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The Christianity Today women's blog provides news and analysis from the perspective of evangelical women. We cover news stories and books related to international justice and evangelism, pregnancy and sexual ethics, marriage, parenting, and celibacy, pop culture, health and body image, raising girls, and women in the church and parachurch.Her.meneutics is edited by associate editor Katelyn Beaty and online editor Sarah Pulliam Bailey.
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July 15, 2009Breast Cancer and the Bible
Does HarperOne's forthcoming Pink Ribbon Bible push the boundaries of niche-marketing?
Gone are the days when personalizing your Bible meant choosing between a leather or patterned Bible cover.
The wide variety of Bibles currently on the market allows for customization based on age, sex, and interest. There are Bibles for teenage girls (with "a unique design that fits her lifestyle") and college students, Bibles for men and Bibles for women, picture-book Bibles (even Manga Bibles), and Bibles for occasions, like the American Patriot's Bible, released by Thomas Nelson this summer to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Now you can also customize the Bible to a particular cause. Last year, HarperOne released The Green Bible, to "help you see that caring for the earth is not only a calling, but a lifestyle"; now Tyndale House has a Hungry Planet Bible (part of a project "raising awareness of the plight of the homeless and hungry") and a Pray for a Cure Bible aimed at breast cancer support, released in 2007. This September, HarperOne will release the Pink Ribbon Bible. One dollar of every purchase will go to the Pink Ribbon Girls, a nonprofit organization providing support, education, and awareness of breast cancer. Although Pink Ribbon Girls is not a Christian nonprofit, founder Tracie Metzger says the Bible was an encouragement in her own battle with breast cancer.
These specialty Bibles allow their owners to identify themselves by a cause they feel passionate about, not just their stage of life or color preference. But are we shaping the Bible to our lifestyle more than molding our lifestyle to the Bible?
Tyndale House suggests that its Hungry Planet Bible is ideal as a gift for the homeless people encountered in your life. Likewise, HarperOne suggests the Pink Ribbon Bible is a perfect way to express your support for a friend struggling with breast cancer. Both ideas seem good, at least on the surface: maybe a homeless person would feel touched, and maybe a friend would feel loved and encouraged. But maybe that homeless person would rather have a meal, or that friend doesn't want to be defined by her disease.
More issues are raised by this type of personalization: Is it appropriate to co-opt the Bible, even for a good cause? Does personalization dilute the Bible's primary purpose? In a recent First Things essay, Wheaton College English professor Alan Jacobs responds to The Green Bible, raising a theological concern with tailoring our Bible to a cause. He challenges the idea of "start[ing] with things we know to be true from trusted sources — Al Gore, perhaps? — and then . . . turn to Scripture to measure it against those preexisting and reliable authorities."
Issues like feeding the hungry, caring for creation, and supporting breast cancer victims are clearly things that Christians should and do care about. And these customized Bibles may be effective in raising awareness and funds for such matters. But at what point does personalizing the Bible cross a line? When does customizing our Bible's binding or study notes become an attempt to customize God?
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Comments
I await a Bible that I can give to those struggling with prostate cancer.
Posted By: Timbo | July 15, 2009 4:33 PM
As a Cancer Survivor I was disappointed to walk into my Bible Book Store and find this Bible staring at me.. I know they say they pour money into research, but you sure see a lot of American Airlines airplanes with pink ribbons,on them these days. Another one of their "Million Dollar Sponsors "New Balance Tennis Shoes., are now sporting the Pink Ribbon on their shoes and thought that deserved a jump in price. It sure didn't make for a better shoe. I'm tired of the pink ribbon. It represents to me nothing more than someone making a buck off of sick people. If you have Breast Cancer, just try and call them and ask for some type of Financial Assistance. I guarantee, You will be referred elsewhere..
Posted By: Karla | July 15, 2009 5:13 PM
Thank you: very thought provoking. My response here:
Bibles for Causes: how far should we go?
Posted By: Phil Groom | July 16, 2009 2:23 AM
Many of these topics (the environment, social justice ect) are indeed important topics that Christians should care about. They would make great topics for books. I'm not convinced that it should go in bibles as well. While if they stop to think about it people would know that the extra material isn't on the same level as the bible, it does concern me that having this stuff bound in with the bible lowers peoples levels of discernment about it. Some of the content i have seen in themed bibles/biblezenes is very questionable.
Posted By: Joanna | July 16, 2009 8:32 AM
The Hungry Planet Bible the author is referring to is a $1.49 pocket NT meant to be bought in bulk to supply food banks and homeless shelters with inexpensive NTs with specific messages of hope for those who might feel hopeless.
This small NT is just a small part of the hungry planet bible project, a video documentary and audio bible product that gives the homeless and hungry a face and voice. The project also features organizations and ministries that are making a difference, and includes resources for individuals and groups to make a difference in their community.
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to fully inform your readership of the breadth and scope of our project, and to be more specific on the format and purpose of the small printed NT you mentioned in the article.
You can follow me, my wife, and our three year old daughter on our 10,000 mile journey across the US visiting these ministries and recording people's stories of hopelessness to hope at http://www.hpbp.org
Blessings,
Michael DiMarco
CEO - Hungry Planet
Posted By: Michael DiMarco | July 16, 2009 11:28 PM
Just yesterday I gave a Bible for Boys to an 11 year old boy while I was out for
lunch with his family. He was overjoyed and immeadiatly began to read the footnotes. The waitress commented on how interested he was and so happy to have his Own Bible. I think it is an amazing tool to get kids interested in God's
Holy Word. I was so thankful that there was such a book for boys.
Posted By: Meg Horton | July 17, 2009 9:11 AM
I think some of the specific genre Bibles are great.. but I share your mixed feelings on the Breast Cancer version. I would also rather give my money directly to a more recognized charitable source than Harper Books where more than just $1 is going to research. This is purely capitalizing on an illness.
Posted By: SJ | July 22, 2009 5:03 PM
I'm with Karla on this one. As a IBC survivor I grew very tired of the pink gifts. Although well meaning, when you walk through a grocery store in October and all the packaging is pink, you have to wonder how much is REALLY going to BC research. It really looks to us like it's a gimic to sell another product.
Posted By: Jennifer | August 8, 2009 7:30 PM
I have had invasive breast cancer 8 years ago, do not call myself a "survivor", never have worn a pink ribbon. In 2008 I was diagnosed and treated for 3 additional primary cancers. I do not wear any of those things which would identify me as a cancer "survivor". Aren't we all survivors by the grace of God? No such Bible could ever be attractive for me. The unadorned word of God is sufficient to those who read it with a longing to know it and through it to grow closer to our awesome Creator and Father God.
Posted By: Anonymous | November 24, 2009 10:30 AM