WILL CHINA BE THE NEW CENTER OF CHRISTIANITY?
Some believe Christianity is dying.
The truth is that Christianity in Western society is definitely on the decline. But Christianity on a global scale is on the rise.
In an article by The Washington Post titled, “Think Christianity Is Dying? No, Christianity Is Shifting Dramatically” Wes Granberg-Michaelson paints a picture on what’s taking place within Christianity across the globe.
“The center of Christianity has shifted from Europe to the global South. The religious landscape is particularly changing for the world’s Christians. A century ago, 80 percent lived in North America and Europe, compared with just 40 percent today. In 1980, more Christians were found in the global South than the North for the first time in 1,000 years. Today, the Christian community in Latin America and Africa, alone, account for 1 billion people…
…One out of four Christians in the world presently is an Africa, and the Pew Research Center estimates that will grow to 40 percent by 2030.”
What about the refugee factor?
What about all those immigrants and refugees moving West? They’re all Muslims, right? They’re the reason Christianity’s declining in the West, right?
Wrong! According to Wes.
“Such global trends are being experienced locally through migration. About 214 million people have moved from one country to another as migrants and refugees, or are in that process. Those capturing today’s headlines are Africans clinging to precarious vessels trying to cross the Mediterranean, or the hundreds of thousands uprooted in Syria and the Middle East. But the striking religious factor is that overall, about 105 million who have migrated are Christians — a significantly higher percentage than their 33 percent of the world’s population.”
Obviously, The Washington Post is not a Christian source for information. So for those skeptics of what the ‘liberal’ media is reporting, check out these stats:
GlobalChristianity.org
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity, based at Gordon Conwell Seminary (GlobalChristianity.org), published a report identifying the top countries that have the highest percentage Average Annual Growth Rate (AAGR) of Christianity.
- Nepal, Asia, South Central – 10.93% AAGR
- China, Asia, Eastern – 10.86% AAGR
- United Arab Emirates, Arabian Peninsula – 9.34% AAGR
- Saudi Arabia, Arabian Peninsula – 9.27% AAGR
- Qatar, Arabian Peninsula – 7.81% AAGR
- Oman, Arabian Peninsula – 7.62% AAGR
- Yemen, Arabian Peninsula – 7.09% AAGR
- Mongolia, Asia, Eastern – 5.96% AAGR
- Cambodia, Asia, South-eastern – 5.87% AAGR
- Bahrain, Arabian Peninsula – 5.49% AAGR
What will the future hold?
According to this research, out of the top 10 countries experiencing growth in Christianity, 6 of them are on the Arabian Peninsula and the other 4 (including the top 2) are in Asia.
This research would align with what The Washington Post reported regarding Asia:
“Asia is also experiencing growth as world Christianity’s center has moved not only South, but also East. In the last century, Christianity grew at twice the rate of population in that continent. Asia’s Christian population of 350 million is projected to grow to 460 million by 2025. The global religious wildcard is China. Even today, demographers estimate that more Christian believers are found worshipping in China on any given Sunday than in the United States.”
What does the future hold for Western Christianity?
Will China be the new centre of Christianity by the year 2030? Will churches in Asia be sending Christian Missionaries to Western countries, to tell us about Jesus Christ?
Maybe Christianity in the West is on the decline, but we may experience a rise thanks to Christians in the East.
Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts
Will the world ever experience a ‘Christian’ nation again? If so, which country will that be?
