Christian growth continues

[mindlight]

In the last 2000 years Christianity has not stopped growing and now numbers some 2.2bn or 32% of the world’s population. Yet there is a lot of defeatist talk and especially in Western secular countries. Commentators in the media and academia in these countries often point to the growth of Islam as a threat to Christians but considerably more Muslims convert to being Christians each year than do the other way round. Also does not the growth of the Muslim Population, while Christians continue to grow, actually mean that secularism as an alternative, to a specifically monotheistic religious Outlook, is increasingly less relevant on a global scale. From a Christian point of view the growth of Muslims or atheists at the expense of other unsaved groups is merely a change of affiliation from one kind of dammed to another anyway. The positive news, the really good news is that mankind’s only hope (which lies in Christs church) continues to grow.

So since Christianity continues to rise as a global force I am trying to understand where this defeatism comes from and have some theories:

1. We often have Western centered views of the world. America and Europe’s decline on the global stage which has accompanied the decline in their Christian devotion means that European and American Christians often project their own feelings of spiritual decline onto the church as a whole.
   
   
2. Control of the media is not in the hands of people with Christian sympathies.
   
   
3. Christians do not like to boast of their kingdom successes and are not being bold enough proclaiming their faith
   
   
4. The Christian success is spread too evenly which means that the state apparatus and media control is rarely in Christian hands. So the message of Christian growth is not being faithfully represented by those with different agendas in actual control.

Why do you think Christians get a worse coverage and recognition than they deserve?



Christian population growth - Wikipedia

 

[HereIStand]

Points two and four for sure. Added to this, secular control of education. Number three is also a problem. It seems that Jehovah Witnesses are the only group still going door-to-door.

 

[GeorgeJ]

We often have Western centered views of the world. America and Europe’s decline on the global stage which has accompanied the decline in their Christian devotion means that European and American Christians often project their own feelings of spiritual decline onto the church as a whole.

That's the crux of it. As American Christianity (or more precise U.S. Christianity) declines from a fundamentalist/evangelical view of what it means to be a Christian, those folks perceive a general decline in Christianity as a whole.

U.S. Christians have had things "their way" for so long, that when things aren't going the way the want them to, it must mean that the end times are nigh.

 

[mindlight]

That's the crux of it. As American Christianity (or more precise U.S. Christianity) declines from a fundamentalist/evangelical view of what it means to be a Christian, those folks perceive a general decline in Christianity as a whole.

U.S. Christians have had things "their way" for so long, that when things aren't going the way the want them to, it must mean that the end times are nigh.

"Fundamentalist" Evangelical Christianity is where much of global Christian growth is. But the liberalisation of American and European Christianity has been accompanied by a feeling of decline.

Or were you trying to say something different?

 

[GeorgeJ]

"Fundamentalist" Evangelical Christianity is where much of global Christian growth is. But the liberalisation of American and European Christianity has been accompanied by a feeling of decline.

Or were you trying to say something different?

Fundamentalist/Evangelical Christianity in the U.S. is in decline, that is what I'm getting at. The mindset of many U.S. Christians is that since it is declining here, it is falling apart world-wide and they need to get ready for "crap to hit the fan".

 

[bhsmte]

That's the crux of it. As American Christianity (or more precise U.S. Christianity) declines from a fundamentalist/evangelical view of what it means to be a Christian, those folks perceive a general decline in Christianity as a whole.

U.S. Christians have had things "their way" for so long, that when things aren't going the way the want them to, it must mean that the end times are nigh.

Christianity in general, has declined for decades in the Western world, for several decades now. It is a modest decline, but it has declined. Christianity has grown, in more third world countries and former communist countries.

Also, since populations have continued to climb, the sheer number of any religious group, may also grow in numbers, but decline as a percentage of the population.

 

[GeorgeJ]

Christianity in general, has declined for decades in the Western world, for several decades now.

So, it's declined for decades for several decades?

 

[bhsmte]

So, it's declined for decades for several decades?

You bet.

 

[He is Risen 72]

It is Truly God’s will that Christianity dominates the world and ushers in God’s Reign under the Kingship of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen!

 

[GeorgeJ]

It is Truly God’s will that Christianity dominates the world and ushers in God’s Reign under the Kingship of His Son, Jesus Christ. Amen!

That's a scary thought.

 

[bhsmte]

That's a scary thought.

It is required thought for some.

 

[GeorgeJ]

It is required thought for some.

Yup.

 

[Albion]

As far as the OP is concerned, I appreciated points 1-3. The last one more or less escapes me, but I like the post overall.

 

[MoonlessNight]

It is required thought for some.

Every knee will bend and every tongue will confess.

 

[bhsmte]

Every knee will bend and every tongue will confess.

Ok

 

[Albion]

"Fundamentalist" Evangelical Christianity is where much of global Christian growth is.

FWIW, and leaving aside the fact that Fundamentalist and Evangelical are not synonyms, I don't believe it is correct to say that that's where the faith has been gaining ground.

Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism have made big strides in sub-Saharan Africa; the growth of Catholicism in China is well known; and the Russian Orthodox Church has rebounded by tens of millions in the past generation.

 

[GeorgeJ]

FWIW, and leaving aside the fact that Fundamentalist and Evangelical are not synonyms, I don't believe it is correct to say that that's where the faith has been gaining ground.

Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism have made big strides in sub-Saharan Africa; the growth of Catholicism in China is well known; and the Russian Orthodox Church has rebounded by tens of millions in the past generation.

Yep, that's what the data suggests.

 

[Ronald]

In the last 2000 years Christianity has not stopped growing and now numbers some 2.2bn or 32% of the world’s population. Yet there is a lot of defeatist talk and especially in Western secular countries. Commentators in the media and academia in these countries often point to the growth of Islam as a threat to Christians but considerably more Muslims convert to being Christians each year than do the other way round. Also does not the growth of the Muslim Population, while Christians continue to grow, actually mean that secularism as an alternative, to a specifically monotheistic religious Outlook, is increasingly less relevant on a global scale. From a Christian point of view the growth of Muslims or atheists at the expense of other unsaved groups is merely a change of affiliation from one kind of dammed to another anyway. The positive news, the really good news is that mankind’s only hope (which lies in Christs church) continues to grow.

So since Christianity continues to rise as a global force I am trying to understand where this defeatism comes from and have some theories:

1. We often have Western centered views of the world. America and Europe’s decline on the global stage which has accompanied the decline in their Christian devotion means that European and American Christians often project their own feelings of spiritual decline onto the church as a whole.
   
   
2. Control of the media is not in the hands of people with Christian sympathies.
   
   
3. Christians do not like to boast of their kingdom successes and are not being bold enough proclaiming their faith
   
   
4. The Christian success is spread too evenly which means that the state apparatus and media control is rarely in Christian hands. So the message of Christian growth is not being faithfully represented by those with different agendas in actual control.

Why do you think Christians get a worse coverage and recognition than they deserve?



Christian population growth - Wikipedia

It was already up to 2.3 billion ten years ago and now I've seen figures to 2.42 billion which about completes the 1/3 remnant God planned before He would judge the world. It's at the door.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Points two and four for sure. Added to this, secular control of education. Number three is also a problem. It seems that Jehovah Witnesses are the only group still going door-to-door.

It up to the parent to teach about religion.So you can't expect the school to. When there is so many religion. And many parents. That only want the school to teach about their religion.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

U.S. Christians have had things "their way" for so long, that when things aren't going the way the want them to, it must mean that the end times are nigh.

Bingo!

I've brought this up in numerous threads.

When a group has been catered to and coddled to and acted as if they're the center of the universe for so long (and those statements apply to evangelicals in the US), they get a skewed perspective and conflate "not getting my way on absolutely everything anymore" with "persecution".

The reactions to trivial things over the past few years is indicative of that.

When a person says "there's a war on Christianity" because a coffee shop puts "Happy Holidays" on a cup instead of a slogan targeted at their specific religious holiday, that shows just how skewed perspectives have become. When the inclusion of other groups is received as "this is an attack on me personally, how dare that business acknowledge a holiday that isn't mine, along side mine, don't they know mine is the only one that matters????", you know that group has been getting their way on everything for far too long.