Christian Publishers Say Trump’s Tariffs Could Cause Shortage of Bibles, Hurting Evangelism Efforts and Making Scripture More Expensive

In this July 5, 2019 Bibles are displayed in Miami. Religious publishers say President Trump’s most recently proposed tariffs on Chinese imports could result in a Bible shortage. That’s because millions of Bibles, some estimates put it at 150 million or more, are now printed in China each year. Critics of a proposed tariff say it would not only make the Bible more expensive for consumers, it would also hurt the evangelical efforts of Christian organizations that give away Bibles as part of their ministry. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Religious publishers say President Donald Trump’s most recent proposed tariffs on Chinese imports could result in a Bible shortage.

That’s because millions of Bibles — some estimates put it at 150 million or more — are printed in China each year. Critics of a proposed tariff say it would make the Bible more expensive for consumers and hurt the evangelism efforts of Christian organizations that give away Bibles as part of their ministry.

HarperCollins Christian Publishing President and CEO Mark Schoenwald recently told the U.S. Trade Representative that the company believes the Trump administration “never intended to impose a ‘Bible Tax’ on consumers and religious organizations,” according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the publisher.

The two largest Bible publishers in the United States, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, are owned by HarperCollins, and they incur close to 75% of their Bible manufacturing expenses in China, Schoenwald said. Together, they command 38% of the American Bible market, he…

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