Bible reading in the United States has surged to its highest level in 15 years, with Millennials and Generation Z—particularly young men—leading the trend.
The joint study “State of the Church” initiative, conducted by Barna Group and Gloo, gathered insights from 12,116 online interviews between January and October 2025.
Findings show that about 50% of self-identified Christians report reading the Bible weekly, marking the highest level of engagement among Christians in more than a decade.
In contrast, weekly Bible reading among all U.S. adults had fallen to its lowest point in 15 years in 2024, reaching just 30%. The latest figures indicate a significant rebound, with a 12-point increase to 42% in 2025.
The data reveals that Millennials and Gen Z adults have driven much of this growth. Approximately 50% of Millennials now read the Bible weekly—an impressive 16-point jump from last year.
Among Gen Z adults, the rate climbed by 19 points, from 30% to 49% in 2025. Gen X stands at 41%, while Boomers, once the most devoted readers, now report the lowest engagement at 31%.
Traditionally, women have been more likely to read the Bible weekly than men. However, the new data show a shift among younger generations, with men now leading in Bible reading frequency.
Weekly reading rates reached 54% for Gen Z men and 57% for Millennial men, compared to 46% for Gen Z women and 43% for Millennial women.
This aligns with recent Barna Research showing nearly 40% of young adult Gen Z women now identify as religiously unaffiliated.
The data further indicate that Gen Z women are experiencing a growing disconnection from older generations, with 38% identifying as atheist, agnostic, or nonreligious—higher than the 32% of Gen Z men who say the same. Among their peers, Gen Z women also report the lowest levels of Bible reading, church attendance, and prayer.
"Bible reading is rising again across generations, marking a reset to faith engagement levels we haven't seen in a decade," David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, said in a statement.
"People aren't just curious about faith — they're opening Scripture for themselves. This trend aligns with other signs of renewal we've seen in our research, like growing commitments to Jesus and increased church attendance."
“It’s very encouraging to see more people, especially young adults, turning to the Bible,” Brad Hill, chief partner success officer at Gloo, said in a statement.
“But this rise in interest also challenges church leaders to go deeper, turning curiosity and engagement into opportunities to help people live what they read. In an age when AI tools are providing answers to life’s big questions, it’s imperative that churches cultivate deep and durable Bible engagement habits.”
