Daniel Radosh writes in The New Yorker about Bible sales – focusing on the Protestant market, and mostly on Thomas Nelson.

To those who follow publishing, there’s nothing much new – the Bible continues to be the best-selling book in the US every year, which shouldn’t be surprising, but actually is, considering that most people who buy Bibles already own one. The answer? Most Bibles are purchased as gifts – and the rise of the Niche Bible, oft discussed here, particularly in terms of youth.

The success of the BibleZine was all the more notable for occurring in a commercial field already crowded with products and with savvy marketing ideas. This year’s annual trade show of the Christian Booksellers’ Association, in Denver, brought such innovations as “The Outdoor Bible,” printed on indestructible plastic sheets that fold up like maps, and “The Story,” which features selections from the Bible arranged in chronological order, like a novel. There is a “Men of Integrity” Bible and a “Woman, Thou Art Loosed!” Bible. For kids, there’s “The Super Heroes Bible: The Quest for Good Over Evil” and “Psalty’s Kids Bible,” featuring “Psalty, the famous singing songbook.” The “Soul Surfer Bible” has notes by Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm to a shark in 2003. “2:52 Boys Bible: The Ultimate Manual” promises “gross and gory Bible stuff.” In the “Rainbow Study Bible,” each verse is color-coded by theme. “The Promise Bible” prints every one of God’s promises in boldface. And “The Personal Promise Bible” is custom-printed with the owner’s name (“The LORD is Daniel’s shepherd”), home town (“Woe to you, Brooklyn! Woe to you, New York!”), and spouse’s name (“Gina’s two breasts are like two fawns”).

Yes, that last one is totally for real.

(Ridiculous. I thought reading the Bible literally was the thing to do, yes? So how does, you know…throwing my name in it serve that particular cause?)

Rom. 8:31-34 Amy is free from any condemning charges against her.
What then shall we say about these things? If God is for Amy, who can be against her? He who didn’t spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for Amy, how would He not also with Him freely give Amy all things? Who could bring a charge against Amy, because she is one of God’s elect? It is God who justifies Amy. Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died, and more than that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God and makes intercession for Amy.

Wow. I find that just stunning. Anyway – back to the article, which contains fairly interesting tidbits about shifts in translations styles, marketing techniques and, usefully, copyright royalty issues:

The King James Version is in the public domain, but if a company wants to publish a study Bible or a devotional Bible using a modern translation, it will have to pay royalties to the owner of that translation. Commissioning a proprietary translation is often more cost effective in the long run, especially since it can be licensed out to other publishers. Kenneth Barker, a theologian who ran the committee that translated the N.I.V. and has worked on three other translations, told me that he doesn’t think a new version will be needed for at least twenty-five years, but he doubts there will be such a long break. “We like to think that the motivation is all holy and pure,” he told me, “but finances do enter the picture, and publishers and Bible societies like to have their slice of the pie.”

It’s the eternal question of the march from evangelization to marketing. How does one evangelize in a commercial culture? Aren’t these marketing techniques inevitable and for a greater good? I mean – if you don’t market, who’s going to know that the book is even out there? It’s hard to fault anyone for that, because that’s what booksellers do. Sell books.

The niche Bible business is a tussle, as well. The stated purpose is just to get the Scriptures in the hands of as many people as possible, young women, for example, who wouldn’t buy or want to be caught dead reading a leatherette-bound volume, but who would gladly stick Revolve in their backpack. (And if sales are a measure – they were right.)

But what’s the ultimate message? The intention is communicate that God’s Word is relevant to you, no matter who you are. God’s Word fits you. But you just have to wonder about the culmulative effect of all of this: Does God’s Word fit me, or should I be trying to be formed in God’s Word, no matter how it’s packaged?

Not that Catholics don’t have their niche Bibles. Not that, er..some of us haven’t participated in providing material for one. Yeah, that. But is a Bible with apologetics inserts or a study Bible of any type (Catholic or Protestant), even one specifically directed at say, youth, really the same as this:

It’s an interesting road…Bibles more suited to the modern ear, to Bibles that include devotional material, to Bibles that are just right for you.