(RNS) — The state of Oklahoma is in the market for some Bibles.
They might get some help from Donald Trump.
The state’s education department is on the hunt for 55,000 copies of the Scriptures, bound in leather or a similar material and including a mix of religious and historic documents like the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
While the Bible remains one of the most popular books for sale, few versions fit Oklahoma’s requirements, according to Oklahoma Watch, which contacted Mardell, a major Christian retailer where none of the 2,900 Bibles on sale reportedly fit the bid criteria.
One Bible that might fit is country singer Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” Bible, which President Trump endorses. That Bible has the right translation and historic documents and is available in leather for about $60.
“The supplier must provide only the King James Version Bible for historical accuracy and contain both the Old and New Testaments,” according to a bid description for the Bibles, published by Oklahoma Watch, a nonprofit investigative publication. “The supplier’s Bible must include copies of The United States Pledge of Allegiance, The U.S. Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, and The U.S. Bill of Rights.”
Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of public instruction, has championed teaching the Bible in public schools and has mandated that it be taught in grades 5-12. That mandate seems to have prompted the quest to buy the Bibles.
FILE – Ryan Walters, Republican candidate for Oklahoma State Superintendent, speaks at a rally, Nov. 1, 2022, in Oklahoma City. Republican State Superintendent Walters ordered public schools Thursday, June 27, 2024, to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
The bid description does not mention the Apocrypha — a group of texts found in Catholic Bibles — but does ban any “study guides, publisher narration, or additional commentary.”
The “We the People Bible,” endorsed by Donald Trump Jr., might also fit the bill. That Bible is available in packs of 10 for about $500 online and has the state education department’s desired documents.
Other patriotic versions of the Bible might not qualify for the bid. The “American Patriot’s Bible” — which is available online — has the King James Version and patriotic images but does not appear to have the Constitution or Declaration of Independence.
The “Founder’s Bible,” from controversial conservative author David Barton, has the wrong translation and about 1,000 pages of commentary about the Bible and America’s history. It also does not appear to have the founding documents.
One caveat could derail Trump’s favorite Bible from ending up in the hands of Oklahoma school kids. The “God Bless the USA” Bible includes lyrics from Greenwood’s hit song, which might be disqualifying content.
A spokesman for the “God Bless the USA” Bible did not respond to a request for comment about whether a bid for that Bible will be submitted to Oklahoma.
When asked if the “God Bless the USA” Bible was eligible, Dan Isett, communications director for the Oklahoma Department of Education, declined to comment, saying it would be inappropriate since the bidding process is now open.
Former President Donald Trump, left, and musician Lee Greenwood on the website for the “God Bless the USA” Bible. (Screen grab)
“We are excited to bring back the Bible in its essential historical and literary context to Oklahoma classrooms,” he said in an email. “Superintendent Walters has committed the agency to an open and transparent RFP (request for proposal) process, consistent with the norms for state procurement, that will be adequate to meet the needs of Oklahoma classrooms. There are hundreds of Bible publishers and we expect a robust competition for this proposal.”
The “God Bless the USA” Bible’s controversial history could prove to be an advantage in the bidding process. An earlier version of the Bible, featuring a licensed version of the New International Version, was canceled after public outcry in 2021. That led the group marketing the “God Bless the USA” Bible to switch to the King James Version, which fits the bid proposal.
Greenwood’s project found new life earlier this year when Donald Trump released a video promoting it. (That endorsement is a paid promotion.) The Trump campaign has also used “God Bless the USA,” Greenwood’s 1984 hit patriotic song, at rallies.
Fans of the former president can also buy a signed version of the “God Bless the USA” Bible for $1,000. For those looking for a less expensive option, a “The Day God Intervened” version of the Bible is available for $60 — featuring a cover embossed with July 12, 2024, the date of the failed assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Some religious followers of Trump have claimed that God miraculously intervened to save the former president’s life.
