| Line 58: |
Line 58: |
| | | | |
| | In addition, in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, the atheist movement has had lower confidence/morale due to various historical events/trends (see: [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]). | | In addition, in the latter portion of the 20th century and continuing into the 21st century, the atheist movement has had lower confidence/morale due to various historical events/trends (see: [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]). |
| | + | |
| | + | == Research on the number of atheists in the world == |
| | + | |
| | + | Data compiled by the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC) at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (GCTS) as far as the number of atheists in the world: |
| | + | |
| | + | *[http://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/research/documents/StatusofGlobalChristianity2017.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2017, in the Context of 1900–2050] |
| | + | |
| | + | *[http://www.justinlong.org/articles/StatusOfGlobalChristianity2016.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2016, in the Context of 1900–2050] |
| | + | |
| | + | *[http://www.internationalbulletin.org/issues/2015-01/2015-01-029-table.html Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2015, in the Context of 1900–2050] |
| | + | |
| | + | Given the information in the resources directly above, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, expects the global [[Atheist Population|atheist population]] to shrink in its total number of individuals in 2017. |
| | + | |
| | + | If CSGC is correct, then not only is the global market share for atheism going downward, but now the actual number of atheists in the world is going down as well. Specifically, CSGC is projecting that from the mid-point of 2016 to the midpoint of 2017, the total number of atheists in the world is going to go from 138,101,000 individuals to 137,041,000 individuals. That is a net loss of 60,000 atheists in the world during this period.<ref> |
| | + | *[http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/global-study-atheists-decline-only-18-world-population-2020 Global Study: Atheists in Decline, Only 1.8% of World Population by 2020] |
| | + | *[http://www.justinlong.org/articles/StatusOfGlobalChristianity2016.pdf Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2016, in the Context of 1900–2050] |
| | + | *[http://www.internationalbulletin.org/issues/2015-01/2015-01-029-table.html Status of Global Atheism/Christianity/other religions, 2015, in the Context of 1900–2050]</ref> |
| | | | |
| | == Desecularization and Europe == | | == Desecularization and Europe == |