In a recent conversation with Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, CA commented, “The last 50 years has seen the greatest redistribution of a religion ever in the history of the world. For instance, in 1900, 71% of all ‘Christians’ lived in Europe; by 2000 it had declined to just 28% who claimed to be Christian. Far fewer go to church. Conversely, in 1900, only 10% of all people in Africa (10 million) were Christians vs. over 50% (360 million) today…I may surprise some when I say that there are by far more Christians in China than in America. There are more Presbyterians in Ghana than in Scotland, where they were founded by John Knox. There are more Baptists in the India state of Nagaland than in the American South. There are more Anglicans in Kenya or Uganda or Rwanda or Nigeria than in England. There are two million Anglicans in England compared to 17 million in Nigeria. Last Sunday, more Christians went to church in China than all of Europe combined. This is a fundamental shift. If you want to know the future of Christianity, it is the developing world. It’s Africa, Latin America and Asia.” (Pew Forum 13 Nov 2009)
I find it interesting that Rick Warren is riding the research of many more prominent scholars in this aspect of World/Global Christianity/ies.
I know he is not taking credit for the information he shared with the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Haha!
This is why we must move from Euro-centric theology towards Asian, Latin and African theologies or Church of the Southern Hemisphere.
God is not limited to or by white theology. And for that I am glad.
Unsure. Just a report by Pew Forum website.
He’s absolutely right too. Who were his audience and what was their response?