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By Jo Elizabeth
Circana Bookscan, the industry’s primary data collection resource on book sales, has some joyful news to report to those who love the Bible. As of October 2024, sales of the “Scriptures Bible” are up 22% in the U.S. compared to their figures of the same time last year.
In general, print book sales are decreasing with the rise in digital books, and Circana’s overall statistics show a rise of just 1% across the spectrum of all printed books. However, more people are now paying to get a physical copy of the Bible in their hands.
The Bible has always been a bestseller, outstripping the sales of every other book each year. It is the most popular book in the world with an estimated 5 billion copies sold worldwide. However, with adherence to the Christian faith allegedly dropping, according to Pew Research figures, it might seem surprising that Bible sales are moving in the opposite direction.
Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association explained, “People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren.”
“It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK,” he added.
Whether due to concerns about the economy, international conflicts or political uncertainty, the instability caused by current events may be driving increased interest in the Bible.
In an environment where misinformation, AI, and conflicting narratives are widespread, the Bible’s text has remained consistent for millennia, offering a stable reference point for many.
However, there are other dynamics at work. Many influencers are publicly finding faith in our increasingly secular society, and taking their followers with them.
Actor and comedian, Russell Brand, recently became a Christian and has been publicly exploring the Bible, sharing insights on social media. In one post, he read the passage from 1 Corinthians 13 about love,
“I don’t know why I assumed I knew what was in this book without looking at it,” he told his nearly 7 million followers on YouTube alone.
Former Fox News host, Tucker Carlson, invited Brand to “close in prayer” at the end of the first event in his live national tour in Phoenix, Arizona on Sept. 4.
Brand got on his knees and said the Lord’s Prayer in front of an audience of thousands. Carlson himself has also been increasingly vocal about his faith in God on his show hosted on 𝕏, which is now watched by more than his audience on Fox.
Several other public figures have recently found faith and shared their experiences.
Love Island USA contestant, Cely Vazquez, bought her first Bible and posted it on TikTok, saying, “I’ve had Bibles that my mom gave me, but I felt I needed my own to start my own journey, that it symbolized I was starting a walk with God,” she candidly shared.
“I felt something was missing. It’s a combination of where we are in the world, general anxiety and the sense that meaning and comfort can be found in the Bible.”
Another new believer, comedian JP Sears, shared his thoughts about the social phenomenon taking place.
“My hypothesis of why are people accidentally getting more Christian I think at least in our lifetimes I’ve never seen the presence of evil so obvious,” said Sears. “If you don’t resonate with the evil…you’ll naturally go in that opposite direction of evil – you’ll polarize in the other direction. And what’s in the other direction? It’s God.”
In our increasingly podcast-driven world, the Bible is being discussed in front of large audiences, and countless comments reveal many are finding faith after a lifetime of atheism.
Jordan Peterson’s curiosity and deep respect for the Bible, even without openly sharing his personal beliefs, have inspired many to return to church and faith. His popular Bible lectures have been described by some as a “gateway drug” back to faith in God.
New enthusiasm about the Bible from academics like Peterson and atheist Tom Holland seems to have opened up the possibility of embracing the Bible to many who might previously have dismissed it.
The Bible has even had an airing on the most popular podcast in the world.
Joe Rogan recently read the entire chapter of Revelation 13 on his show, “The Joe Rogan Experience” which has 18.6 million subscribers, while he considered the possibility that we are seeing biblical prophecy unfold in our days.