Bible Use Is on the Rise in America, and Millennials Are Leading the Way
Bible usage is on the rise in the United States, and it's being driven by a generation that many have counted out -- Millennials. That's according to the latest data from the American Bible Society's 2025 State of the Bible report, which found that Bible use and Bible engagement -- two terms that gauge different levels of practice -- are growing in the U.S. Prior to this year's report, Bible use had been on the decline, from 40 percent in 2022 to 39 percent in 2023 and to 38 percent in 2024. However, according to the latest report, Bible use rose to 41 percent, a number that represents 10 million more American adults reading the Bible, according to the American Bible Society.
Millennials -- those in their late 20s, 30s and early 40s -- are leading the way. A total of 39 percent of Millennials in the latest report are considered Bible users, a nine-point increase over last year's 30 percent. Among Gen X Americans (those ages 45 to 60), Bible use rose from 37 to 42 percent.
John Plake, chief innovation officer at the American Bible Society, said in many surveys, Millennials seem to have "checked out on faith." Not so much this year.
He called the 2025 findings "surprising."
"We don't know why these 30- to 40-somethings have turned toward the Bible in such large numbers," Plake said in an American Bible Society video.
"Maybe the disruptions brought on by parenting have them searching for the timeless wisdom of the Bible. And perhaps they're simply searching for more. Whatever the reason for their newfound interest in the Bible, the question for the church is: How will we welcome them when our friends and neighbors reach for the Bible? How can we make sure that we're there to support them, to cheer for them, and to pray that God makes His Word come alive for them?"
Bible use increased in every region of the U.S., including in the Northeast and West -- two areas not typically known for faith.
The American Bible Society defines Bible users as individuals who "connect with Scripture" on their own at least three times a year, not including church settings. It's a "low bar" -- the society acknowledges -- but nevertheless reflects a "personal decision to interact, at least occasionally, with the Bible."
Even so, the report found that Bible engagement -- a far more robust measurement that relies on answers to 14 questions -- is on the rise, too. This year, 20 percent of U.S. adults are defined as Bible engaged, a higher number than 2024 (18 percent), 2023 (18 percent) or 2022 (19 percent).
The boost in Scripture engagement, again, is led by young adults. Among Millennials, engagement jumped from 12 to 17 percent, and among Gen Z (those ages 18-28), from 11 to 15 percent).
"God is clearly at work in America," the report said.
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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 May 01, 2025.
