Key Highlights
- Approximately 88% of U.S. Protestant Christians are unable to identify the first five books of the New Testament
- Only 20% of Americans can name all four Gospels
- Nearly 60% of Americans rarely or never read the Bible
- About 35% of Americans say they have never read the Bible
- 44% of Americans can correctly identify that Jesus was a biblical figure
- Only 50% of churchgoers can name more than two of the Ten Commandments
- Less than 50% of evangelical Christians read the Bible daily
- A significant portion of Americans cannot identify the location of biblical events, such as where Jesus was born
- Only 26% of Americans can correctly identify the biblical story of the Good Samaritan
- Approximately 70% of Americans do not understand that the Bible is the most widely read book in history
- 85% of Americans believe the Bible contains "moral lessons," but fewer read it regularly
- About 42% of Americans say they have read the Bible entirely, at least once
- The average American Christian owns 4 Bibles but only reads about 4 to 5 times a year
Despite the Bible’s status as the most widely read and influential book in history, a startling 88% of U.S. Protestant Christians cannot identify the first five books of the New Testament—a reflection of deep biblical illiteracy that threatens to weaken the spiritual and cultural foundations of American society.
Attitudes Toward the Bible and Scripture Beliefs
- 85% of Americans believe the Bible contains "moral lessons," but fewer read it regularly
- 63% of Americans believe the Bible has contradictions, which hinders their understanding
- Only 10% of American evangelicals have a biblical worldview
- 77% of Americans say they pray at least once a week, but many are unaware of biblical content
- 54% of Americans believe the Bible is open to interpretation rather than literal
- 82% of American adults believe that the Bible contains errors
- 52% of Americans believe the Bible should be interpreted symbolically rather than literally
- 85% of American Christians say they trust the Bible but do not study it regularly
Attitudes Toward the Bible and Scripture Beliefs Interpretation
Despite widespread claims of trust and appreciation, the startling disconnect between Americans' familiarity with the Bible's content and their reliance on it for moral guidance highlights a nation selective in both reading and interpretation, risking surface-level faith over deep understanding.
Bible Ownership and Reading Habits
- Nearly 60% of Americans rarely or never read the Bible
- About 35% of Americans say they have never read the Bible
- Less than 50% of evangelical Christians read the Bible daily
- About 42% of Americans say they have read the Bible entirely, at least once
- The average American Christian owns 4 Bibles but only reads about 4 to 5 times a year
- Approximately 50% of Christians in America rarely or never read the Bible
- Among U.S. college students, only 9% have read the entire Bible
- Roughly 50% of Americans who attend church only once or twice a year read their Bible on a weekly basis
- 70% of Christians in the U.S. own a Bible but do not read it regularly
- Only 15% of Americans read the Bible on a daily basis
- Only about 25% of American adults have read the entire Bible
- Approximately 40% of Americans who owned a Bible report rarely or never reading it
Bible Ownership and Reading Habits Interpretation
With nearly 60% of Americans seldom cracking open their Bibles, it's clear that even a nation with a Bible on every shelf risks losing its spiritual compass, reminding us that owning faith isn't the same as living it.
Religious Knowledge and Biblical Literacy
- Approximately 88% of U.S. Protestant Christians are unable to identify the first five books of the New Testament
- Only 20% of Americans can name all four Gospels
- 44% of Americans can correctly identify that Jesus was a biblical figure
- Only 50% of churchgoers can name more than two of the Ten Commandments
- A significant portion of Americans cannot identify the location of biblical events, such as where Jesus was born
- Only 26% of Americans can correctly identify the biblical story of the Good Samaritan
- Approximately 70% of Americans do not understand that the Bible is the most widely read book in history
- Less than 50% of Americans can name more than two of the twelve apostles
- 34% of Americans are familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, but fewer can explain its significance
- Only 16% of Americans are able to identify the Bible verse John 3:16
- About 22% of Americans can identify that Jonah was swallowed by a big fish
- Only 18% of Americans can name all the commandments
- 45% of Americans are unsure of the biblical account of creation
- 69% of Americans believe the Bible is “the literal word of God,” but many lack familiarity with its content
- Only 13% of Americans can identify the story of Noah’s Ark
- Less than 10% of Americans can correctly identify where the story of David and Goliath is found in the Bible
- Over 66% of Americans say they wish they could understand the Bible better
- Only 17% of Americans can identify the story of the Prodigal Son
- 45% of Americans believe the Bible should be taken literally, but many lack basic knowledge about it
- Only 22% of Americans can accurately recall the content of the Lord’s Prayer
- The majority of Americans do not know the names of the four Gospels, with only 23% able to name all four
Religious Knowledge and Biblical Literacy Interpretation
Despite proclaiming the Bible as the literal word of God, over 88% of U.S. Protestant Christians cannot name the first five books of the New Testament, revealing a profound gap between biblical literacy and professed belief that underscores the urgent need for a spiritual literacy revival in America.