The creators of The Bible miniseries set out to draw millions to the stories and truths of the Scriptures, and recent statistics suggest they’re doing just that.
About 4 in 10 Americans have watched at least one episode of the show, according to a survey by Barna Research for the American Bible Society.
More than a quarter of the show’s viewers—13.1 million for the premiere and around 10.8 million in the weeks since—are self-professed non-Christians, they found.
The miniseries, which airs on the History Channel each Sunday until Easter, portrays Bible stories from Genesis through Revelation, and 69 percent of viewers say they have learned something new about the Bible from watching, according to the survey.
Producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, both Catholics, consulted with theologians, scholars, and pastors for accuracy.
“Our greatest hope is that this series will affect a new generation of viewers and draw them back to the Bible,” said Burnett, the man behind shows like Survivor and The Voice. “…when you look at The Bible you realize that this is the most enduring piece of work that we will ever work on. More people will see The Bible series than all of our other shows combined.”
