2. Christian population change
Christians remain the largest religious group. But they’re shrinking as a share of the global population, as many Christians are leaving religion altogether.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Christians remain the largest religious group. But they’re shrinking as a share of the global population, as many Christians are leaving religion altogether.
Belief in an afterlife, God and spirits in nature is widespread globally. Older adults are more likely than younger adults to believe in God.
Baha’is, Jains, Sikhs, Daoists and other groups that Pew Research Center classified as “other religions” combined – grew globally by 12% from 2010 to 2020.
More than half of adults in 19 of 24 countries surveyed lack confidence in Trump’s leadership on the world stage.
Most Americans say China’s global influence is growing stronger. Still, they tend to see the U.S. as the world’s top economic and military power.
In many places surveyed, 20% or more of all adults have left their childhood religious group. Christianity and Buddhism have had especially large losses.
Religion in a country tends to decline in three transitional stages that unfold across generations, a new paper using Center data proposes.
The religiously unaffiliated population is the world’s third-largest religious category and grew the second-fastest between 2010 and 2020.
Catholics remain the largest religious group in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, while second-largest groups vary.
Majorities in the six countries surveyed believe in God, in life after death, and that spells, curses or other magic can influence people’s lives.
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