The State of the Bible has released more information on the habits of Christians in America and found that Americans who identified as Scripture-Engaged Christians were the biggest contributors when it came to charitable giving. The study analyzed the responses of 2,506 American adults. According to the findings, 94 percent of Scripture-engaged Protestants and Catholics gave to charity last year. The median donation was around $2,000, nearly ten times higher than the “movable middle,” which had 75 percent of its group giving for a median total of $288. The movable middle refers to a group that typically identifies as Christian but doesn’t practice the faith and may or may not be churched. Only 43 percent that were identified as “Scripture disengaged” gave to charity, with their median donation being $0.

Evangelicals were the denomination with the highest giving, with 80 percent stating they give to charity, with a mean donation of $4,590. Practicing Christians gave more than any other group as well, with mean giving being at $5,885. Non-Christians gave an average of $1,466. Catholics had the lowest average giving for a denomination at $1,320. Surprisingly, those in lower tax brackets gave a higher percentage of their income than those in higher tax brackets, with families earning under $20,000 a year giving as much as 11 percent. Giving proportions decreased as income increased, with the lowest proportion (3 percent) being amongst those individuals who make between $100,000 and $150,000. Researchers wrote that the difference showed how “God looks at the heart.” “Nonprofits naturally look first to the top-line dollars donated, but God looks at the heart… Those blessed with great wealth often give from their surplus. It takes a deeper commitment to give sacrificially,” wrote researchers. “Our survey shows that donors at the lowest income levels give the greatest percentage of their income to church or charity.”

The study also found that those who gave also had higher life satisfaction than those who don’t. Givers scored nearly 7.2 on the life satisfaction scale, while non-givers scored 6.1. Non-givers making $30,000 or less had the lowest satisfaction level at 5.2. John Farquhar Plake, Chief Innovation Officer and editor-in-chief of State of the Bible, stated that the data shows the impact that Bible reading has on life. “People who consistently read the Bible and live by its teachings are more likely to give to charity. Our data shows that they also give far more – not only to their churches, but also to religious and non-religious charities,” he said. “At a national level, we could say that Scripture Engaged people form a massive engine of generosity and philanthropy.”