Museum of the Bible exhibits wartime artifacts tracing faith in conflict

The Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., has unveiled its "Bible in Times of War" exhibit, which displays surviving artifacts to illustrate how American service members utilized Scripture for strength and hope across generations of conflict. The display opens as the United States marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.

Wesley Viner, an early modern curator at the museum and a Marine veteran, curated the special display. He stated that the collection preserves stories of ordinary Americans whose names might otherwise have vanished from history. Among the prominent items are "Heart Shield Bibles," small pocket-sized books with thin metal covers carried by service members during World War II and the Korean War.

These Bibles were frequently purchased by relatives for deploying soldiers and designed to fit into a breast pocket over the heart. While popular lore suggests the metal covers could stop bullets, Viner noted that such tales are likely exaggerated. He explained that the thin metal was unlikely to stop high-speed ammunition, though it might have offered protection from shrapnel or flying debris. Viner described the shield as largely symbolic, representing a source of protection and strength for families.

Handwritten notes inside the covers provide direct evidence of this hope. Messages such as "To my dear boy, may God keep you safe" and "praying for you at Christmas" appear in several artifacts. Viner observed that in many cases, historians do not know who wrote or received these messages, a anonymity he believes adds to their power.

One specific artifact allows for a partial reconstruction of the life of John Weissenheimer, a soldier in the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The unit was largely German-speaking and fought in battles including Gettysburg. Weissenheimer enlisted in his late 40s, an age older than typical for soldiers at the time. An inscription in his Bible places him later at Lincoln Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he served with the Invalid Corps, a unit composed of injured or disabled soldiers. Viner stated that without this Bible, Weissenheimer would remain a largely forgotten name in history.

The exhibit also includes a Bible taken to Antarctica in the 1950s by Navy chaplain Peter Boal during Operation Deep Freeze. Boal gave the book to a man identified only as "Bill," whom Viner believes may be Petty Officer William Stroop. The inscription reads, "Best of luck on your journey. We'll be praying for you. We hope the Lord brings you back safely." This artifact demonstrates the Bible's role in non-combat frontiers, serving Americans in isolated environments.

One of the oldest items in the display is a German-language Bible printed in Philadelphia in 1776 by Christoph Sauer. Known as the "Gun-Wad Bible," it is associated with conflicting legends about whether British soldiers or American colonists used its pages for musket wadding. Viner said there is likely little truth to either story but noted that both reflect the high regard people had for Scripture at the time.

Surviving Bibles also contain mundane records of service members' movements. One World War I soldier used blank pages to document his journey from his hometown through recruiting depots, New York, England, and France before returning home. Viner concluded that while service members responded to war's stresses in different ways, many turned to Scripture for strength, courage, relief, and hope.