WASHINGTON — The Museum of The Bible is displaying President Jimmy Carter's Bible in honor of his 100th birthday. The former President gifted his Bible to the museum personally in 2021, handing it to museum executives at his home in Georgia.
Head of curation, Bobby Duke, said the museum decided to put in on display to honor the major milestone Carter reached. It is the first time a former president has reached the age 100.
"He really wanted to celebrate the fact that the Bible is so central to his life. Most people don't know that post-presidency Jimmy Carter taught a Sunday school class in Georgia for almost up until now several years ago he had to scale back some of that work, but the Bible and teaching the Bible was something dear to the heart of Jimmy Carter," said Duke.
The Bible is currently on display at the first floor of the museum. In Carter's inaugural address, the former President quoted Micah 6:8, reinforcing his core beliefs in justice, mercy, and humility. The Bible is turned to this passage in the exhibit. This is the same Bible Carter used in the Oval Office.
"As the museum of the Bible we just find it a joy to be able to highlight not just how the Bible is inspiring to religious people all over the world but even to a former President someone who drew strength from the Bible for some of the difficult days he had to walk through," said Duke.
Carter received this copy of the New Marked Reference Bible in 1975, shortly before he was elected to office, as a Christmas present from his brother Billy. It includes President Carter’s personal notes as well as the contact information of his Sunday school teacher at First Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. After leaving office, President Carter became involved in non-profit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, inspired by biblical passages such as the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.
This is the first birthday the former president will spend without his wife, Rosalynn, who died in 2023. Carter continues hospice care in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.