Fifty-three percent of Americans believe politicians would be more effective if they regularly read the Bible, according to the 2016 State of the Bible survey from American Bible Society and Barna Group. The survey also states that 51 percent of Americans believe politics would be more civil if politicians read the Bible on a regular basis.

In addition to collecting perceptions about the Bible and politics, the survey shares insight into how Americans view the Bible’s influence on everyday life. Nearly half of Americans (46 percent) believe the Bible does not have enough influence on society. Conversely, just 19 percent of Americans believe the Bible has too much influence on society, down 13 percent from the 2011 report. The majority of Americans also believe the Bible is sacred literature (80 percent) and contains everything a person needs to know to live a meaningful life (66 percent).

“Americans still believe the Bible has the power to improve the most uncertain or tumultuous of life’s challenges—even politics—when God’s Word is allowed to influence them. At American Bible Society, we see the transforming power of Scripture every day, from broken families being restored to men and women overcoming trauma to teens being released from addiction,” says Andrew Hood, director of communications of American Bible Society. “We have a 10-year goal of seeing 100 million people in the U.S. experience the transforming power of the Bible by engaging with it. Whether a politician or a preacher, a truck driver or a teacher, all can have their lives positively changed by God’s Word.”

Visit abs.us/stateofthebible for more information about the 2016 State of the Bible survey.