Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com
A new study forecasts Islam will be on the brink of overtaking Christianity in 50 years.
Christianity will continue to grow, but mostly in Africa, while steadily declining in its traditional hubs.
This is according to the latest Status of Global Christianity report.
It predicts that on current growth patterns of around 1% per year, the number of Christians on the planet will rise from 2.673 billion in 2026 to 3.675 billion in 2075, with more than one billion new Christians in Africa.
With a much faster annual growth rate of 1.57%, the study forecasts the Muslim population will rise from 2.105 billion to 3.422 billion over the same period.
FORECAST CHANGES FOR CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS
When it comes to Christian denominations, the study projects Catholics will rise from 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion, while Protestants will increase from 638 million to just over one billion.
It separates Evangelicals and Pentecostals, but expects their combined total will climb from 1.1 billion today to 1.85 billion in 2075.
Most of the increase in these denominations will take place in Africa.
CHRISITIANITY WILL STEADILY DECLINE IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
The study anticipates the number of Christians in the traditional bastion of Christendom — Europe — and in North America, will continue to decline over the next half century.
Europe, once home to the largest concentration of Christians, is seeing a steady decrease, with around 553 million Christians and an annual decline of 0.41%, reducing the continent’s believers to fewer than 400 million by 2075.
North America’s Christian population, currently estimated at 275 million, is also shrinking with an annual decline of 0.16% to an estimated 262 million in 2075.
WHAT ‘S HAPPENING TO THE CHRISITIAN FAITH IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Christianity continues to lose influence in the Middle East, the birthplace of the faith.
Christians made up 12.7% of the region’s population in 1900.
That figure halved to 6.1% by 1970 and now appears to have stabilised for the next 50 years at just over 4%.
However, the region’s total Christian population is anticipated to rise from 21 million to 31 million over the next half century.
A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THOSE WITH NO RELIGION.
Perhaps surprisingly, the number of people who claim to be agnostics or atheists is predicted to fall from 911 million to 716 million by 2075..
The study found the number of atheists will dive from 147 million to 84 million over that period.
One of the biggest challenges for the global Church is reaching the unreached with the Gospel.
MAJOR CHALLENGE TO SPREADING THE GOSPEL
The study’s prognosis is that the global Church will make minimal progress in reducing the 28% of the planet’s population who have no access to the Gospel.
That’s despite progress in missionary work and Bible translation.
Around 2.3 billion individuals are unreached in 2026 and on current trends that will increase to 2.76 billion in 50 years.
OTHER CHALLENGES FOR THE GLOBAL CHURCH
These predictions were calculated by researchers from the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity headquartered near Boston.
They point to demographic shifts, persecution and urbanisation as some of the key areas of focus for church leaders.
Rapid urban growth is creating more challenges and more opportunities for evangelism.
The number of cities with populations of more than a million has risen dramatically — from only 20 in 1900 to 670 at present.
Yet many of these urban centres have little Christian presence.
THE COST OF URBANISATION AND PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS
Over 60% of the world’s key cities are now considered minority-Christian, compared with just a quarter, 125 years ago.
Less than 20% of non-Christians personally know a Christian.
Regarding persecution, the long-term number of Christians killed for their faith has fallen compared with previous decades.
Nonetheless, around 900,000 Christians are estimated to have died for their faith in the last 10 years.
Another area of concern is the global refugee crisis.
Displacement levels have risen sharply in recent decades, with the refugee rate now standing at 450 per 100,000 people worldwide.
A$100 BILLION LOST ANNUALLY THROUGH CHRISTIAN CRIME
The report also raises alarm over staggering financial losses within Christian ministries and churches.
Researchers estimate that around A$100 billion is lost annually through theft, fraud and other forms of ecclesiastical crime.
This is a massive increase from the already huge A$26 billion in the year 2000.
