Vice President Pence & Super Bowl Champ Nick Foles Read the Bible Every Day - Do You?

Two high profile public figures recently spoke openly about reading the Bible: Super Bowl-winning quarterback Nick Foles and Vice President Mike Pence.

Foles talked about Bible reading during an appearance on The Ellen Show. It was during a discussion about how the joy of playing football returned to him after he almost walked away from the game for good.

"I remember I broke down one morning; I was journaling, and I always read the Bible in the morning and journal, and I remember just crying because I was like 'I love the game of football again,'" he shared.

Pence tweeted Monday, "I do try and start every day reading the Bible. My wife and I try to have a prayer together before I leave the house every morning. But I do think I'm a very typical American."

I do try and start every day reading the Bible. My wife and I try to have a prayer together before I leave the house every morning. But I do think I’m a very typical American. I think people of all different faith traditions cherish their faith in God. https://t.co/evs2Wvr6fB

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) February 19, 2018

But do Americans read God's Word?

According to American Bible Society's latest State of the Bible survey (2017), conducted by Barna group, 20% of American adults are "Bible Engaged." They read the Bible at least four times each week. Seventy-five percent of Bible Engaged adults read the Bible every day.

Those who are "Bible Friendly" comprise 38% of the adult population. They read God's Word less often than four or more times a week. Sixty percent say they read the Bible at least three or four times a year.

The State of the Bible survey reports 23% of adults fall into the "Bible Neutral" category, and 27% in this group say they read the Bible at least three or four times a year.

Next, 19% of adults are "Bible Skeptics," a category broken down into two categories: "Bible Hostile" (13%) and "Non-Hostile Skeptics" (6%). Only 5% of Bible Hostile adults say they read the Bible at least three to four times a year; 20% of Non-Hostile Skeptics say they do the same.

Overall, the survey reports that half of Americans are "Bible Users," meaning "they engage with the Bible by reading, listening to or praying with the Bible on their own at least three to four times a year."

Adults who read God's Word each day make up only 16% of the adult population.

Around one-third of adults (32%) report they never read, listen to or pray with the Bible. That's an increase of five percentage points from 2016.