The Great Shift – Changing Christian Demographics Around The World

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One of the major religion-related news headlines today revolves around the decline of Christianity in North America. Western Europe is now considered post-Christian and surveys consistently report declines in religious belief, attendance, and self-identification.


Yet, over the last century, there has been a pronounced shift of Christianity from the Global North to the Global South, with dramatic growth of Christian populations in places like sub-Saharan Africa and East Asia. 


This phenomenon appears to be continuing in the 21st century. This article provides a nuanced analysis to a big, global question about the world’s largest religion: is it shrinking, or is it shifting?


The World Christian Encyclopedia, 3rd edition, 2 helps to answer this question by presenting a portrait of Christianity that is truly global. By ‘truly global’ we mean in the sense that Christianity is present in every country and among many peoples, but more fundamentally in its contextualization in the world’s cultures and its engagement with the rest of humanity.


Africa became the continent with the most Christians in 2018, surpassing Latin America (which surpassed Europe in 2014). This marks a milestone for African Christianity and raises several important issues related to Christianity’s shift to the South.


Are Christian resources also shifting? Is theological writing shifting? Are global histories of Christianity being written?

https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=4640

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