In 2011, Indiana University began an extensive three year study on how the Bible is actually used in American society. Their absolutely fascinating report can be found here:
http://www.raac.iupui.edu/research-projects/bible-american-life/bible-american-life-report/
Among its more interesting factoids...
-All told, this means that 48% of Americans read the Bible at
some point in the past year. Most of those people read at least monthly, and a
substantial number—9% of all Americans—read the Bible daily.
-Despite the proliferation of Bible translations, the King James Version is the top choice—
and by a wide margin—of Bible readers. [55% read the KJV, the next closest is the NIV with 19%]
-Half of those who read the Bible in the past year also committed scripture to memory
-56% of women and 39% of men said they read scripture individually in the past year.
-15% of those who have not read any scripture in the
past year still think the Bible is the “inerrant Word of God,†and another 50% of those who have
not read scripture think of the Bible as the “divinely inspired Word of God.†In other words,
two-thirds of Americans who do not read any scripture still have a very high view of the Bible.
-Interestingly, of KJV readers, 53% responded that the Bible is the literal word of God, while only
39% of NIV readers agreed with this statement
-Yet the continued prevalence of the KJV, despite the welter of up-to-date competitors, is a
major finding, according to project advisor Mark Noll. “Although the bookstores are now
crowded with alternative versions, and although several different translations are now widely
used in church services and for preaching, the large presence of the KJV testifies to the
extraordinary power of this one classic English text,†Professor Noll commented. “It also raises
most interesting questions about the role of religious and linguistic tradition in the make-up of
contemporary American culture.†Project advisor Sylvester Johnson also remarked on the
peculiar cultural power of the King James Bible, noting that its language seems to function for
many Americans as “a type of lingua sacra or sacred dialect.â€
http://www.raac.iupui.edu/research-projects/bible-american-life/bible-american-life-report/
Among its more interesting factoids...
-All told, this means that 48% of Americans read the Bible at
some point in the past year. Most of those people read at least monthly, and a
substantial number—9% of all Americans—read the Bible daily.
-Despite the proliferation of Bible translations, the King James Version is the top choice—
and by a wide margin—of Bible readers. [55% read the KJV, the next closest is the NIV with 19%]
-Half of those who read the Bible in the past year also committed scripture to memory
-56% of women and 39% of men said they read scripture individually in the past year.
-15% of those who have not read any scripture in the
past year still think the Bible is the “inerrant Word of God,†and another 50% of those who have
not read scripture think of the Bible as the “divinely inspired Word of God.†In other words,
two-thirds of Americans who do not read any scripture still have a very high view of the Bible.
-Interestingly, of KJV readers, 53% responded that the Bible is the literal word of God, while only
39% of NIV readers agreed with this statement
-Yet the continued prevalence of the KJV, despite the welter of up-to-date competitors, is a
major finding, according to project advisor Mark Noll. “Although the bookstores are now
crowded with alternative versions, and although several different translations are now widely
used in church services and for preaching, the large presence of the KJV testifies to the
extraordinary power of this one classic English text,†Professor Noll commented. “It also raises
most interesting questions about the role of religious and linguistic tradition in the make-up of
contemporary American culture.†Project advisor Sylvester Johnson also remarked on the
peculiar cultural power of the King James Bible, noting that its language seems to function for
many Americans as “a type of lingua sacra or sacred dialect.â€