Global Christianity
Christianity is the world's largest religion and it has seen tremendous growth over its 2000 year history.[2]
In terms of its geographic distribution, Christianity is the most globally diverse religion.[3] Christianity has recently seen explosive growth outside the Western World.[4] In 2000, there were twice as many non-Western Christians as Western Christians.[5] In 2005, there were four times as many non-Western Christians as there were Western World Christians.[6] There are now more non-Western missionaries than Western missionaries.[7] See also: Global scope of indigenous evangelical Christianity evangelism
Phillip Jenkins published the book The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity.
Chuck Colson, citing the work of Jenkins, writes:
“ | As Penn State professor Philip Jenkins writes in The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, predictions like Huntingtons betray an ignorance of the explosive growth of Christianity outside of the West.
For instance, in 1900, there were approximately 10 million Christians in Africa. By 2000, there were 360 million. By 2025, conservative estimates see that number rising to 633 million. Those same estimates put the number of Christians in Latin America in 2025 at 640 million and in Asia at 460 million. According to Jenkins, the percentage of the worlds population that is, at least by name, Christian will be roughly the same in 2050 as it was in 1900. By the middle of this century, there will be three billion Christians in the world -- one and a half times the number of Muslims. In fact, by 2050 there will be nearly as many Pentecostal Christians in the world as there are Muslims today.[8] |
” |
According to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary's Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC), which has made projections up until the year of 2050, the percentage of the global population that are evangelical Christians/pentecostals is expected to increase.[9]
In 2012, the CSGC reported that every day there are 800 less atheists per day, 1,100 less non-religious (agnostic) people per day and 83,000 more people professing to be Christians per day.[10][11]
In 2011, the American Spectator declared:
“ | The report estimates about 80,000 new Christians every day, 79,000 new Muslims every day, and 300 fewer atheists every day. These atheists are presumably disproportionately represented in the West, while religion is thriving in the Global South, where charismatic Christianity is exploding."[12] | ” |
See also: Atheism vs. Christianity
Contents
Implications of the explosive growth of global Christianity
see also: Internet evangelism and Atheist population
It is thought that given the increase in the availability of public's access to global communications that the more theologically conservative non-Western Christianity could influence Western Christianity to move into more theologically conservative direction.[13] For example, non-Western Anglicans are exerting influence in the worldwide Anglican communion as far as the Anglican Communion's policy concerning homosexuality.[14][15]
Chinese Christians and plans for evangelism outside of China
Professor Fenggang Yang indicates:
“ | One sign of the advancing state of Christianity in China is that it is reaching out to the larger world. Nine hundred Chinese pastors gathered in Hong Kong this fall for the Mission 2030 Conference. Their goal: To send out 20,000 missionaries from mainland China by 2030.[16] | ” |
See also
- Internet evangelism
- Evangelical Christians
- Christian evangelism
- Evangelism
- Decline of atheism
- Atheist Population
- Atheism and health
External links
- 7 encouraging trends in global Christianity
- Is Islam Really the Second-Fastest Growing Religion?
- Faith and Conflict: The Global Rise of Christianity by Pew Research Center
- Christianity taking over planet?
- The stunning growth of Christianity in China
- The African apostles: How Christianity exploded in 20th-century Africa
- 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INCREASE
Specific forms of Christianity which are growing in the world and in the United States and the UK:
Global Christianity, Charismatic Christianity and Pentecostalism:
- Growth of Pentecostalism
- Pentecostalism and Asia
- Why the growth of Pentecostalism is an under-reported story
United States:
- A New Exodus: Americans are leaving liberal churches
- Religious conservatism growth in the USA and the turning point of 2020
UK:
- Evangelical Christianity is growing in the UK and challenging liberal forms of Anglicanism in the UK
Internet evangelism:
- Internet evangelism
- Global Media Outreach evangelism statistics - internet evangelism statistics for Global Media Outreach
- Christian organizations join forces to train disabled for Internet evangelism
Video:
- Internet evangelism - YouTube video
Notes
- ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
- ↑ 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INCREASE
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
- ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
- ↑ Is Christianity taking over the planet?
- ↑ How Christianity is Growing Around the World by Chuck Colson
- ↑ Global adherents of the major religions/worldviews, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary's Center for the Study of Global Christianity
- ↑ Globally the worldviews of atheism and non-religious (agnostic) are declining while global Christianity is exploding in adherents
- ↑ Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - Status of Global Missions
- ↑ Thriving Christianity
- ↑ http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18774
- ↑ http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-politics/district/5751-bishop-mw-anglicans-totally-against-homosexuality.html
- ↑ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2156406/Anglican-church-schism-declared-over-homosexuality.html
- ↑ GlobalPlus: Religion in China By Fenggang Yang