Gen Z is at the lead of this Bible resurgence. Even industry veterans are surprised by the rate at which Gen Z is buying Bibles. In 2024, Bible sales in the U.S. rose 22% over 2023, with nearly 14 million copies sold before December. Sales in the U.K. have nearly doubled since 2019.
Research before has shown that Gen Z engages with faith in new ways and in increasing numbers. Research from the American Bible Society concludes that this generation is the fastest-growing segment of Bible buyers, even though older generations read less. What’s more, the studies show that 21% of Gen Z adults reading the Bible more in 2024, compared to a mere 9% who reported a decrease.
The question that arises is: why? When we look around, the world is unstable and chaotic in many ways. Gen Z is the most depressed and anxious when compared with other generations. No wonder that young people are coming to the conclusion that they are looking for something that the world cannot give them.
John Farquhar Plake, chief innovation officer with the American Bible Society, said: “One of the things we do know from the data is that when people experience disruptions in their life, they are more open to exploring their faith and exploring the Bible. When people are facing something they’ve never faced before, they often ask the question ‘Does the Bible have any wisdom for me?’”
An addition to this was made by John Kramp, senior vice president of the Bible division at HarperCollins Christian Publishing: ‘’We’re very aware that we’re not causing this trend. We’ve been publishing Bibles for a long time, and what we’re experiencing now is really exceptional and encouraging. It’s across the industry.”
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