This week, nearly 500 leading Americans will gather to do something both simple and profound: read the Bible aloud—from beginning to end.

No skipping the “begats.”

No glossing over Leviticus.

No ignoring Creation, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, or Christ’s promised return.

Every word. Publicly read. In full view—and within earshot—of the American people.

Participants will include voices from government, media, business, and culture. And yes, perhaps even a few who disagree with what they are reading.

How will we ever cope?

The truth is, public readings of Scripture are not new. They are, in fact, ancient.

In the Book of Nehemiah, the people of Israel gathered as Ezra the scribe stood before them and read the Law aloud—from morning until midday. The people listened attentively, standing in reverence, rediscovering not just words, but identity. In the early church, the Apostle Paul instructed that his letters be read publicly among the congregations. For centuries, before printing presses and personal copies, Scripture was something heard together, absorbed collectively, and lived out communally.

Even in early America, public readings of the........

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