Bible Restricted in Nearly Half of All Countries, Open Doors Report Finds

Holy Bible. Photo: Open sources

SANTA ANA, CA — An analysis by the organization Open Doors in cooperation with the Digital Bible Society shows that the Bible is banned or restricted in 88 of the world’s 195 countries, meaning that nearly half of all nations limit access to the Holy Scriptures. Among the most severe cases is China (ranked 25th), where state control, direct government intervention, and pervasive social surveillance remain firmly in place despite the country’s outward image of economic openness.

Against this backdrop, Cardinal Joseph Zen has called on the faithful to “return to the catacombs,” warning that in China, religious worship is not only tightly regulated but also offered in a state-authorized form. The cardinal discourages participation in these official churches and urges believers to practice their faith freely, remaining “faithful to the truth that makes us free.”

According to the report, the top 10 most restrictive countries are:

1. Somalia
2. Afghanistan
3. Yemen
4. North Korea
5. Mauritania
6. Eritrea
7. Libya
8. Algeria
9. Iran
10. Turkmenistan

The top 10 countries with the worst Bible shortages are:

1. Democratic Republic of Congo
2. Nigeria 
3. Ethiopia
4. India
5. China
6. Tanzania
7. Uganda
8. Mozambique
9. Indonesia
10. Madagascar

Previously, UOJ reported that a new study links weekly Bible reading to lower anxiety and greater hope.

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