Comedian Tim Allen announced he’s started reading the New Testament as part of his journey of reading through the Bible — and is already “amazed” by Paul’s letter to the Romans.
“Finished the Old Testament and it is such a gift when I get out of the way and the words and meaning flow. This week I am now in the book of the Gospel of Paul. A Roman Jew familiar with Plato, Stoicism, and other Greek schools of thought. I am amazed in seven pages!” the 71-year-old “Home Improvements” actor wrote in a Sunday post on X.
He added in a follow-up post, “Ok specifically reading Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans.”
In February, Allen announced he’d read through and re-read the Old Testament — an experience he described as a “treasure.”
“After nearly a year I have finished [the] entire Old Testament and the experience of re reading, dedicated focus and no drifting has made this a humbling [,] overwhelming experience. What a treasure,” he wrote.
In an October post, the “Toy Story” star shared an update on his Bible reading.
“Continuing my reading of the complete Bible. Finished a rather intense Ezekiel now on to Daniel. The challenge in reading this Book is how I translate words that the Eternal expresses to the temporary. I need a Snickers,” he wrote.
Though raised as an Episcopalian, Allen previously opened up about experiencing a period of skepticism following personal tragedies, including the death of his father when he was 11.
In 1978, he was arrested at a Michigan airport with over a pound of cocaine in his luggage. After he pleaded guilty to the charges, the actor spent two years in a federal prison during his mid-20s.
In a 2011 interview, the “Shifting Gears” star described himself as a “cynic” who didn’t “like the idea of God,” but over time, he began to view God as “The Builder,” someone he consults for purpose and direction in his life.
“I always do ask … The Builder, what did you want me to do?” Allen said. “And I do ask it. But you got to be prepared for the answer.”
Allen is one of several comedians who have expressed a growing interest in Christianity in recent years.
Apologist Wes Huff recently revealed that comedian and podcaster Joe Rogan “is attending a church and that has been a consistent thing.”
“And so, you know, things are happening,” he continued. “And he’s a very inquisitive individual, and I think for the better in that he’s communicating with me and other people in his life who are influences that can speak into, you know, these issues of reliability and trustworthiness and verisimilitude of something like the pages of Scripture, and where he should and shouldn’t be looking for the information in regards to that.”
Huff said he’s “very encouraged” by his communications with Rogan over the last few months, adding: “We’re seeing what I don’t think is an exaggeration to say, somewhat of a resurgence in interest in these topics that we’ve been talking about, even the nitty gritty.”
In 2023, comedian Rob Schneider announced he’d converted to Catholicism and told The Christian Post he felt called to leave behind the type of comedy he had performed in the past.
“I know I can’t do the same stuff I used to do,” Schneider told CP. “Not because I have anything against what I did; I did what I did, and I felt fine about it at the time. I’m not going to judge myself. But I won’t do the same stuff I’ve done. I don’t know what I’m going to do. … I want to come to it from a place of faith, a place of something good in my heart.”
“I don’t know if I can tell dirty jokes anymore,” he added. “I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I’m going to. I have an act I’m doing now; I don’t know if I’ll do it again next year. Just some of the bad words, I go, ‘Maybe I don’t want to say those words anymore.’ I don’t know. I also think it’s important to not only talk to the converted but to bring people in, and the best form is to show by example. People talk all the time; that doesn’t mean anything. So I hope that me standing up for what I believe in — God, family country — I’m OK with whatever comes my way, positive or negative. When you have faith, nothing can really rock you.”
Last year, comedian Matt Rife revealed he got baptized in a pool following the death of his grandfather — and said that even though he “hates” church, he wants to believe in God.
Comedian Russell Brand also revealed that he’d converted to Christianity and was baptized in the River Thames. He has since used his social media to document his journey.
In a 2018 interview with Relevant magazine, Brand said his “route to spirituality comes through addiction, so it comes from desperation and fear and this sort of defeat, destruction, annihilation of self in a very humiliating way, I suppose.”
“I had no choice but to embrace spiritual life, but now I am grateful for this,” he said, crediting Christianity with making “sense” of his life.
