The American Patriot’s Bible is a unique new edition of the New King James Version. Filled with notes about America’s history, it will cause you to think about our American legacy like never before.
What makes this Bible so unique is the nature of the notes. Unlike most study Bibles, where the notes are designed to give added insight to the Scripture text, this is really the other way around. The notes, set into the context of the Scripture, allow the text to give added insight to them. (The Scripture text, of course, stands on its own for study!) The only thing I dislike about the notes is the obvious reverence for Abraham Lincoln, an arrogant, power-hungry man who did irreparable harm to our nation. The notes are, as a whole, fascinating, and truly do inspire a sense of patriotism in the reader.
The book itself is very beautifully done. A blue hardcover, it contains some very classy images, and is primarily done in a lovely sepia ink (in addition to the black ink of the text). The front matter includes a number of family history pages, as well as some American history reference information. The back includes a list of American presidents, along with the standard maps and concordance. The notes are well-indexed.
I don’t know that I would really consider this what we think of as a “study Bible,” but it is a beautiful edition. It would make a wonderful family Bible for any patriotic American couple, honoring both their national legacy (through the notes and images) and their family legacy (through the beyond-the-basics family history pages). It could also be useful as a study tool for Christian homeschoolers as they explore our history.
This book features the NKJV text which gets frequently interrupted by patriotic quotes and editorial musings on the lives of famous people who 1) were well-known for doing something American and 2) at least once talked about God or the Bible. It also contains other illuminating commentary. What a great idea to include the “Fireman’s Prayer” after the whole fiery furnace account. Too bad those guys had never read it.
The focus of the Patriot Bible is that many instrumental people in U.S. history claimed God’s blessing. Also, the editor seems pretty sure that the great commission is to restore Christianity as the unofficial civil religion of the U.S.
In other words, scripture is hijacked for nationalistic purposes.
What about some of the other parts of our past? How about the way we got rich off of slavery? What about manifest destiny? Remember the revolutionary war where we killed lots of image-bearers over unfair taxes? (Maybe Christians should organize an army and attack Washington in 2009.) What about all the people who have had to die for our ideals? We’ve done some horrible things in the name of Christ. We’re not the first…sneezecrusadescoughcough…to try this. I almost vomited when I discovered that TPB stops in the middle of Genesis 4 to quote the text of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
This is just disgusting and sad. God forgive us for making a mockery of your Kingdom.
I was not a fan of the Battle Hymn, either, or the positive presentation of Lincoln, for that matter.
Let me firmly reiterate, though, that I do not see this as useful in the study of the Bible (apart from the fact that the biblical text is there, and can be read alone). I do think it can be useful for history study, to heavily involve Scripture.