The American Bible Society has released the second chapter of its State of the Bible: USA 2025 report. The chapter is titled “The Bible Around the World.”
The Survey divided the world into seven clusters. The research in the latest installment focused primarily on Cluster 5 and labeled “The Secular West.” Cluster 5 includes the U.S., Canada, Western Europe as well as Australia and New Zealand.
When it comes to Bible use, which refers to engagement with the Bible outside of a church service or church event at least three to four times a year, the U.S. has a much higher share of respondents who use the Bible at least occasionally (63%).
Coming in second in Bible use among countries in “The Secular West” is Italy, where 50% use the Bible either “a few times a week or more, at least monthly or occasionally.”
Those who “never” use the Bible comprise the highest share of respondents in the Netherlands (64%), followed by France (63%), Australia (59%), the U.K. (56%), Canada (55%) and New Zealand (54%). Just 46% of respondents in Italy said they “never” use the Bible compared to 33% in the U.S.
“The Secular West,” was given its label because of “growing secularization” that has “eroded the region’s historical commitment to Christianity.”