A recent Pew Research study examined the shifts in the global religious landscape between 2010 and 2020. The study analyzed data from 201 countries, revealing significant changes in religious demographics. Islam experienced the most substantial population growth, while Christianity remained the largest religion globally. The religiously unaffiliated population also grew during this period, becoming the third-largest group after Christians and Muslims.
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A recent Pew Research Center study examined the changes in the global religious landscape between 2010 and 2020 1 2 3. The report analyzed data from 201 countries, focusing on seven major religious categories 1. The study utilized over 2,700 sources, including national censuses and demographic surveys 1 3. Data collection was impacted by COVID-19, which delayed census information in many countries 1 3.
Christianity remained the world's largest religion, but Islam experienced the fastest population growth 1 3. The Christian population increased by 122 million, reaching 2.3 billion in 2020 1 3. The Muslim population grew by 327 million, totaling 2 billion 1 3. This growth in the Muslim population was attributed to high fertility rates in countries where Islam is already dominant 1.
The religiously unaffiliated, often called "nones," also grew as a percentage of the global population 1. This increase is considered striking because this group typically has lower fertility rates and is older 1 3. By 2020, "nones" constituted 24.2% of the global population, making them the third-largest group after Christians and Muslims 1 3. The primary reason for this growth is people shedding their Christian identity 1 3.
Sub-Saharan Africa is now home to the majority of the world's Christians, with 30.7% residing there as of 2020 1 3. This marks a shift from 2010, when Europe held the largest share of the Christian population 1 3. This shift is due to population increase in Sub-Saharan Africa and disaffiliation in Western Europe 1 3. The regional concentration of Jews also changed, with more living in the Middle East-North Africa due to population growth in Israel 1 3.
Buddhism was the only major religion to experience a worldwide decline between 2010 and 2020 1. The number of Buddhists decreased by 5%, from 343 million to 324 million 1 3. This decline is attributed to disaffiliation in East Asia and low birth rates in countries with older populations 1 3.
How does the Church view religious demographic shifts?
The Catholic Church approaches religious demographic shifts with a dual perspective, acknowledging both the importance of interreligious dialogue and the call to evangelization .
Here's a breakdown:
In summary, the Church views religious demographic shifts as an opportunity for both dialogue and evangelization. It seeks to acknowledge the truths present in other religions while remaining committed to its mission of proclaiming Christ and inviting all people to embrace the fullness of the Catholic faith.