‘America Reads the Bible’: 500 Participants Gather in D.C. for Weeklong Scripture Reading

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Candace Cameron Bure, Dallas Jenkins, and Patricia Heaton are among nearly 500 participants taking part in a Washington, D.C., gathering that begins Saturday, where Christians from all walks of life will read the Bible – from Genesis to Revelation – over a one-week period marking America’s 250th birthday and reflecting on the role of God’s Word in the nation’s history.

The event, called simply “America Reads the Bible,” grew out of a vision sparked during a visit by visionary Bunni Pounds to the Museum of the Bible and has since developed into a nationwide gathering centered on Scripture.

Organizers say the event – built around the theme “One Week. One Nation. One Book.” – is designed to highlight the enduring influence of Scripture on both individual faith and the broader American story, while encouraging a renewed commitment to Bible reading across the country.

Pounds said she was inspired to launch the event after visiting the Museum of the Bible and reading a passage out of Nehemiah.

“We need a moment where we remember who we are, and what better way to remember who we are than through the fabric and the pages of Scripture – and as Ezra read the book of Moses to the Israelites – they were reminded of who they were,” Pounds told Great American Pure Flix in an interview. “And when Nehemiah came on the scene, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. I believe that this is a moment for us as Americans to remember who we are through the foundation of Scripture.”

The event will open Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET with a gathering at National Community Church (Capitol Turnaround), followed by seven full days of Scripture readings, April 19–25, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET at the Museum of the Bible’s World Stage Theater. Each hour will include 50 minutes of Scripture reading, the remaining 10 minutes filled with musical worship and testimonies.

Great American Pure Flix will broadcast it.

“Our Constitution has outlasted every constitution in world history,” Pounds said. “Why is that? It's because law, liberty, and justice – those foundations that our founders gave us – are found in the Bible. The Bible was a textbook in modern America. It was a part of who we are as a culture. It's a part of Western culture. And so being able to stand and see national leaders … reading the Bible and declaring that the Word of God is truly the fabric of our country, it's going to be such a powerful moment.”

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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

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