And a Christian civilization will not survive without the reading of the Bible. One could view the reading of the Bible as a private matter, which anyone can do at home. But the Bible also has public importance. Consider some of the ways the Bible did its work in a previous generation. Church people engaged in Bible translation and distribution.
Parents read the Bible at home.
Children became familiar with the Bible at school. Parents who did not go to church themselves sent their children to Sunday School where Bible stories were told and portions memorized. Authors quoted the Bible in the books they wrote. Much of our literature was dependent on biblical themes. Those who attended church services knew the Psalms and the Gospels.