate (for them) that their detractors are misguided.” “What could possibly be wrong with a Bible?”

The intended use of the Bible’s sales revenues is unclear.

Trump’s support of the “God Bless the USA” Bible not only begs numerous theological issues, but it also comes at the time of multiple legal disputes that might cost the presumed Republican nominee for president hundreds of millions of dollars.

The “God Bless America” Bible website’s FAQ section makes it clear that no money from Bible sales will support Trump’s presidential campaign. It is not said, though, if the money made would be used to help with his own legal issues.

“No, GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not associated with any political campaign and is not political in nature. According to the website, GodBlessTheUSABible.com is not owned, managed, or controlled by CIC Ventures LLC, The Trump Organization, Donald J. Trump, or any of their affiliates or principals.

It continues, though, by stating that Trump’s name, image, and likeness are protected by a “paid license from CIC Ventures LLC.” In his official financial filings for 2023, Trump maintains a direct connection with CIC Ventures.

For further information, CNN has been in touch with EliteSource Pro, the marketing firm that created the “God Bless the USA” Bible.

Trump’s use of the Bible in public has drawn criticism in the past. As racial justice demonstrations erupted across the nation in 2020, religious leaders from a number of Christian denominations denounced his placement of the Bible in a “photo-op” in front of an Episcopal church close to the White House.

Pat Robertson, a prominent Trump supporter and televangelist, described the incident as “you just don’t do that, Mr. President.” “That’s not cool at all!”

Trump declared the Bible to be his favorite book in 2015, but he notoriously refused to give a favorite passage.