By Michael Gryboski, Christian Post. (Image: Unsplash)
Around two-thirds of churchgoers have a poor understanding of the Bible and failed a biblical literacy quiz, according to a report released Tuesday by Lifeway Research.
Lifeway Research conducted an online survey of 2,012 Americans from Aug. 12-29 who identify as Protestant, nondenominational, Catholic or Orthodox Christian and attend church in a typical month, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2% at the 95% confidence level.
Respondents answered dozens of questions across eight categories, including people of the Bible, the order of biblical events and which books belong in Scripture.
The Bible knowledge quiz graded respondents on a scale of A (90 and above), B (80 to 89), C (70 to 79), D (60 to 69), and F (below 60).
According to the report, the average respondent scored 51, with 65% earning an F, 9% a D, 9% a C, 8% a B, and 9% an A.
Some basics tripped up respondents. While 94% knew Moses received the Ten Commandments, only 45% correctly named Saul as Israel’s first king, and two-thirds wrongly identified Hezekiah as a book of the Bible.
Unsurprisingly, people who reported reading the Bible more often scored better on the quiz, with churchgoers who read the Bible daily having the highest average scores.
Respondents who read their Bible every day averaged 66, those who read it once a week averaged 50, and those who rarely or never read it averaged 36.