The Crisis of Biblical Illiteracy in American Christianity
The American Church faces a quiet emergency that threatens its very foundation. While debates about secularism and cultural engagement capture headlines (and rightly so), a more fundamental problem festers beneath the surface: biblical illiteracy. Congregations may swell with enthusiastic worshippers on Sunday mornings, yet many of these same believers would struggle to name the Ten Commandments, identify major biblical figures, or articulate basic Christian doctrines.
Recent surveys reveal the sobering reality. According to research by Ligonier Ministries and LifeWay Research, over half of self-identified evangelicals believe that people are basically good by nature—a view that directly contradicts Scripture’s teaching on original sin. Similarly alarming percentages reject the deity of Christ or believe good works play a role in salvation. These aren’t minor theological confusions but fundamental misunderstandings about Christianity itself.
The consequences of this theological amnesia extend far beyond simple factual ignorance. Christians lacking biblical understanding become vulnerable to false teaching, cultural compromise, and spiritual shallowness. Without theological moorings, they drift with prevailing cultural currents, unable to distinguish between biblical truth and contemporary sentiment.
R.C. Sproul warned about this crisis, writing: “We live in the most anti-intellectual period in the history of the church… the church is in a worse condition of biblical ignorance than at any time since the Protestant Reformation.” This observation came decades ago, and evidence suggests the situation has only deteriorated since then.
The roots of this crisis run deep. In an understandable desire to make Christianity accessible and appealing, many churches have systematically reduced their expectations for biblical knowledge. Sermons frequently prioritize emotional engagement and practical application while minimizing doctrinal substance. Sunday School has morphed from rigorous instruction to entertainment, and comprehensive catechesis has largely disappeared.
Technology and media have further exacerbated the problem. In our digital age, attention spans shorten while expectations for immediate spiritual gratification grow. Many Christians consume their theology through social media snippets, worship songs, and celebrity pastors rather than through careful Scripture study or historic confessions of faith.
Cultural forces also contribute to declining biblical literacy. Western society increasingly treats education as primarily vocational preparation or political activism rather than character formation in the pursuit of truth. This utilitarian approach to learning has infiltrated the church, leading believers to question why they should invest time in theological education if it doesn’t seem to yield obvious practical benefits.
Adding weight to these concerns is groundbreaking research by Dr. Arnie Cole, CEO of Back to the Bible and Chief Research Officer at the Center for Bible Engagement. His studies reveal that a person must engage with Scripture at least four times a week before meaningful life change occurs. Christians who meet this threshold are 228% more likely to share their faith and 231% more likely to disciple others. Conversely, those who interact with Scripture fewer than four times a week show minimal difference from non-believers in behaviors and worldview. Cole’s findings confirm what pastors and theologians have long intuited: casual contact with the Bible does little to transform the heart or mind.
The path forward requires intentional effort at multiple levels. Church leaders must recover their role as teachers, not merely inspirational speakers or organizational administrators. Kevin DeYoung addresses this responsibility directly: “Pastors, we must give our people a steady diet of sound doctrine. We cannot assume they are being fed elsewhere. We cannot assume they know basic biblical truth. We cannot assume they understand the gospel.” DeYoung’s call recognizes the pastor’s fundamental obligation to ground congregants in biblical truth.
Recovering robust theological education will require changes in approach and structure. Churches should consider restoring systematic catechesis—the intentional, sequential instruction in Christian doctrine that was once standard practice. Modern catechism efforts adapt historic resources like the Westminster Shorter Catechism or the Heidelberg Catechism for contemporary believers, providing comprehensive theological frameworks accessible to ordinary Christians.
Parents must also reclaim their primary responsibility for their children’s spiritual formation. While church programs support this formation, Scripture places the main burden of teaching on parents (Deut. 6:6-7). This requires parents themselves to grow in biblical knowledge to effectively pass it on to the next generation.
Meanwhile, individual believers need to rediscover the disciplines of careful Bible study. Casual reading of Scripture must be supplemented by deeper engagement that includes context, interpretation, and application. Scripture isn’t meant to be consumed like social media content but studied with patience and humility.
The stakes could hardly be higher. If the Church continues its drift into biblical illiteracy, it will not only fail to challenge the surrounding culture, but it will also increasingly reflect it. If that occurs, Christianity becomes reduced to therapeutic moralism—a system for feeling better and being nice, rather than a comprehensive worldview rooted in God’s revelation.
Yet there is reason for hope. Throughout church history, periods of theological confusion have often preceded times of renewal and reformation. The same God who inspired scripture continues to work through it, and His word never returns void.
The solution isn’t complicated, though it requires commitment. Churches must return to teaching the full counsel of God. Believers must prioritize theological learning alongside emotional experience. Parents must disciple their children in biblical truth. If American Christianity recovers these fundamental commitments, it can rebuild on the solid foundation of scripture rather than fall to the shifting sands of cultural accommodation.
Image: Martin Luther Preaching at Wartburg Castle, Hugo Vogel, 1882. Wikimedia Commons.
