Americans have read the Bible more than they had in years, with young adults driving the trend, a new report revealed.
Barna Group CEO David Kinnamon said, “2025 is showing a major rebound … with younger generations leading the way.”
A fresh analysis from Barna’s State of the Church 2025, produced with Gloo, revealed that 42 per cent of US adults read Scripture weekly, which is up twelve points from a record low of 30 per cent in 2024. Among self-identified Christians, half reported weekly Bible reading, the highest level in more than a decade.
Millennials and Gen Z adults spearheaded the turnaround. The report found Millennials’ weekly Bible reading had jumped sixteen points since the previous year to 50 per cent, while Gen Z leapt from 30 to 49 per cent. By contrast, Boomers recorded the lowest engagement, with only three per cent reading weekly, and Generation X saw a modest rise to 41 per cent.
Barna researchers also noted a shift in gender patterns. Younger men outpaced women in weekly Bible engagement, a reversal from previous trends. Kinnamon explained, “Women generally have been more religiously active than men. But now, younger men emerge as the most frequent Bible readers”.
Despite the resurgence, conviction lagged behind curiosity. Only 36 per cent of adults and 44 per cent of Christians said they believed the Bible was completely accurate, down from 43 per cent in 2000.
Kinnamon described the shift as a “reset” and revival suggesting young Americans explored faith in uncertain times but still wrestled with belief.