The difference: it will be published in the King James Version, rather than the New International Version of the Bible.

The controversial Bible project – which features a patriotic song, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and other national documents – was reportedly dropped by publishers earlier this week.

“The custom Bible’s Tennessee-based seller – marketing firm Elite Source Pro, led by Hugh Kirkpatrick – lost a manufacturing agreement to print the New International Version Bible text after a petition circulated in response to reporting by Religion Unplugged, asking Zondervan and HarperCollins to drop the project,” Religion Unplugged reported

“Neither HarperCollins nor its evangelical publishing groups Zondervan and Thomas Nelson will support the Bible product anymore.”

But the Washington Post today is reporting that Kirkpatrick has taken design work already done by HarperCollins on the God Bless the USA Bible, along with the text of the King James Version of the Bible — which is in the public domain – and sent them to several printers himself.

The 58-year-old nondenominational Kirkpatrick hopes to finalise plans for printing the Bibles, complete with an imitation leather cover, this week. Kirkpatrick is the “chief member” of a Nashville-based marketing firm who describes himself as “a Christian who loves America”.

Kirkpatrick told the Washington Post that “the audience for the Bible is people like him — who care about their country and spirituality” and that he “worries our current political divides have made it difficult for people to appreciate the country’s heritage.” This heritage refers to the country’s history post-settlement, as there is no mention of Native Americans included in the God Bless the USA Bible promotions.