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Conservative Christianity may refer to an opinion or advocacy position on certain political issues such as [[abortion]], [[homosexuality]], [[creationism]], science education, [[taxation]], [[affirmative action]], gun control, treatment of prisoners, [[immigration]], racial [[segregation]], [[public education]], [[global warming]], [[capital punishment]], and [[divorce]].   

Conservative Christianity may refer to an opinion or advocacy position on certain political issues such as [[abortion]], [[homosexuality]], [[creationism]], science education, [[taxation]], [[affirmative action]], gun control, treatment of prisoners, [[immigration]], racial [[segregation]], [[public education]], [[global warming]], [[capital punishment]], and [[divorce]].   

Since the mid-1970's [[liberal]] [[sociologists]] have struggled to explain the growing popularity of Conservative Christianity<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=DJsA6SRr39sC ''Why Conservative Churches are Growing: A Study in Sociology of Religion''], Dean M. Kelley, Harper & Row, 1972 (reprinted 1986 with ISBN 0865542244) </ref> <ref> Chapter 5 "The Popularity of the Christian Right" in[http://books.google.com/books?id=8yfIgQz3bL8C ''The Resilience of Christianity in the Modern World''], Joseph B. Tamney, SUNY Press, 1992, ISBN 0791408213, 9780791408216, 178 pages </ref>.

Since the mid-1970's [[liberal]] [[sociologists]] have struggled to explain the growing popularity of Conservative Christianity.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=DJsA6SRr39sC ''Why Conservative Churches are Growing: A Study in Sociology of Religion''], Dean M. Kelley, Harper & Row, 1972 (reprinted 1986 with ISBN 0865542244)</ref><ref>Chapter 5 "The Popularity of the Christian Right" in [http://books.google.com/books?id=8yfIgQz3bL8C ''The Resilience of Christianity in the Modern World''], Joseph B. Tamney, SUNY Press, 1992, ISBN 0791408213, 9780791408216, 178 pages</ref>  

The label of "conservative" does not necessarily mean acceptance of all basic conservative values however. The designation is often applied to those who are more traditional than other members of the same faith family. There are, therefore, conservatives within liberal church bodies, and they may hold views that do not appear to be particularly conservative to outsiders. The Conservative [[Quakers]] are one example. They are a group distinct from other Quaker organizations and, despite their name, are not conservative in all their values.  While they maintain traditional Quaker views on [[marriage]], they have no stated opinion on abortion, and while not describing themselves as pacifist, they are against violence of all kinds, including the death penalty.  Their most liberal view is the traditional Quaker one of opposing all wars, claiming that there is no such thing as a [[just war]].<ref>[http://www.conservativefriend.org/edminsterwar.htm]</ref>

The label of "conservative" does not necessarily mean acceptance of all basic conservative values however. The designation is often applied to those who are more traditional than other members of the same faith family. There are, therefore, conservatives within liberal church bodies, and they may hold views that do not appear to be particularly conservative to outsiders. The Conservative [[Quakers]] are one example. They are a group distinct from other Quaker organizations and, despite their name, are not conservative in all their values.  While they maintain traditional Quaker views on [[marriage]], they have no stated opinion on abortion, and while not describing themselves as pacifist, they are against violence of all kinds, including the death penalty.  Their most liberal view is the traditional Quaker one of opposing all wars, claiming that there is no such thing as a [[just war]].<ref>[http://www.conservativefriend.org/edminsterwar.htm]</ref>

[[File:Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|[[Hong Kong]] Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref>

[[File:Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|[[Hong Kong]] Christians at Gateway Camp. In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref>

 

 

 

<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckln/4815046728/in/set-72157624550425162 Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]

<small>(photo obtained from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckln/4815046728/in/set-72157624550425162 Flickr], see [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en license agreement])</small>]]

[[Christianity]] is the world's largest religion and it has seen tremendous growth over its 2000 year history.<ref>[http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INCREASE]</ref> Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the [[Western World]] which often has cultures which are very traditional and [[conservative]].<ref>

[[Christianity]] is the world's largest religion and it has seen tremendous growth over its 2000 year history.<ref>[http://users.adam.com.au/bstett/BChristianIncrease12.htm 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INCREASE]</ref> Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the [[Western World]] which often has cultures which are very traditional and [[conservative]].<ref>