A recent study by a team of Christian researchers revealed that more Americans are reading the Bible than in previous years, with many saying that Scripture guides their lives and the way they make decisions, as well as describing the Bible as a book worth reading many times over throughout one’s life.
For context, in a statement published by Lifeway Research on May 13, 2025, the same day as the release of the study, the Christian organization revealed that Americans’ views of the Bible have generally shifted in a positive direction, with Lifeway team member Aaron Earls explaining that the organization’s new study concluded that 44% of Americans say that Bible is a book “to read over and over again,” along with 9% who say they have read the entire Bible more than once.
In the statement released by Lifeway Research, team member Aaron Earls explained that based on the survey’s results, “9 in 10 Americans have read at least some of the Bible,” adding that “4 in 5 have read more than a few sentences, and 1 in 5 have read the entire Bible at least once.” Earls added, “Those who attend religious services more than once a year are among the most likely to say they’ve read all the Bible.”
In addition, the statement revealed that most Americans (55%) describe the Bible as “a good source of morals,” with 48% saying the Bible is “true” and 45% saying it is “life-changing.” Furthermore, a reported mere 9% of Americans describe the Bible as “outdated,” and only 5% call it “bigoted.” Earls noted that the overwhelming majority of Americans (81%) used “positive descriptors” to refer to the Bible.
Along with revealing insights about Americans’ views of the Bible, the study also showed that 34% of American Bible readers engage with scripture by “systematically reading through a section a little each day,” along with an additional 34% “looking up verses or sections suggested by others,” and 33% “looking up things when they have a need.”
Reflecting on the results of the study, Bible publisher Andy McClean explained that along with the U.S., the rest of the world has been “experiencing a significant increase in Bible sales,” He added, “Of course, with that increase in sales, one would also hope that Bible engagement is on the rise. In other words, we want people reading their newly purchased Bibles, which I think shows up in the data and my experience as a Bible publisher.”
Continuing, McLean said that based on the study’s results, he sees “a new generation of those who are genuinely curious about the Bible and are researching and reading it perhaps for the first time.” The Bible publisher continued, “And as a result of actually engaging with the text of Scripture, there’s been a clear shift in people believing that the biblical message is true, life-changing, historically accurate, and helpful for today.”
Furthermore, McConnell explained that the recent study “did not focus on the frequency that Americans read the Bible,” but he clarified that the results do indicate that “more Americans are open to engaging and referencing the Bible in more ways.” He added, “Some of this Bible reading growth may be aspirational, as we still don’t see 4 in 10 Americans reading the Bible with the same approach.”
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