The Southern Baptist Convention's publishing arm says sales of Bibles have jumped 30 percent in the past year, and at least two seminary professors in the denomination say more growth is likely. be driven into a corner By young people who seek the truth. The new data from B&H Publishing comes about two weeks after the Wall Street Journal published data from Circana BookScan showing that Bible sales in the United States were up 22 percent compared to the same period last year. It is reported that. By comparison, book sales in 2023 increased by just 1% compared to the same period last year, according to Circana BookScan.
Andy MacLean, publisher of Bible and Reference Books for B&H parent company LifeWay Christian Resources, said this is a “golden age of Bible publishing.”
“These are interesting times,” MacLean said. baptist press. “Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the Bible market overall. lots of It's encouraging that there are unique types of Bibles out there that help people make sense of them in different ways. ”
Joe Walker, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of LifeWay, said: that august Bible sales have doubled since 2019.
Tommy Doty, assistant professor of theology and Christian worldview at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, suggested that Generation Z could be: drive Interest in the Bible.
“They are well into adulthood now, with the oldest being past college and the youngest being past adolescence,” Doughty told Baptist Press. “I wouldn't be surprised if many people start looking for real-world answers now that they're faced with social and career decisions, rather than the internet-driven popular culture they've hitherto been drowning in. .
“With loneliness and confusion so prevalent, especially among socially disadvantaged young people, it is no wonder that many are seeking a new attempt at spiritual awakening.”
Bethany Martin manager of Faith & Life bookstore in Newton, Kansas, told the Wall Street Journal that it saw many people buying Bibles for the first time this year.
“They're looking for hope in the current state of the world, and the Bible is where they're coming from,” she said.
Jeff Audish bible professor Studied at New Orleans Seminary said Younger generations are looking for truth.
“There seems to be a reaction to the truth-is-relative, post-modern perspective,” he told Baptist Press. “They have run their course. Young people understand that they need truth in their lives, and they know where to find it.”
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michael faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His articles have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star, and Knoxville News Sentinel.
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