Religions Around The World

In the early morning hours, monks can be seen walking on their alms round in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Showing humility and detachment from worldly goods, the monk walks slowly and only stops if he is called. Standing quietly, with his bowl open, the local Buddhists give him rice, or flowers, or an envelope containing money.  In return, the monks bless the local Buddhists and wish them a long and fruitful life.
Christians Celebrate Good Friday
Enacting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in St. Mary's Church in Secunderabad, India. Only 2.3% of India's population is Christian. 
Ancient interior mosaic in the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora
The Church of the Holy Saviour in Istanbul, Turkey is a medieval Byzantine Greek Orthodox church.
Dome of the Rock located in the Old City of Jerusalem
The site's great significance for Muslims derives from traditions connecting it to the creation of the world and to the belief that the Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey to heaven started from the rock at the center of the structure.
Holi Festival in Mathura, India
Holi is a Hindu festival that marks the end of winter. Also known as the “festival of colors”,  Holi is primarily observed in South Asia but has spread across the world in celebration of love and the changing of the seasons.
Jewish father and daughter pray at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Israel.
Known in Hebrew as the Western Wall, it is one of the holiest sites in the world. The description, "place of weeping", originated from the Jewish practice of mourning the destruction of the Temple and praying for its rebuilding at the site of the Western Wall.
People praying in Mengjia Longshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan
The temple is dedicated to both Taoism and Buddhism.
People praying in the Grand Mosque in Ulu Cami
This is the most important mosque in Bursa, Turkey and a landmark of early Ottoman architecture built in 1399.
Savior Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior Monastery of St. Euthymius
Located in Suzdal, Russia, this is a church rite of sanctification of apples and grapes in honor of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
Fushimi Inari Shrine is located in Kyoto, Japan
It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. Fushimi Inari is the most important Shinto shrine dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice.
Ladles at the purification fountain in the Hakone Shrine
Located in Hakone, Japan, this shrine is a Japanese Shinto shrine.  At the purification fountain, ritual washings are performed by individuals when they visit a shrine. This ritual symbolizes the inner purity necessary for a truly human and spiritual life.
Hanging Gardens of Haifa are garden terraces around the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel
They are one of the most visited tourist attractions in Israel. The Shrine of the Báb is where the remains of the Báb, founder of the Bábí Faith and forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh in the Bahá'í Faith, have been buried; it is considered to be the second holiest place on Earth for Bahá'ís.
Pilgrims praying at the Pool of the Nectar of Immortality and Golden Temple
Located in Amritsar, India, the Golden Temple is one of the most revered spiritual sites of Sikhism. It is a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to worship God equally. Over 100,000 people visit the shrine daily.
Entrance gateway of Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple Kowloon
Located in Hong Kong, China, the temple is dedicated to Wong Tai Sin, or the Great Immortal Wong. The Taoist temple is famed for the many prayers answered: "What you request is what you get" via a practice called kau cim.
Christian women worship at a church in Bois Neus, Haiti.
Haiti's population is 94.8 percent Christian, primarily Catholic. This makes them one of the most heavily Christian countries in the world.

World Religions News

New study shows how Millennials and Gen Z are driving a Bible reading comeback


The State of the Church research shows that weekly Bible reading among U.S. adults has increased to 42% in 2025, up 12 points from a 15-year low in 2024

BOULDER, Colo. — New research from the State of the Church initiative by Barna Group and Gloo reveals a national rebound in Bible reading among U.S. adults. In 2025, weekly Bible reading has climbed to 42%, up 12 points from a 15-year low of 30% in 2024. Among self-identified Christians, the rate is 50%, which is the highest level in over a decade. 

Young adults are driving this surge, with nearly half now engaging with Scripture weekly. Millennials jumped an unprecedented 16 points, reaching 50% who now say they read the Bible weekly. Gen Z mirrors this pattern, rising from 30% to 49% in just one year. Boomers, who consistently held the highest levels of Bible reading, now show the lowest levels of weekly Bible reading of all generations at 31%. Gen X has held steadier, now rebounding to 41%. This comes at a time when digital Bible engagement has made it easier for younger generations to engage with Scripture. The YouVersion Family of Bible Apps has reported multiple days of record engagement throughout the year and will celebrate one billion installs this month, a milestone reached years faster than anticipated. 

“Bible reading is rising again across generations, marking a reset to faith engagement levels we haven’t seen in a decade,” said David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group. “People aren’t just curious about faith — they’re opening Scripture for themselves. This trend aligns with other signs of renewal we’ve seen in our research, like growing commitments to Jesus and increased church attendance.”

The data also reveals a striking reversal in gender patterns. While women have historically been more likely to read the Bible weekly, 2025 data shows that younger men are now reading the Bible more than younger women. Weekly Bible reading rates are 54% for Gen Z men and 57% for Millennial men, compared to 46% for Gen Z women and 43% for Millennial women.

While more Americans are reading the Bible, findings show that fewer hold strong beliefs about the Bible’s accuracy. In 2000, 43% strongly agreed that the Bible is totally accurate in the principles it teaches. That number fell below 40% in recent years but now sits at 36%. Even among self-identified Christians, only 44% strongly affirm the Bible’s accuracy.

“It’s very encouraging to see more people, especially young adults, turning to the Bible,” said Brad Hill, Chief Partner Success Officer at Gloo. “But this rise in interest also challenges church leaders to go deeper, turning curiosity and engagement into opportunities to help people live what they read. In an age when AI tools are providing answers to life’s big questions, it’s imperative that churches cultivate deep and durable Bible engagement habits.”

The detailed findings of this month’s release are available here. As part of the State of the Church initiative with Barna, Gloo provides every church with free assessment tools to know the health and vitality of their church. Learn more at stateofthechurch.com. 

About the Research
Barna Group’s tracking data is based on online and telephone interviews within nationwide random samples of 138,556 adults conducted over a 25-year period ending in October 2025. These studies are conducted utilizing quota sampling for representation of all U.S. adults by age, gender, race / ethnicity, region, education and income. Minimal statistical weighting has been used when necessary to maximize statistical representativeness. Included in this data is 12,116 online interviews that were collected between January and October of 2025. These interviews were also conducted utilizing quota sampling for age, gender, race / ethnicity, region, education and income, and minimal statistical weighting has been used to maximize statistical representation. 

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Gloo is a leading technology platform for the faith and flourishing ecosystem, providing values-aligned AI, resources, insights and funding so people and communities flourish and organizations thrive. Gloo serves over 140,000 faith, ministry and nonprofit leaders and is based in Boulder, Colorado.

Barna Group is a leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture. Since 1984, Barna has conducted more than two million interviews over the course of thousands of studies and has become a go-to source for insights about religion, leadership, vocation and generations. Barna is an independent, privately-held, nonpartisan organization based in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas.

Contact:
Eliza Krodel, Gloo
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RNS or Religion News Foundation.

Original Source:

https://religionnews.com/2025/11/06/new-study-shows-how-millennials-and-gen-z-are-driving-a-bible-reading-comeback/