Bible Reading Is Linked to Higher Rates of Charitable Giving, Study Finds
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Reading the Bible is good for the soul and mind, but a new study suggests the benefits extend to society as a whole, with regular Bible readers far more likely to donate to charities and other nonprofits.
The latest chapter in the American Bible Society’s State of the Bible report found that 89 percent of Americans who regularly read their Bible and say it impacts their lives gave to a church or charity in 2025, compared with 49 percent of those who rarely or never read Scripture.
Giving also varied by how actively people practiced their faith. The report found that 93 percent of practicing Christians said they donated to a church or charity, compared with 87 percent of casual Christians and just 57 percent of nominal Christians.
“Generosity is a tangible expression of love,” said John Farquhar Plake, editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible series and American Bible Society's chief innovation officer. “Generosity is an overflow of the heart, and this year's State of the Bible findings clearly demonstrate that a life transformed by the Bible inspires sacrificial giving and ultimately impacts a person's overall well-being —along with that of their community.”
Americans who said the Bible’s message had transformed their lives tended to give more to charity, the report found. The median donation in 2025 was $1,000 among respondents who strongly agreed that the Bible had transformed their lives and $200 among those who somewhat agreed. The median fell to $20 among those who somewhat disagreed and $0 among those who strongly disagreed.
The report also examined what researchers call “contributory love,” a willingness to make sacrifices for others and a sense that one’s own well-being is tied to helping others.
Americans who engaged most deeply with Scripture were more likely to report making sacrifices for others. Nearly two-thirds of respondents the study classified as “Scripture Engaged” (64 percent) said they often or always make sacrifices to help others, compared with 40 percent of those least engaged with the Bible. Similarly, 61 percent of the Scripture Engaged said their own well-being often or always depends on contributing to the well-being of others, compared with 35 percent of the least engaged.
The 2026 State of the Bible report is based on 2,649 interviews with U.S. adults across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published November 13, 2026.
