| Line 149: |
Line 149: |
| | [[File:Hong Kong Christians at Gateway Camp.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|[[Hong Kong]] Christians at Gateway Camp. | | [[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>]] | + | In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western World Christians as there were [[Western World]] Christians.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</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]] 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> |
| | | | |
| Line 156: |
Line 156: |
| | *[http://wwwgordonconwell.com/netcommunity/CSGCResources/ChristianityinitsGlobalContext.pdf Christianity in its global context]</ref> Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the [[Western World]].<ref> | | *[http://wwwgordonconwell.com/netcommunity/CSGCResources/ChristianityinitsGlobalContext.pdf Christianity in its global context]</ref> Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the [[Western World]].<ref> |
| | *[http://pewforum.org/Christian/Faith-and-Conflict-The-Global-Rise-of-Christianity.aspx The global rise of Christianity - Pew Forum] | | *[http://pewforum.org/Christian/Faith-and-Conflict-The-Global-Rise-of-Christianity.aspx The global rise of Christianity - Pew Forum] |
| − | *[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?] | + | *[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?] |
| | *[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/The-stunning-growth-of-Christianity-in-China.aspx The stunning growth of Christianity in China] | | *[http://pewforum.org/Religion-News/The-stunning-growth-of-Christianity-in-China.aspx The stunning growth of Christianity in China] |
| − | *[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th century Africa]</ref> In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were Western World Christians.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> There are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> | + | *[http://gratefultothedead.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/the-african-apostles-how-christianity-exploded-in-20th-century-africa/ The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th century Africa]</ref> In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were Western World Christians.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> There are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/?pageId=30077 Is Christianity taking over the planet?]</ref> |
| | | | |
| | == Rapid growth of evangelical Christianity and pentecostalism == | | == Rapid growth of evangelical Christianity and pentecostalism == |
| Line 179: |
Line 179: |
| | | | |
| | ''See also:'' [[Growth of evangelical Christianity]] and [[Baylor University researchers on American Christianity]] | | ''See also:'' [[Growth of evangelical Christianity]] and [[Baylor University researchers on American Christianity]] |
| − | [[File:Loc of United States.png|thumbnail|175px|left|A Pew Forum report showed that [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Protestant]] churches in America grew by 2 million from 2007 to 2014.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2015/05/why-conservative-churches-are-still-growing/ Why conservative churches are still growing]</ref> ]] | + | [[File:Loc of United States.png|thumbnail|175px|left|A Pew Forum report showed that [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Protestant]] churches in America grew by 2 million from 2007 to 2014.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/2015/05/why-conservative-churches-are-still-growing/ Why conservative churches are still growing]</ref> ]] |
| | Michael Brown wrote: | | Michael Brown wrote: |
| | {{cquote|Several decades ago, church statistician and demographer David Barrett began to report the surprising news that around the world, the most rapidly growing faith was Spirit-empowered Christianity, marked by clear gospel preaching, belief in the literal truth of the Scriptures, and the reality of God’s presence. (The data were compiled in the prestigious “World Christian Encyclopedia,” published by Oxford University Press.)... | | {{cquote|Several decades ago, church statistician and demographer David Barrett began to report the surprising news that around the world, the most rapidly growing faith was Spirit-empowered Christianity, marked by clear gospel preaching, belief in the literal truth of the Scriptures, and the reality of God’s presence. (The data were compiled in the prestigious “World Christian Encyclopedia,” published by Oxford University Press.)... |
| | | | |
| − | This is confirmed in the new Pew Forum report, which showed that [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Protestant]] churches in America grew by 2 million from 2007 to 2014 whereas the so-called mainline (liberal) Protestant churches declined by 5 million, meaning that evangelical Protestants now make up the largest religious group in the nation. (Although this is not part of the Pew Forum survey, my surmise is that the evangelical churches that are most Bible-based and make the most serious, grace-empowered demands on their congregants are, generally speaking, the ones that are growing rather than declining.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2015/05/why-conservative-churches-are-still-growing/ Why conservative churches are still growing]</ref>}} | + | This is confirmed in the new Pew Forum report, which showed that [[Evangelicalism|evangelical Protestant]] churches in America grew by 2 million from 2007 to 2014 whereas the so-called mainline (liberal) Protestant churches declined by 5 million, meaning that evangelical Protestants now make up the largest religious group in the nation. (Although this is not part of the Pew Forum survey, my surmise is that the evangelical churches that are most Bible-based and make the most serious, grace-empowered demands on their congregants are, generally speaking, the ones that are growing rather than declining.<ref>[https://www.wnd.com/2015/05/why-conservative-churches-are-still-growing/ Why conservative churches are still growing]</ref>}} |
| | | | |
| | In their 2010 journal article entitled, ''Secularism, Fundamentalism or Catholicism? The Religious Composition of the United States to 2043'' published in the ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', Vegard Skirbekk and Anne Goujon wrote that the "prevailing view ...envisions the continued growth of “strong religion” (Stark and Iannaccone 1994a)."<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/jssr_15101.pdf ''Secularism, Fundamentalism or Catholicism? The Religious Composition of the United States to 2043''], ''Journal for the Sientific Study of Religion'', vol. 49, no. 2 (June) 2010, Vegard Skirbekk and Anne Goujon,</ref> See also: [[Baylor University researchers on American Christianity]] | | In their 2010 journal article entitled, ''Secularism, Fundamentalism or Catholicism? The Religious Composition of the United States to 2043'' published in the ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'', Vegard Skirbekk and Anne Goujon wrote that the "prevailing view ...envisions the continued growth of “strong religion” (Stark and Iannaccone 1994a)."<ref>[http://www.sneps.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/jssr_15101.pdf ''Secularism, Fundamentalism or Catholicism? The Religious Composition of the United States to 2043''], ''Journal for the Sientific Study of Religion'', vol. 49, no. 2 (June) 2010, Vegard Skirbekk and Anne Goujon,</ref> See also: [[Baylor University researchers on American Christianity]] |
| Line 389: |
Line 389: |
| | "Most devout Muslims are creationists so when you go to schools, there are a large number of children of Islamic parents who trot out what they have been taught," Prof Dawkins said in a Sunday newspaper interview. | | "Most devout Muslims are creationists so when you go to schools, there are a large number of children of Islamic parents who trot out what they have been taught," Prof Dawkins said in a Sunday newspaper interview. |
| | | | |
| − | "Teachers are bending over backwards to respect home prejudices that children have been brought up with. The Government could do more, but it doesn't want to because it is fanatical about [[multiculturalism]] and the need to respect the different traditions from which these children come."<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2494397/Richard-Dawkins-Muslim-parents-import-creationism-into-schools.html ''Richard Dawkins: Muslim parents 'import creationism' into schools''], ''The Telegraph''</ref>}} | + | "Teachers are bending over backwards to respect home prejudices that children have been brought up with. The Government could do more, but it doesn't want to because it is fanatical about [[multiculturalism]] and the need to respect the different traditions from which these children come."<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2494397/Richard-Dawkins-Muslim-parents-import-creationism-into-schools.html ''Richard Dawkins: Muslim parents 'import creationism' into schools''], ''The Telegraph''</ref>}} |
| | | | |
| | === China and creationism === | | === China and creationism === |