Students cover campus in Scripture during first weeks of classes

Liberty University students walking to or from class during the first two weeks of the Fall 2025 semester heard their peers read from Scripture outside the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity as part of the university’s second annual Campus Bible Reading. Since Aug. 20, pastoral leadership students have been taking turns reading through God’s Word chapter by chapter, with the goal of reading through the entire Bible. Students signed up for 30-minute sessions between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day and read from a Bible that Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell purchased in 1961 and used for over a decade.

Chancellor Jonathan Falwell kicked off the readings with Genesis 1:1-3 from the Convocation stage on Aug. 20, emphasizing the important role the Bible plays in helping each believer understand their purpose in life.

“A key component of that vision and mission and walk that we’re all on is understanding what God says to us through His Word and what we see in the infallibility, inerrancy, and inspiration of Scripture,” he told the students. “This book was given to us thousands of years ago so we would know how to live, how to answer the questions that are so prevalent in our culture, and what it means to be a fully devoted follower.”

Pastoral Leadership Professor Dr. Matt Willmington said the event was inspired by the account from Nehemiah 8 of Ezra and the Levites reading the Book of the Law to the Israelites following the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls.

“Liberty was founded on the Word of God, and it has always been central to our mission of Training Champions for Christ,” he said. “It’s easy to say we value God’s Word but not actually read all of it. This reading of all 1,189 chapters from Genesis to Revelation is one way we are committing to all of God’s Word over our lives and over this campus.”

Over 150 students participated. Business junior Daniel Williams, who read from the book of Ezekiel, said he appreciated the opportunity to start the new school year by diving deep into the Word of God.

“It’s so cool to be able to participate in something so special in reading the Word of the Lord. … The Word of the Lord is holy and so important,” he said, noting he also participated in last year’s Bible readings. “If I can participate in reading that a little bit, it’s just the most amazing thing.”

“The Bible is the full and complete truth,” he added. “To be able to read the truth over campus and have this university be based in that truth is amazing. To be able to start off the year with that is an incredible opportunity you don’t get anywhere else except for Liberty.”

Pastoral leadership senior Caleb Malina, who served as a student leader for the readings, echoed the importance of hosting the readings on campus during the first weeks of classes.

“Reading the Bible out loud is such a meaningful task that we can do because it focuses our minds on the Scriptures,” he said. “It prepares us not only for what the Lord has and for putting Him as the priority, but it also unifies the campus. It unifies us in prioritizing the Bible over everything this semester and wanting it to lead us individually and as a campus as well.”

Vice President of Spiritual Development Josh Rutledge concluded the 2025 Campus Bible Reading with the closing verses of Revelation 22 during Wednesday’s Campus Community.

The Campus Bible Reading event reinforces Liberty’s continued efforts to begin the 2025-26 academic year grounded in faith. On Aug. 13-14, the Office of Spiritual Development held Prayer on the Lawn sessions for incoming students and their families. Last week, OSD held a CC on the Lawn worship night to close out the opening day of classes.