Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend a remarkable event hosted by the Bible Society, the release of the Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey. Sitting among researchers, ministry leaders, and fellow Bible advocates from around the globe, I was struck by the importance and the depth of the data.

This isn’t just another survey about religion. It’s the first truly global look at how different cultures, faiths, and generations relate to the Bible, or don’t. The findings are both sobering and encouraging. They reveal how Scripture continues to shape lives in surprising places, how it's being forgotten in others, and how many, even outside the Church, are still open to its message.

At Bible Chat, we believe the Bible is for everyone and still speaks clearly and powerfully into every human story. That’s why I’m excited to share what I learned. This article is a reflection on what I took away from the event and why it matters for anyone passionate about helping people engage with God’s Word in today’s world.

Global Views of the Bible in 2025

Despite digital access making the Bible nearly universal in availability, actual engagement with it varies dramatically. The survey categorizes the world into seven “missiological clusters,” each shaped by unique religious, cultural, and economic realities.

Source: Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey - Bible Society

These clusters help explain why the same Bible might be a daily lifeline in one region and a forgotten relic in another.

Cluster 1: Religiously Warm, Resource-Poor

Regions: Majority-Muslim Sahel, South Asia

• 87% agree they are searching for a sense of meaning in their life
• 82% agree it is hard to tell right from wrong without religion
• 79% agree they enjoy learning from people who think differently from them
• 69% agree that people should keep their religious beliefs to themselves

Cluster 2: Fading Christian Majority, Growing Secularism

Regions: Southern & Eastern Europe

• 40% say that religion is an important part of their daily life
• 77% identify themselves as Christian; 55% identify specifically as Orthodox, and 15% as Catholic
• 57% are interested in learning more about the Bible
• 68% believe it is good for children to know some stories from the Bible
• 63% believe people should keep their religious beliefs to themselves

Cluster 3: Politically Restricted, Religiously Devout

Regions: Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia

• 85% say religion is an important part of daily life
• 78% agree it is hard to tell right from wrong without religion
• 75% agree they enjoy learning from people who think differently from them
• 50% agree that people should keep their religious beliefs to themselves

Cluster 4: Bible-Honoring but Secularizing

Regions: Latin America & the Philippines

• 77% of this population indicates that religion is an important part of their daily life
• 79% definitely or probably believe in God or a higher power
• 85% identify themselves as Christian, including 64% who specifically identify as Catholic

Cluster 5: Highly Secular, Biblically Indifferent

Regions: Western Europe, North America, Australasia

• 40% of this population indicates that religion is an important part of their daily life, which is less than half the global average
• 62% of people in this cluster definitely or probably believe in God or a higher power
• 53% of individuals in this cluster identify as Christian

Cluster 6: Diverse and Bible-Unaware

Regions: Asia

• 56% have never heard of the Bible
• 73% say religion is an important part of their daily lives
• 47% agree they would be happy for a child in their family to attend a school connected to a different religion from their own
• 6% are interested in learning more about the Bible

Cluster 7: Faith-Filled and Bible-Hungry (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Regions: Sub-Saharan Africa

• 91% say religion is an important part of their daily life
• 47% believe Christianity is essentially a Western religion
• 76% are interested in learning more about the Bible
• 85% believe it is good for children to know some stories from the Bible
• 43% use traditional healers when they or someone they know is sick

Key Global Trends

The Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey offers a nuanced view into global perceptions of the Bible in 2025. It reveals not only who is engaging with Scripture, but also how, why, and where the greatest challenges and opportunities lie.

Here are six essential patterns emerging from this study:

1. Religion Remains a Daily Reality, Except in the West

In five out of seven clusters, religion continues to play a vital role in people’s lives. Most respondents around the world say belief in God or a higher power is important, and many rely on religion to distinguish right from wrong. This is especially true in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa (Cluster 7) and South Asia (Cluster 1), where religious belief is widespread and integrated into daily routines. However, secularism is significantly shaping regions like Central and Eastern Europe (Cluster 2) and dominates the cultural landscape in the West (Cluster 5), where religion is often sidelined.

2. Bible Engagement Exists in Every Region (Even Where Access Is Low)

Across all seven clusters, there exists at least one segment of the population that is actively engaged with the Bible. In some cases, this includes not only regular reading but confidence in speaking about Scripture and using it as a guide in decision-making. This vibrancy is most pronounced in Latin America (Cluster 4) and Sub-Saharan Africa (Cluster 7), where people show high levels of Bible use, confidence, and enthusiasm to learn more.

3. A Global Desire to Know More

Christians across the world express a strong desire to deepen their understanding of the Bible. In Clusters 4 and 7, the appetite is especially strong, with large portions of the Christian population either actively engaged or highly open to Scripture. While interest is weaker in the more secular West (Cluster 5) and among religiously diverse populations in Asia (Cluster 6), even in these areas there are Christians hungry for greater engagement with the Bible.

4. The Bible Is Seen as Valuable for Children

One of the most consistent findings across all regions is the shared belief that children benefit from knowing Bible stories. Even among people who are personally uninterested in reading the Bible or do not see it as relevant to their own lives, many agree that Scripture offers important cultural, moral, or spiritual insights for the next generation. This belief opens doors for Bible-based education, storytelling, and children’s ministry worldwide.

5. The Bible’s Appeal Reaches Beyond Christianity

The survey found that approximately 11% of people outside the Christian faith — including those from other religions or with no religious affiliation — are interested in learning more about the Bible. This represents over 250 million people globally. While this openness is strongest in Christian-majority contexts, it also appears in segments within majority-Muslim and secular environments. It’s a powerful reminder that the Bible continues to spark curiosity far beyond church walls.

6. Two Barriers: Indifference and Unawareness

Finally, two major challenges stand in the way of broader Bible engagement:

• Indifference: In secular societies like those in Cluster 5 (e.g., Western Europe, North America), many people are simply uninterested in religion or Scripture. The Bible is seen as outdated or irrelevant to modern life.
• Unawareness: In places like Asia (Cluster 6), vast numbers of people have never even heard of the Bible. Among those who have, few express deep curiosity, not out of rejection, but because it remains outside their worldview.

Together, these realities challenge Christian communities to rethink how we introduce the Bible to a world that is either forgetting it or has never encountered it.

Joining the Movement to Make the Bible Known

The Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey doesn’t just describe the world as it is; it invites us to respond. For Christians, ministries, and Bible-centered platforms like Bible Chat, the findings reveal both urgent needs and hopeful openings for renewed engagement with Scripture.

At Bible Chat, we believe the Bible should be accessible, understandable, and available to everyone, no matter their background, location, or level of faith. In a world where many have never read Scripture, and others no longer see it as relevant, our platform offers a simple yet powerful solution: a safe space to ask honest questions and receive thoughtful, Bible-based responses in real time.

Whether you're a lifelong believer or someone exploring the Bible for the first time, Bible Chat uses the latest technology to make God’s Word conversational and personal. Inspired by the very needs uncovered in the Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey, we’re here to help a new generation rediscover the Bible - one question at a time.

Final Thought

The Bible still speaks to the world, but its voice is heard unevenly. While millions cherish it and millions more are curious, vast populations remain unaware or indifferent. The greatest challenge for the Church today is not resistance, but absence and the greatest opportunity lies in reintroducing Scripture with clarity, compassion, and cultural sensitivity.

Reference:

The Patmos World Bible Attitudes Survey Report ©2025 British and Foreign Bible Society and Gallup.