Nearly 500 Christian leaders, public officials and entertainers are expected to gather in Washington, DC, to read the Bible aloud in its entirety over the course of a week-long event timed to precede the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations.
The initiative, titled “America Reads the Bible”, will take place from April 19 to April 25 at the Museum of the Bible and is being organised by Christians Engaged, a group which describes its mission as “to disciple Americans in a biblical worldview and their responsibilities as citizens to pray, vote and engage for the well-being of our nation”.
According to organisers, approximately 495 participants will read from the King James Version of the Bible in a continuous public recitation running daily from 9am to 9pm, with the aim of completing the full text within a week. The event will begin with an opening gathering on April 18, bringing together representatives from more than 100 ministries.
In a statement, Christians Engaged said the reading is intended “as a spiritual celebration of our nation’s founding ideals and a call to rediscover the truth that still anchors us today”. The organisation added: “We’re asking leaders across every sphere – from government and business to education, faith and the arts – to boldly attest to the impact the Bible has had on their lives and leadership. Their witness matters. Their example guides others.”
The group further states: “When the Bible is read, people are changed. And when people are changed, nations can be healed.”
The event takes inspiration from the Old Testament Book of Ezra, in which the public proclamation of Scripture is described as prompting repentance and renewal among the people. Organisers have framed the initiative as an effort to encourage similar engagement with the Bible in contemporary American life.
Among those scheduled to participate are a number of Catholic figures, alongside representatives of other Christian traditions. Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, and Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation, are both expected to read, as well as Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense, and Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture.
Other Catholic participants include Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, while lawmakers such as Ted Cruz and Chuck Grassley are also due to take part, alongside members of the House of Representatives including Ashley Hinson and Mike Simpson.
The programme will also feature pro-life advocates, including Marjorie Dannenfelser of Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, Kristie McCrary, and Abby Johnson, founder of ProLove Ministries and And Then There Were None.
Catholic representation extends to the cultural sphere, with actress Patricia Heaton among those who will read passages of Scripture. She will be joined by performers including Candace Cameron Bure, who serves as a national spokesperson for the initiative, as well as Dean Cain and David Hunt.
Whilst Catholics are taking part, it is likely that the reading will not include the full canon of Catholic Scripture. Most modern editions of the King James Version omit what earlier versions refer to as the “Apocrypha”, namely the books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch and 1 and 2 Maccabees. However, for Catholics, these books form part of recognised and authoritative Scripture, and their removal was an error of the Reformation.
Additional contributors include evangelical figures such as Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, who is scheduled to read the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10 on April 25, alongside pastors and ministry leaders drawn from across the United States. Organisers have also confirmed the participation of business and media figures, including representatives linked to Great American Pure Flix.
The event’s theme, “One Week. One Nation. One Book.”, reflects its stated aim of uniting participants across denominational and professional lines through the public reading of Scripture. Sessions will be accessible both in person and via online streaming.
Speaking earlier this year, Bunni Pounds, founder of Christians Engaged, said she hoped the initiative would address declining engagement with the Bible among Americans. Referring to contemporary habits, she said: “We’re binge-watching Netflix and Amazon Prime and playing games all the time, and not living our calling.”
