After Nearly A Year’s Delay, Plan To Make The Bible Tennessee’s Official Book Back On Track

A measure making the Holy Bible the official book of the state of Tennessee is back on track, nearly a year after it was last discussed.

The Senate Judiciary Committee agreed Tuesday to reopen debate over the proposal and send it back to the floor of the state Senate. The decision marked the first action on
Senate Bill 1108 since lawmakers backed away from it in the final days of the legislative session last April.

The main argument against making the Bible the state’s official book has been that it violates the separation of church and state.

The proposal drew national attention last spring. That prompted senators to send it back to committee for further discussion, rather than taking a vote on the measure.

But supporters say the legislation recognizes the Bible’s historical importance — not its religious nature. That same argument has been used to support placing monuments of the Ten Commandments on government property, and state Sen. Steve Southerland, the Morristown Republican behind the proposal, notes the U.S. Supreme Court found that practice was constitutional in
a 2005 ruling.

“What we’re doing is using the Supreme Court case as a guideline to make sure it’s historical and not religious,” Southerland says.

Several senators say they’re still making up their minds, but they believe the issue deserves to be put to a vote. That could come as early as next week.

The Tennessee House of Representatives approved making the Bible the official state book last year.