By Ryan Foley, Christian Post.
Americans are more likely to have a stronger sense of identity the more they interact with Scripture, according to the newest installment of the “State of the Bible USA” report.
The American Bible Society released the sixth chapter of its “State of the Bible USA 2025” report on Thursday. The research examines the sense of identity among the American public based on responses collected from 2,656 American adults in online interviews conducted between Jan. 2 and Jan. 21.
“Identity levels are strong among people who practice religion — and not just Christianity,” said American Bible Society Chief Innovation Officer and State of the Bible Editor-in-Chief John Farquhar Plake. “Something about core beliefs, shared worship, and common culture gives people a better sense of who they are.”
Researchers measured the respondents’ level of agreement with statements declaring “I know who I am,” “I always have a good sense about what is important to me,” and “I know what I believe or value.”
Breaking down the results by religious affiliation revealed that practicing Christians have the strongest sense of identity, with 64% categorized as having a strong identity.
At the same time, 52% of respondents who adhere to a different religion besides Christianity had a strong sense of identity. The percentages of nominal Christians (40%), casual Christians (33%) and religiously unaffiliated respondents (33%) who had a strong sense of identity were much lower.