S5, Ep. 23: The Bible doesn’t need Trump’s endorsement

04/04/24 • 35 min

When former President Donald Trump announced during Holy Week that he was endorsing the “God Bless the USA” Bible, the reaction was swift. But, beyond the punchlines and the obvious concerns, Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman discuss why the video is concerning to our current political moment and the continued rise of Christian nationalism. Not all examples are this obvious – what does this mean to those important conversations?

Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): Why is this a problem?

The New York Times has more about the video and the marketing in this article by By Michael Gold and Maggie Haberman: Trump’s Newest Venture? A $60 Bible.

Segment 2 (starting at 08:11): Reacting to the video pitch

You can watch the video endorsing the Bible at this link on YouTube.

Amanda and Holly talked about using the Bible as a prop and the idea of “divinely inspired” founding documents in episode 21 of this season, titled “But ... is it Christian nationalism?”

Dr. Jemar Tisby shared about how he and other authors worked to stop an earlier version of this Bible in an article on his Substack: Three Years Ago We Stopped Harper Collins/Zondervan from Publishing the "God Bless the USA" Bible

Segment 3 (starting at 26:44): Understanding how this is part of a larger political strategy

Holly read from this piece by Michael C. Bender in The New York Times: The Church of Trump: How He’s Infusing Christianity Into His Movement

Amanda discussed her experience attending the ReAwaken America tour in episode 22 of season 4.

Amanda read from this piece by David French in The New York Times: Trump is no Savior

Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): Why is this a problem?

The New York Times has more about the video and the marketing in this article by By Michael Gold and Maggie Haberman: Trump’s Newest Venture? A $60 Bible.

Segment 2 (starting at 08:11): Reacting to the video pitch

You can watch the video endorsing the Bible at this link on YouTube.

Amanda and Holly talked about using the Bible as a prop and the idea of “divinely inspired” founding documents in episode 21 of this season, titled “But ... is it Christian nationalism?”

Segment 3 (starting at 26:44): Understanding how this is part of a larger political strategy

Holly read from this piece by Michael C. Bender in The New York Times: The Church of Trump: How He’s Infusing Christianity Into His Movement

Amanda discussed her experience attending the ReAwaken America tour in episode 22 of season 4.

Amanda read from this piece by David French in The New York Times: Trump is no Savior

Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

Previous Episode

S5, Ep. 22: Spring break and religious holidays

There are many religious holidays in the spring, but not all are given the same public acknowledgment – from government-sponsored events to time off from school and work. Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman discuss how Christian privilege shows up in how our country recognizes and accommodates certain holidays, as well as how holidays help us understand and celebrate the religious pluralism in our country.

SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): The March Madness of spring break and public school holidays

Access “A Parent’s Guide to Religion in Public Schools” published decades ago by the National PTA and the First Amendment Center with funding from the Freedom Forum at this link on BJC’s website.

Segment 2 (starting at 15:05): Religious holidays and public officials/elected leaders

Read about Dr. Anthea Butler’s experience at the White House St. Patrick’s Day celebration in this reflection on her Substack.

Segment 3 (starting at 24:00): Reflections on Christian privilege

Amanda mentioned her forthcoming book, How to End Christian Nationalism. It releases October 22, and it is available for preorder at endchristiannationalism.com.

Read the story by Kevin Reynolds in the Salt Lake Tribune discussing Muslim players fasting during March Madness, which coincides with Ramadan: BYU doesn’t have to play on Sundays. So should the NCAA better accommodate Muslim athletes during Ramadan?

Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

Next Episode

S5, Ep. 24: Race, religion and citizenship

Hear excerpts from a special event we organized at the University of Southern California on race, religion and citizenship in this episode of Respecting Religion. The Rev. Dr. Joseph Evans and the Rev. Dr. Christopher The brought their unique experiences and expertise to a conversation on religious and racial identity, moderated by the Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard. Hear their insights about a theology of democracy, their experiences with racism, how to identify authoritarianism, and what lessons Scripture has for our current climate.

Segment 1 (starting at 00:35): The event on race, religion and citizenship

The Rev. Dr. Joseph Evans and the Rev. Dr. Christopher The were the speakers for this year’s edition of our annual Walter B. and Kay W. Shurden Lectures, titled “Whose country is it anyway?” held April 2 on the campus of the University of Southern California. Their conversation was moderated by the Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard. Click on each name to read more about them and their impressive credentials.

Listen to the entire program at this link.

The event was in partnership with USC’s Office of Religious & Spiritual Life, the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, and Berkeley School of Theology.

Learn more about BJC’s annual series at BJConline.org/ShurdenLectures.

Segment 2 (starting at 1:45): A theology of democracy, experiences of racism, and a new understanding of The New Colossus

Rev. Dr. The mentioned “warmth of other suns,” giving credit to how Isabel Wilkerson uses the phrase. She is the author of the book The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration.

Rev. Dr. The mentioned “The New Colossus,” the poem by Emma Lazarus that is inscribed on a plaque in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. You can read it here.

Segment 3 (starting at 12:29): Authoritarianism and lessons from Scripture

Rev. Dr. Evans mentioned Walter Wink, a theologian who discussed how power structures resist our need for transformation. Learn more about him in his obituary from The New York Times.

Segment 4 (starting at 18:27): Politics and access to power

Dr. Catherine Brekus delivered the 2023 Walter B. and Kay W. Shurden Lecture, which focused on the myth of American “chosenness.” Hear it in episode 23 of season 4, and listen to the panel that followed it on episode 24.

Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.