Bible sales jumped 22% through October over the same period last year, according to Circana BookScan, the "gold standard in point-of-sale tracking for the publishing market."
The biggest jump in sales was among young Americans, who Rev. John Plake of the American Bible Society (ABS) says are looking for hope in a turbulent world.
"It is these times of disruption that cause them to be open to hearing the Word of God," he submits. "We're excited to see that many young Americans in Generation Z are interested in the message of scripture and are finding ways to engage with God's Word. I think that's great news, and it's a sign of hope for all of us."
Though plenty of free Bible apps are available, Plake says there is just something about holding a printed copy of scripture.
"The versions of the Bible that are coming out now are really beautiful, and there is an artistry and an aesthetic that's going into making God's Word something that is beautiful to look at and to handle," he says. "These high-quality translations that are in everyday language make the Bible more accessible to modern audiences."
Publishers credit general anxiety in the world for the so-called Bible boom. Plake points out that while new readers may be hoping to find comfort in passages like the 23rd Psalm, they are really holding the Word of Life that can change their lives fundamentally, forever, for the better.
"All of us regularly, when we engage with scripture, are surprised that not only are we reading the Bible, but it is reading us. God is speaking to us," the ABS spokesman offers.
Fox News notes that the surge in Bible sales comes even as polling shows a decline in religiosity across the country. The share of Americans identifying with a Christian religion hit a low of 68% last year, according to Gallup polling.
With about 28% of American adults now religiously unaffiliated, Pew Research recently predicted that if declines continue, Christianity could become a minority religion by 2045.
