This month, Christianity Today magazine detailed findings of the 10th Annual “State of the Bible” study conducted by the American Bible Society. For the first time, in light of the pandemic, those developing the study decided to include some questions about security, happiness, and mental health in the study of Bible use. Also, for the first time, those conducting the study decided to complete a second survey in conjunction with the “Human Flourishing Program” in June to assess the impact of the pandemic on individuals. Over 1,000 people participated in the study, which was published in October 2020 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
The study revealed that financial and material stability took the heaviest blow, falling by 16.7 percent. Happiness and life satisfaction dropped by 9.6 percent among respondents, and mental and physical health decreased by 7.4 percent.
What was most interesting, from a Christian perspective, was how the Bible, Church, and Christian disciplines seemed to help people through this very unsettling time. According to Christianity Today, “This data showed that the decline in the measures of human flourishing were less pronounced in people who were reading their Bibles regularly and participating in church, either in person or online. Scripture engagement seems to have peaked right after Covid-19 started—the highest it has been in years—but then it dropped significantly toward the end of June.” According to Scott Ross, who works on trauma healing with churches at the American Bible Society, many will turn to the Bible for answers in unsettling times, but often stop reading faithfully after a while.
But, the study also showed that Americans who actively engage with the Bible and in corporate worship score higher on every measure of human flourishing, including better mental and physical health and a deeper sense of character and virtue. “They even have a greater sense of financial and material stability compared to those who don’t attend church or engage with the Bible.”
Christianity Today goes on to note, “Christians are also measurably more hopeful. On the 1-to-100 scale, non-Christians scored about 50, and practicing Christians who regularly participated in the life of a local congregation scored 66.”
For those of us who already experience the life-changing and healing power of the Church and of regular Bible study, this is no surprise. But, this study, presented in a major medical publication, demonstrates that regular church attendance and Bible reading bring a measurable difference in hope.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. Ephesians 1:18