Study Reveals 7 Optimistic Trends for Global Christianity
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- Updated Feb 01, 2022
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The latest data from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary shows seven "encouraging" trends for Christianity, according to Lifeway Research.
1. Religious faith is growing faster than other groups.
The rate of growth for all religious people is about 1.27 percent, while the rate for non-religious people is -.52 percent. Meanwhile, the growth of the number of atheists bumped only .18 percent.
2. Christianity is growing.
Christianity is growing at just over a 1 percent rate, with projected growth at about 2.56 billion Christians by mid-2022. By 2050, that number will be more than 3.33 billion.
3. Christianity is growing fastest in the global south.
Around the world, Christianity is growing the fastest in Africa at a 2.77 percent rate and Asia at a 1.5 percent rate. In comparison, 660 million people in Africa and Asia identified as Christians in 2000. This year, that same number is 1.1 billion.
4. Overall, Christianity is growing worldwide.
According to Lifeway Research, in 1900, some 95 percent of all Christians lived in a country that was predominantly Christian. In 2022, that number is about 54 percent, meaning Christians now populate places all over the world.
5. More non-Christians know a Christian.
In 1900, just 5.4 percent of non-Christians could identify a Christian they knew. Today, that number is 18.3 percent, and by 2050, it is projected that about 1 in 5 non-Christians will know a follower of Jesus.
6. About 90 million Bibles will be printed in 2022.
According to Lifeway Research, 93 million Bibles are expected to be printed this year. In comparison, 54 million Bibles were printed in 2000, and 5 million were printed in 1900. By 2050, some 2.3 billion Bibles will be circulating worldwide.
7. Fewer Christians are dying because of their faith.
Previously analyzed in 2000, the Status of Global Christianity found that from 1990 to 2000, about 1.6 million Christians died for their faith over the 10 years. In the next 10-year period (from 2002 to 2022), the number of Christians who have been killed for their faith will be about 900,000.
Photo courtesy: Unsplash
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.