World - World Christianity Status and Outlook 2023 Released

Since 1985, David B. Barrett has published a series of World Christianity Statistics in the International Bulletin of the Board of Missions Research (IBMR). His purpose has been to provide an annual update of global and regional statistics that are important to understanding the state of global Christianity. This year, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity released the 39th edition of the statistics. The data provides estimates for 1900, 1970, 2000, 2023, 2025, and 2050. The most striking finding is that by 2050, 77.5% of all Christians are likely to live in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands. In 1900, there were 450 million Christians in the Northern Hemisphere, and while that number has grown to 830 million today, it is expected to drop to 750 million by 2050. In the Southern Hemisphere, on the other hand, the Christian population has grown from 98 million in 1900 to over 1.7 billion today, and is expected to reach about 2.6 billion by 2050.

In addition, the unevangelized population has grown from 870 million in 1900, representing 54%, to 2.2 billion today, representing 28%. Looking at the distribution of world religions, the Christian population has grown from 550 million in 1900 to 2.6 billion today, and is expected to reach 3.3 billion by 2050.Muslims, currently 2 billion, are expected to grow to 2.8 billion by 2050, and Hindus, currently 1 billion, are expected to grow to 1.2 billion by 2050.The number of non-religious people, including agnostics and atheists, is currently estimated at 890 million.In the face of disease, poverty, natural disasters, and economic crisis, pray that Christianity in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres will continue to grow through reflection and cooperation, and that it will reach out in love to the 2.2 billion unevangelized. (Source, IBMR 47, no. 1)