At the same time, Christians in the United States also have comparatively high levels of commitment to their faith. . To understand global changes in religion today and the potential impact on the borders of geography, population, and faith, we must first look at differential demographicsnamely that some parts of the world are growing much faster than others. The groups projected to experience rapid growth in sub-Saharan Africa in the decades ahead had very young populations in 2010. [Online]. Or Does It. (See Appendix A [PDF] for a more detailed explanation of how the estimates were made; see Appendix D [PDF] for a list of data sources by country.). Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1368604/christian-population-in-africa-by-country/, Christian population in Africa as of 2023, by country, Immediate access to statistics, forecasts & reports, Share of catholics in Latin America 2000-2020, by country, Share of evangelicals in Latin America 2020, by country, Latin America: support for Church 2020, by country, Religious affiliation in Mexico 1995-2020, Religious affiliation in Colombia 1996-2020, Religious affiliation in Costa Rica 1996-2020, Religious affiliation in Dominican Republic 2005-2020, Religious affiliation in Argentina 2019, by gender, Religious affiliation share by age Argentina 2019, Ethnic distribution of Catholics and Evangelists in Brazil 2019, Age distribution of Catholics and Evangelists in Brazil 2019, Level of education of Catholics and Evangelists in Brazil 2019, Religious affiliation by age group El Salvador in 2020, Religious affiliation by socioeconomic class El Salvador 2019, Religious affiliation by region in Nicaragua 2020, Perception of corruption among religious leaders in Latin America 2020, by country, Opinion on abortion by religion in Nicaragua 2020, Reception to different concepts of family by religion in Argentina 2019, Opinion on in which cases abortion should be allowed by religion in Argentina 2019, Respondents who defined themselves as feminists by religion in Brazil 2019, Chile: trust in Catholic Church 2005-2020, Religiosity among the Catholic youth in Colombia 2021, by level of observance, Influence of religion on the daily life of young Colombians 2021, Young Mexicans' religious affiliation 2019, Level of attendance to religious services by gender among youth in Mexico 2019, Level of importance that young Mexicans attach to religion 2019, Young people's trust in church and religious organizations in Mexico 2019, Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. Christianity today unlike a century ago is truly a global faith. PolitiFact | 'Millions' of Muslims converting to Christianity 36), Democratic Republic of Congo (No. During the launch event, Curry interviewed Afordia, a Nigerian Christian health care worker whose husband was executed by Boko Haram. ), 2 Historical figures throughout the executive summary are courtesy of Todd M. Johnson of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass. But it was then that I took a class in Black Theology, and wrote a term paper on the relationship between spiritual and racial identities. 40), Mozambique (No. Though a smaller number compared to Africa, they make up the majority of the continent at 92 percent. She hadn't eaten in a week. By contrast, 24% of the people living in the Global South are Christian. At the same time, the United States remains an outlier among wealthy countries in terms of its relatively high levels of religious commitment. By then, the 10 countries with the largest Christian populations will include several African states, including Ethiopia, Nigeria, Congo, and probably Uganda. Christians in Africa and Latin America also tend to pray and attend church at higher rates than Christians in most of the rest of the world. The Situation of Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa - JSTOR Lastly, the late Leonard Lovett, Pentecostal clergyman, professor of theology, and founding dean of C.H. For some countries, such as China, the Pew Forums estimates also take into account statistics from church groups, government reports and other sources. It seems to have worked. In 1987, a rebel group went into battle against the government under the leadership of a warrior priestess named Alice Lackwena. Its research is certified and audited by the International Institute for Religious Freedom, a World Evangelical Alliance-backed network based in Germany. How Christianity has Shaped the Contours of Black American Life, Columbia University in the City of New York, From 'Barbie' to 'Oppenheimer': Columbia Connections to This Summer's Blockbusters You Should Know, Columbia Student, Air Force Combat Photojournalist Named 2023 Tillman Scholar, Columbia Issues Statement on Affirmative Action Cases. Christianity is one of the two major religions in the African continent, the other being Islam. Christians who abandon a majority faith to follow Christ know they risk losing all support from spouses, families, tribes, and communities, as well as local and national authorities, noted researchers. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. However, other types of persecution can outweigh violence [as explained below]. And while much of the world might be losing its attachment to religionperhaps most clearly seen in an increasingly secularized Europethese trends point to startling new significance for Africa in the worlds religious picture. Read our research on: LGBTQ Attitudes & Experiences| Artificial Intelligence | Affirmative Action. The median age for the region overall was 18. In that essay, among other topics, Kelley challenged a long-standing academic orthodoxy for thinking about where and how religion has shaped Black political activism. World Population Review. LGBTQ protections: Supreme Court says certain businesses can - CNN All nations of the world are monitored by Open Doors researchers and field staff, but in-depth attention is given to 100 nations and special focus on the 74 which record high levels of persecution (scores of more than 40 on Open Doorss 100-point scale). (See Appendix C [PDF] for more details on the range of estimates available for China. The figures in this report on pentecostal, charismatic and evangelical Christians and on Protestant denominational families were commissioned by the Pew Forum from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass., whose researchers generated estimates based in large part on figures provided by Christian organizations around the world. Christianity in Africa The Church of Saint George in Lalibela, Ethiopia is rock-hewn in the shape of a cross Part of a series on Christianity Jesus Christ Bible Foundations Theology History Tradition Denominations Groups Related topics Glossary Index Outline Christianity portal v t e After cutting off communication networks in the couples village, the extremists rounded up the men and asked each one if they were a Muslim or an infidel. When examining only hostility within society, Christians were harassed in 104 countries and Muslims in 103 countries. By 2060six of the countries with the top ten largest Christian populations will be in Africa, up from three in 2015, according to a new Pew Research Center report. 36). The median ages of these groups ranged from 17 (for Muslims) to 20 (for the unaffiliated). This year the top 10 worst persecutors are relatively unchanged. And the Nigerian Redeemed Christian Church of God operates in dozens of countries, growing so widely and quickly that it could well become a new global denomination. As we celebrate our anniversary and look ahead to our next 75 years, achieving measurable, meaningful change will continue to be at the heart of our mission. Projected Religious Population Changes in Sub-Saharan Africa | Pew By some projections, the African share of global population by 2100 could be 40 percent. As an interdisciplinary scholar of religion and race in the Americas, Josef Sorett employs primarily historical and literary approaches to the study of religion in Black communities and cultures in the United States. Latin America: religion affiliation share 2020, by type, Voting intention for 2022 presidential elections in Brazil, by religion, Religious affiliation of the youth in Colombia 2021, Religious affiliation in Latin American and Caribbean countries 2020, Facebook: quarterly number of MAU (monthly active users) worldwide 2008-2023, Quarterly smartphone market share worldwide by vendor 2009-2023, Number of apps available in leading app stores Q3 2022, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Because of this, Africa is now home to some of the worlds largest Christian and Muslim communities. Courtesy of Coetzeebreaking with the expected conventions of a genre, if done well, can be an incredibly effective form of argumentation. 7 Encouraging Trends of Global Christianity in 2022 Two are in Europe (Russia and Germany), two are in the Asia-Pacific region (the Philippines and China), and three are in sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia), reflecting Christianitys global reach. Here we list the top 25 most anti-Christian countries. The purpose of the annual WWL rankingswhich have chronicled how North Korea now has competition as persecution gets worse and worseis to guide prayers and to aim for more effective anger while showing persecuted believers that they are not forgotten. The number of Christians around the world has nearly quadrupled in the last 100 years, from about 600 million in 1910 to more than 2 billion in 2010. The facial recognition software is linked to the Social Credit System in China, which monitors the loyalty of citizens with regards to the tenets of communism.. The projections are in line with the gradual shift that has increasingly seen Christian populations live outside the historical cultural centers of the religion. In the U.S., more than two-thirds of Christians say religion is very important in their lives, compared with significantly lower levels in other rich democracies. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8, Continue reading your article witha WSJ subscription, Already a subscriber? Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 1000+ markets in 190+ countries & territories, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 70m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. For instance, at least four out of five Christians in Nigeria, Liberia, Senegal, Cameroon and Chad pray every day. For example: So where are the bulk of the worlds Christians today? Supreme Court Stops Affirmative Action . Share Africa Is Changing Faith In this Issue To understand global changes in religion today and the potential impact on the borders of geography, population, and faith, we must first look at differential demographicsnamely that some parts of the world are growing much faster than others. 52) due to rising violence and discrimination against Christians from drug traffickers, gangs, and indigenous communities. This year, Islamic extremists continue to target churches (14 killed in one attack, 24 in another).. And when these Africans go, they will take with them their churches and mosques, their religious movements and customs. The majority of Christians in sub-Saharan Africa are Protestant . Philip Jenkins is distinguished professor of history at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. In the South of the continent the Dutch founded the beginnings of the Dutch Reform Church in 1652 . Protestants, broadly defined, make up 37%. 42), Mozambique (No. Nigeria has particularly witnessed rapid growth in Christianity with numerous African-Christian denominations established across the nation. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-competition-for-believers-in-africas-religion-market-66e5255d. According to CBS News, Zambia is the African nation with the highest percentage of Christian residents, with around 95.5 percent of the people living there following the religion. One common treatment is to sacrifice a goat or sheep and, with the proper incantations, transfer the disease to the carcass. Publisher withdraws Christian reference work as editor alleges censorship. In India, where more than 100,000 Christians received aid from Open Doors partners, 80 percent reported being previously dismissed from food distribution points. The historian Robin D.G. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Additionally, places in Latin America that are vulnerable to drug gangs have become even more dangerous for Christians, since the pandemic has decreased the presence of official authorities who try to maintain order.. Turkey rose 11 spots from No. So reports the 2021 World Watch List (WWL), the latest annual accounting from Open Doors of the top 50 countries where Christians are the most persecuted for following Jesus. China maintains it moved decisively to contain COVID-19 after the virus took flight in Wuhan, noted Open Doors researchers. Clan oppression (6 countries): This is the main source of persecution that Christians face in Afghanistan (No. The Story of Africa| BBC World Service The percentage of the world that remains unevangelized continues to fall. By contrast, the projection for the Christian share of the region in 2050 is 0.3 percentage points lower than if religious switching were not included in the projections. Frankly, its been hard to keep up with the reading while adjusting to the demands of my first year as dean of Columbia College. This means that Africans represent a much larger share of the worlds population and that this share will continue to increase at least until midcentury. In 1990, Nigerians got a big scare when it was reported that witch doctors had perfected a technique for stealing womens breasts and mens penises with a touch or a handshake. 9), yet doesnt even make the top 50 watch list (at No. Today, the country claims about 80 million of each faith, and each should grow by another 100 million by 2050. William Robertson Boggs, American Renaissance, January 1992. The difficulty is, though, that religious patterns are far harder to quantify than those in other areas of life. Yet it remains No. Subscribe to CT For more details, see the Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion & Public Life, The Future of the Global Muslim Population: Projections for 2010-2030, January 2011, and Pew Research Centers Forum on Religion & Public Life, Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the Worlds Muslim Population, October 2009. Despite being a major recipient of Western missions for centuries, Asia was the least evangelized (18 percent) in 1900 and continues to be less evangelized today (60 per - A preacher led the congregation in praying for the health of their children and success at work. In 2015, birth rates of more than five children per woman in Uganda, Nigeria, and Ethiopiaand nearly five in Congosuggest that this trend will not decline over the next few decades. In 1989, the Lackwena cult was revived under a new leader, whose members were known to charge into battle unarmed, shouting James Bond, and throwing empty Coca-Cola bottles they believed would explode like hand grenades. About half of U.S. pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member, How U.S. adults on Twitter use the site in the Elon Musk era, How the American middle class has changed in the past five decades. Consequently, the report does not show different projection scenarios with and without migration for this region. The clear discrimination and oppression suffered by Christians in 2020 must not be forgotten, even after the COVID-19 crisis fades into our collective memory.. Get quick analyses with our professional research service. 9 overall but is second behind only Pakistan in terms of violence, and ranks No. Christianity in Nigeria | Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. But even though Christians are more numerous in the Global South, the concentration of Christians is much higher in the Global North, where 69% of the population is Christian. Conserving Marine Life in the United States, International Boreal Conservation Campaign, Protecting Coastal Wetlands and Coral Reefs, U.S. Public Lands and Rivers Conservation. This day is getting nearer, and Open Doors helps with this effort., Correction: In its first release of the report, Open Doors miscategorized the primary source of persecution in Colombia (No. In 1986, former president of Nigeria, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, suggested to an international group studying South Africa that it should use juju, or black magic to bring an end to apartheid. Text. 45), and Kenya (No. v t e Religion in Africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. World Christianity and Mission 2021: Questions about the Future Magic has been put to high political purpose. (February 28, 2023). In the Zairian rite, Christ is referred to as the Supreme Ancestor, sermons are interrupted with shouts of joy, and the bread and wine are danced up to the altar. The source does not specify the date of publication. In the Anglican Communion, traditional centers such as England, Canada, and the United States have been dwarfed by the thriving and expanding churches of Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa. 4), Pakistan (No. Do You Know How Africa Could Change the Future of Religion? 49 though attacks there increased significantly.. To see the estimated size of religious groups in specific countries in 2010 and 2050, see. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax 1.8 billion people in the world are Muslims, while 1.1 billion people follow Hinduism. Were hearing firsthand from those experiencing persecution, and we only report what we can document.. Christianity is the worlds largest religion, with a big presence in most parts of the globe. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. This phenomenon is particularly evident in sub-Saharan Africa, where Christianity is rapidly growing, largely due to high fertility rates. In 2023, Nigeria had the largest Christian population in Africa, with around 88.4 million people who identified as Christian. Africa: prevalence of Islam by country 2023 | Statista Chinas war on faitha return to government as godis back, said Curry, who interviewed a Muslim Uighur about government detainment centers during the livestream. View on YouTube, This video is hosted by YouTube. The priest wears the robes of a tribal headman and is called the chief of Gods people. They were cut down like grass. This year, 838 million live in the global North, while almost 1.1 billion Christians live in Africa and Asia alone. About half of black Africans joined one of the great monotheistic faiths, and they favored Christianity over Islam by a rate of 4-to-1. Africans represent a much larger share of the world's population, and this share will continue to increase at least until midcentury. How Africa Is Changing Faith Around the World 7 encouraging trends of global Christianity in 2022 Africa's desperate hunger: Ukraine war pushes Somalia toward famine The three countries with the largest Christian populations the United States, Brazil and Mexico are in the Americas. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main Map of the 50 countries where persecution of Christians is worst. We can be reasonably sure where the bulk of the worlds people will be living in 2050, but do we dare make statements about what they will believe? In absolute terms, there were. For example, the latest Pew Research Center analysis of governmental and societal hostilities toward religion found that Christians were harassed in 145 countries in 2018, more than any other religious group. Religion in Africa 2023 As of 2020, Christianity was by far the largest religion in Africa, with an estimated 658 million adherents, nearly half (50%) of Africa's Population. Religion in Africa - Wikipedia There are already more Christians in Africa than any other continentthats not going to change soon. More tentatively, this demographic change should also mean that the strong religiosity so closely associated with African populations will continue and will increasingly spread beyond that continent. This, of course, assumes there is such a thing as a "center," which is highly debatable. 49). I reconnected with him in the early 2000s for a research project I was leading, but I would welcome the opportunity to ask him some questions about that term paper I wrote back then, and, especially, what it was like to teach Black Theology at Oral Roberts during the 1990s. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. The Size and Distribution of the World's Christian Population | Pew Readers of both books will perhaps discern some of the same questions in Black is a Church that I pose in my introduction to The Sexual Politics of Black Churches. Although demography is far from an infallible crystal ball on the future of religious revivals and conflicts, trends in population growth and family do correlate strongly with religious attitudes. 2), Somalia (No. And every day, 12 Christians are unjustly arrested or imprisoned, and another 5 are abducted. Weve been fighting a virus we cannot see with the naked eye, said Curry. In the 15th century Christianity came to Sub-Saharan Africa with the arrival of the Portuguese. The worlds most committed Christians live in Africa, Latin America and the U.S. A record-high share of 40-year-olds in the U.S. have never been married. The Church Fathers repudiate gender hierarchies in Bible. Freedom Caucus likely to play a bigger role in new GOP-led House. Religion of Sudan. Worshipers at an evangelical Christian service at MFM Prayer City, a megachurch near Lagos, Nigeria, 2021. 25 to No. (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries. By 2050, six of the worlds 20 most populous nations will be on the African continent. 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800Washington, DC 20036USA .css-16c7pto-SnippetSignInLink{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;}Sign In, Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sudan left the top 10 for the first time in six years, after abolishing the death penalty for apostasy and guaranteeingon paper at leastfreedom of religion in its new constitution after three decades of Islamic law. For example, though Afghanistan is the worlds No. Organized crime and corruption (2 countries): This is the main source of persecution that Christians face in Colombia (No. More than a third of Christians worldwide (37%) live in the Americas, where nearly nine-in-ten people (86%) are Christian. If they lose income due to COVID-19, they cant fall back on customary networks for survival. Meanwhile, church leaders from Egypt to Latin America told Open Doors that bans on church services caused donations to drop by about 40 percent, reducing their own income and the ability of their congregations to offer assistance to the wider community. With the growth of Christianity and Islam there was an accom- 37), Democratic Republic of Congo (No. Instead, in living color, we see the words of God recorded in the prophet Isaiah: I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isa. First, the pandemic offered a new avenue for persecution, as Open Doors documented discrimination against Christians receiving COVID-19 relief in Ethiopia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Vietnam, and the Middle East. Its members believed that if they smeared enough of Miss Lackwenas special ointment on their bodies they would be invulnerable to bullets. HistoryVille. The main motivation varies by country, and better understanding the differences can help Christians in other nations pray and advocate more effectively for their beleaguered brothers and sisters in Christ. Africans started the century as less than 1 percent of the global Catholic population, and finished it at around 16 percent. There are now over 200 million African Catholics, whose numbers could double by 2050, when they would constitute a quarter of all believers. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. The Competition for Believers in Africa Is Transforming Christianity Many of the newer churches use highly entrepreneurial forms of marketing and evangelism to spread that faith, commonly employing the most advanced technology. In theory, Africa is a highly Christian continent. 35, yet violence against Christians there remains extreme.
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