Originally published April 24, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
The 34th annual National Capitol Bible Reading Marathon began on Saturday for the first time since before the COVID pandemic.
QUICK FACTS:
- The 34th annual National Capitol Bible Reading Marathon began this weekend, marking the first time the event has been held since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Led by the Indiana-based Christian group Seedline International, the reading will take place on the West Terrace of the Capitol through Wednesday, April 26.
- A rotating group of volunteers will read every word of the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation, in 15-minute increments.
- Founder and director of Seedline International, Keith Davidson, said he hopes the event will “draw attention back to the Bible” and remind Americans that “our founding fathers and founding principles of our country were for expressing our First Amendment rights and the freedom of speech.”
- Davidson said several members of Congress made an “interested commitment” to reading Scripture as part of the event that will also be attended by Christian groups from across the country.
SEEDLINE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDER KEITH DAVIDSON ON THE BIBLE READING MARATHON AT THE U.S. CAPITOL:
“For us, it’s a privilege to be back outside facing west, viewing the Washington Monument in the background, and just being out on the Capitol steps and on Capitol grounds is just … a good thing; we’re excited about that,” Davidson said.
BACKGROUND:
- In September 2015, a 24-hour worship service called “David’s Tent DC” started in Washington, D.C., and has been going ever since.
- “We were inspired by the devotion of King David, 3,000 years ago in Jerusalem. He hired 4,000 musicians and 288 singers to minister to God 24/7 for the length of his reign,” Ryan Montgomery, administrative director for David’s Tent, said at the time.
- “We want to give Jesus the biggest ‘We love You!’ from the Church of America we possibly can! We want to declare that He is central in our nation, and that we desire His presence in the midst of all we do,” Montgomery continued.
