(ZENIT News / Washington, 04.27.2026).- American Bible Society on April 9 released the first chapter of its 16th annual State of the Bible report, which tracks and analyzes Americans’ perspectives on the Bible, faith, and the church. Chapter 1—“The Bible in America”—reveals an increase of 9 million people since 2024 who are open to the message of the Bible but not deeply engaged with it. The new research also examines levels of Scripture Engagement, Bible Use, faith participation, and Bible reading practices. The first chapter of State of the Bible: USA 2026 is now available to download at StateoftheBible.org.
“With another year of State of the Bible underway, it is our prayer at American Bible Society that these findings, accompanied by the resources we’re pairing with each chapter, will equip church leaders. Our hope is to empower them to effectively minister to and care for those who are curious about the Bible, fostering a deeper understanding of the transformational impact of Scripture,” said Dr. Jennifer Holloran, President and CEO of American Bible Society.
This year’s resources will include the continuation of the State of the Bible podcast series, which offers in-depth discussion of the research findings with subject matter experts. In addition, each chapter will be accompanied by a Church Leader’s Toolkit featuring graphs and sermon notes, as well as insight videos that highlight key takeaways from State of the Bible.
“Last year, we saw an uptick in Bible reading in the United States. Bible sales increased. We heard discussions about revival. But this year Bible Use and Scripture Engagement have generally returned to 2024 levels.” said Dr. John Farquhar Plake, American Bible Society’s Chief Innovation Officer and editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible series. “Though Scripture engagement has come back down, the number of Americans who are interested in and open to the Bible has swelled by 9 million people over the last 2 years. Bible Curious Americans tell us that they would welcome someone to guide them through the complexity of the Bible”.
State of the Bible findings come from a nationally representative survey designed by American Bible Society and fielded by NORC at the University of Chicago, using their AmeriSpeak panel. The data came from 2,649 online and phone interviews with American adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data were collected from January 8-27, 2026.
Key findings analyzed in Chapter 1: The Bible in America
- People who are curious about the Bible—the “Movable Middle”—now account for 28% of the population, an increase of 9 million people since 2024. This growth appears to have primarily come from those who were formerly disengaged with Scripture, a segment that has shrunk by 5 million adults over the last two years. Meanwhile, the Scripture Engaged segment has returned to levels close to those of 2024 (17%) (page 4).
- Half of Americans say they have read half of the Bible or more.
- One-third of respondents report having read all or most of the Bible, including 17% of those who say they have read it in its entirety.
- Only 10% of Americans say they have not read any of the Bible (pages 15-16).
- Printed Bibles remain the most popular medium for Bible Users, with nearly 80% of respondents reading a printed Bible at least Digital text is a close second, used at least monthly by more than three in five (62%) users (pages 20-22).
- When looking at the formats used by generation, Millennials and Gen Z adults use digital Bibles slightly more frequently than printed versions. However, almost 75% of Bible Users in both generations report reading Scripture in both print and digital formats at least monthly.
- Regarding Bible attitudes and practices, 64% of those who report that the Bible has transformed their life have read most or all of the text. Conversely, 60% of those who agree that “The Bible was written to control or manipulate other people” have read little or none of it, suggesting they’ve come to conclusions about the Bible without reading it for themselves (page 16).
- Nearly three-quarters (74%) of those who use a Bible reading guide, schedule, plan, or program have read most or all of the Bible
Continuing monthly through November 2026, seven distinct chapters in this year’s State of the Bible series will be released. Upcoming chapter highlights include findings on parenting, artificial intelligence, and calling and purpose.
About American Bible Society
For over 200 years, American Bible Society has remained committed to its mission of making the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so that all people may experience its life-changing message. We believe the Bible is the ultimate source of truth with the power to transform lives and eternities, and for over two centuries, we have seen it do exactly this as millions have received God’s Word and discovered the powerful hope of Scripture and the promise of new life through Jesus Christ.
Thank you for reading our content. If you would like to receive ZENIT’s daily e-mail news, you can subscribe for free through this link.
Publicaciones relacionadas:
USA: 300th Catholic Church Attacked Since 2020
Index of Religious Freedom USA 2024: Seven Key States in Presidential Elections Show Worst Results
Most celebrate Christmas, few know what they celebrate: surprising revelations from a study
The Middle East, the spread of war, and the position of the Pope and the Catholic Church
