Bible Aimed at Black Teens Begins With Black National Anthem

Far be it from me to criticize any effort to bring teens into a positive spiritual environment, but I'll admit that I was surprised to see that Bible-publishing powerhouse Zondervan had crafted a Bible designed to appeal to black youngster that starts with the lyrics of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing.' From Christianbook.com:

Our Heritage and Faith Holy Bible for African-American Teens in the New International Version helps teens understand their heritage and enables them to identify and interact with Scripture. Focusing on the traditions of the African-American church, the 106 pages of articles and essays help teens come to know the roots of their lives, their forms of worship and their faith in God. Photos and illustrations are included on tip-in pages to enhance the teen's experience of learning about their heritage. Ideal for teens ages 13–16.

I still don't understand the inclusion of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' in the book of holy Gospel. As I see it, although the black national anthem is a heavenly song, its lyrics are secular. The creators of this new Bible version, though, see it differently.

Our Heritage and Faith Holy Bible for African-American Teens in the New International Version is the brainchild of Wade Hudson, president and CEO of Just Us Books, who partnered with Zondervan. In a recent interview, Hudson explained his thinking.

"We came up with the concept and idea because we feel that often in our churches, we tend to miss young people," said Hudson, who created the book with his wife, Cheryl Willis Hudson. "They're not getting the necessary information about the tenets of faith. Some Sunday school teachers are doing a wonderful job, but so many of our young people don't even go to church. So we developed some concepts to engage them, interest them and motivate them to learn more about God's words." Source: New Bible for black teens aims to bring God down to earth, theGrio.com

So what do YOU think? Does it matter that this version of the Bible kicks off with the black national anthem? Do YOU think black youth will be more engaged?