• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Bible is seen in this illustration photo. A survey conducted for the Bible Society found that increased reading of the Bible during the pandemic led to a greater feeling of hope in God and confidence in the future. (CNS photo/Joshua Roberts, Reuters)

Bible reading boosts mental well-being among Christians, U.K. survey says

March 3, 2021
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Bible, Feature, News, World News

ROME (CNS) — Reading the Bible has had a positive effect on people’s “mental well-being” during the pandemic, according to a Christian Research survey conducted in the United Kingdom.

The survey also found that respondents were reading the Bible more and turning to Bible-related videos more during the pandemic.

The survey, carried out on behalf of the Bible Society, posed a number of questions to 1,000 people in the United Kingdom who identified themselves as Christians and who had attended church at least once a month before restrictions aimed at curbing the pandemic. The questions were asked in December, and the results were published online by the Bible Society March 1.

Forty-two percent of respondents reported that reading the Bible increased a “sense of hope in God during the crisis, rising to nearly half (49%) among 45- to 54-year-olds,” the report by the Bible Society said.

“Some 28% said that reading the Bible had increased their confidence in the future,” while 63% said they felt their level of confidence remained the same, rather than dropping, it said.

It said 23% of those surveyed said the Bible “had increased their mental well-being, including 47% of 24- to 34-year-olds,” and 33% of 16- to 24-year-olds reported that reading the Bible had helped them “feel less lonely.”

The report said 35% of survey respondents were reading the Bible more during the pandemic with the biggest increase among 25- to 34-year-olds in which “53% were reading the Bible more often.”

“A quarter of those asked, said that they were reading the Bible ‘multiple times a day’ and half said that they were reading the Bible on a daily basis,” the Bible Society said.

It also found that 25% of the 25- to 34-year-olds in the survey said they had begun reading the Bible during the pandemic.

While many continue to turn to print editions of the Bible, 23% reported using “a Bible-reading app, 30% are now listening to the Bible” and 59% of those surveyed said that “they now watched more Bible-related videos or had started watching them.”

Also see

Michigan third grader launches ‘Kid’s Bible in a Year with Teddy’ podcast

Bible is ‘key to evangelization’ and soul of theology, says Bishop Barron

Matthew, Mark, Luke or John? Who’s your quarterback? Inventive faith-sharing ‘Bible Draft’ comes to parishes

Nearly 1,000 Catholic women find peace in the midst of anxiety

Annual 100-hour nonstop public Bible reading planned in Louisiana diocese

RADIO INTERVIEW: Bible in a Year

Copyright © 2021 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Carol Glatz

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Assault outside Planned Parenthood office leaves pregnancy center employees shaken
  • Pope Francis says situation at U.S.-Mexico border is ‘serious problem’
  • Missionary of mercy priest: ‘Be Christ to all people’ in a world ‘hungry for the Word’
  • As COVID’s emergency phase ends, Catholic experts share takeaways for the church
  • Question Corner: Must I make my confession at the altar, as my pastor asks?

| Latest Local News |

Bishop Victor Galeone, former Archdiocese of Baltimore priest and bishop of St. Augustine, dies at 87

Assault outside Planned Parenthood office leaves pregnancy center employees shaken

RADIO INTERVIEW: The Prosperity Gospel

| Latest World News |

Archbishop: Months leading to synod are times for faithful to live response to divine grace ‘more intensely’

Numbers of Irish Catholics are falling rapidly; only half of Dublin residents say they’re Catholic

Nationals pitcher, Dodgers players join chorus criticizing LA team for plan to honor ‘Sisters’ drag group

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Movie Review: ‘Padre Pio’
  • Meet the new priests to be ordained in 2023
  • Archbishop: Months leading to synod are times for faithful to live response to divine grace ‘more intensely’
  • Numbers of Irish Catholics are falling rapidly; only half of Dublin residents say they’re Catholic
  • In June, let your garden honor the hearts of Jesus and Mary
  • Nationals pitcher, Dodgers players join chorus criticizing LA team for plan to honor ‘Sisters’ drag group
  • A host of sacramental statistics: Vatican tracks practice of the faith
  • Bishop Victor Galeone, former Archdiocese of Baltimore priest and bishop of St. Augustine, dies at 87
  • Videogame Review: ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED