American Christians donated more than A$200 billion to churches and charities last year.
That’s according to a survey by the American Bible Society.
It found that people it describes as Scripture-Engaged accounted for 44% of all US donations given to charity.
They averaged around A$4,300 per person.
That was more than three times the average donation from non-believers.
The bulk of the Christian contributions went to churches.
The survey found that 80% of Scripture-Engaged people donated to charity, compared to 53% of non-believers.
Practicing Christians also donated money to charity at a higher rate than their non-practicing and non-Christian counterparts.
The Bible Society’s Director of Ministry Intelligence John Farquhar Plake concluded: “There is a strong correlation between charitable giving and human flourishing, suggesting that people find a sense of meaning when they give to a cause they believe in.”
He explained that: “Engaging with the Bible and actively living out our faith doesn’t simply mean reading the words in the pages of Scripture – rather, it is a transformation of the heart that inspires us to love and live well.”
