“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12

Is America facing a crisis of biblical illiteracy? 

Once upon a time in our nation, even non-believers knew the basic tenets of Christianity and could readily quote scripture. Many of them, even if they did not consider themselves Christ-followers, abided by the basic guidelines of right and wrong outlined in the Ten Commandments. Today, secular individuals, and even some Christians, likely couldn’t even list all of the Ten Commandments if asked. 

This is a sad state of affairs – and one of the chief reasons our society is plagued by lawlessness and immorality. 

The American Bible Society’s 2026 State of the Bible (SOTB) report confirmed many of these fears. The Washington Stand reported:

When asked in the January 2026 SOTB survey, “How much of the Bible have you read?” only 17% of Americans said they had read the entire Bible, while another 17% said they had read “most,” 14% said “about half,” 35% said “a little,” 10% said “none,” and 7% said they were not sure.

The SOTB survey data suggest one reason for today’s biblical ignorance is a lack of biblical effort. According to the survey, 42% of respondents said they “never” read the Bible, another 13% read it less than once a year, and 7% read it once or twice a year. Another 6% of people read the Bible three or four times a year, 7% read it once a month, and 6% once a week. Finally, 6% read the Bible several times a week, 3% read it four or more times a week, and 9% read it every day. 

To summarize: 68% of Americans read the Bible less than once a month, but only 18% read it more than once a week. 

In a February 2025 survey, PEW Research found that 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christians – still the healthy majority in our nation. Paired with the SOTB study, these findings illustrate that only a fraction of self-professed Christians have ever read the Bible cover to cover. Many Christians today don’t know what they believe – much less why they believe it. 

Washington Stand reporter Joshua Arnold raised an important point: 

The percentage of Americans who read the Bible more than once a week (18%) is almost exactly the same as the percentage who have read the entire Bible (17%). Granted, there are doubtless some people who used to read the Bible more frequently than they do now. But, for those who read the Bible less than weekly, it’s fair to question whether their Bible reading follows any sort of systematic plan that would enable them to read “most” or “about half” of the Bible. More likely, they have read far less — perhaps even less than they think.

“When self-reporting, people try to make themselves look good, so we assume these numbers are inflated, but it’s still interesting to see how much of the Bible people say they’ve read,” the SOTB researchers confirmed.

We share these numbers not to discourage fellow believers or ministries – but to motivate you to action. Our nation is not too far gone for redemption. 

Several national efforts are underway to promote biblical literacy among adults and children. One of the most notable is America Reads the Bible, which took place in April and brought together nearly 500 conservative leaders in D.C. at the Museum of the Bible to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The event was launched by Bunni Ponds, founder and president of Christians Engaged, and hosted in partnership with Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, and many of our national allies. It is believed to be the largest public Bible-reading event in American history.

“Since launching April 19, millions have watched portions of the 84-hour, cover-to-cover Bible reading—held in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary—via Pure Flix or in person. Earlier in the week, a recorded reading by President Donald Trump from 2 Chronicles 7:11–22 marked a historic moment—the first time since Ronald Reagan that a sitting president has publicly read the passage,” Ponds shared.

 

Over a dozen states, including South Dakota, have considered bills requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom. Texas and Louisiana have spearheaded the national legal battle, with the latest decision from the Fifth Circuit upholding Texas’s law and allowing Louisiana’s to fully go into effect. The case is expected to make its way to the US Supreme Court.

Another important effort is “time-release religious instruction,” laws that at least 12 states, including South Dakota, have on the books. These statutes allow students who enroll in a one-credit-hour elective to receive biblical instruction for that course with their parents’ permission and off school property. LiveWise Academy has taken the nation by storm in the wake of these bills’ passage, enrolling nearly 100,000 students across 34 states in the 2025–26 school year. Watch their documentary, “Off School Property,” here. This is an incredible opportunity to reach the younger generation, and we encourage you to get involved with this ministry! 

Despite the SOTB report’s findings, there is still a growing interest in Christianity from non-believers – that’s something to be excited about! A recent Gallup poll found that “42% of men aged 18-29 now say religion is ‘very important’ in their lives — a sharp jump from just 28% in 2022-2023. Monthly religious attendance among young men has climbed to 40% (up from 33%), the highest level in over a decade.”  

We face a pressing need for biblical literacy in our nation, and a growing opportunity to see it happen. People are searching for meaning, truth, and hope during dark times.