Countries Predicted To Have The Highest Number Of Christians In The Year 2050

A survey carried out by the Pew Research Center identified 2.19 billion Christians in 2010 which is a huge leap from the figure of 600 million in 1910. Protestantism has recorded rapid growth in the contemporary society. The countries predicted to have the highest number of Christians in the year 2050 are discussed below:

1. The US

The US is projected to have 329,343,000 adherents of Christianity in 2050. A bout 75% of polled adults in the US in 2015 identified as Christian making the religion the most observed in the nation. With roughly 280 million Christians, the US boasts the largest Christian community in the world. According to a 2015 study, 450,000 American Muslims had shifted to the Christian faith, and the bulk of them joined a Pentecostal congregation. An estimated 130,000 Iranian-Americans, as well as 180,000 Arab-Americans, had converted to Christianity in 2010. It is estimated that 20,000 adherents of Islam shift to Christianity per year in the US thus fueling the growth of Christianity. The conversion to Christianity has also been identified in communities such as Korean, Japanese, and Chinese in the US.

2. Brazil

Christianity is the dominant religious movement in Brazil. A 2010 census revealed that 88.77% of Brazil's inhabitants observe Christianity. Of this number, 64.63% are Roman Catholics while 22.16% are Protestants. Protestantism has reflected increasing support in Brazil in the last decade. In 1970, only 5% of the Christian community in Brazil identified with Protestantism, and the figure has now risen to 22%. Evangelical Churches have been reaching out to people with the aim to get converts in the nation. Some of these Churches have established rehab and prayer centers across the country making them more visible to people of all levels. Roman Catholics in Brazil have also been converting to Evangelism. It is estimated that Brazil will have 235,666,000 Christians by 2050.

3. Ethiopia

About 60% of the total inhabitants of Ethiopia adhere to Christianity. The Ethiopian Church is the biggest African pre-colonial Church, and it has a congregation of 40 to 46 million, most of whom inhabit Ethiopia. The Protestant communities in the country have about 13.7 million Ethiopian members. Adherents of indigenous faiths in Ethiopia have been switching to Protestantism which is growing at a rate of 6.7% annually. Protestantism has made headway in regions such as the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples where it has gained converts from Animism. The growth of Protestantism in the country has, in turn, fueled the growth of Christianity and it is estimated that Ethiopia will have 179,493,000 Christians in 2050.

4. The Democratic Republic of Congo

Approximately 95.7% of the inhabitants of the DRC observe Christianity in various denominations. Roman Catholicism commands about 50% of the population of DRC followed by Protestantism at 20% and the unique Kimbanguism at 10%. The DRC is expected to be home to some of the largest Christian communities in Africa in 2050 at 170,380,000 followers.

5. Mexico

82.7% of Mexico's population was identified as adhering to Catholic Christianity in 2010. The Catholic population in Mexico has been reducing in the recent decades because of the growing popularity of other Christian denominations. Protestant congregations and Mormonism, in particular, have been reflecting dynamic growth. Evangelical communities in the country such as Baptist and Jehovah's Witness have been extending their presence in various regions of Mexico drawing in new followers including converts from Catholicism. Evangelical mega-churches have been sprouting up which offer several services in a week. The growth of Evangelism in Mexico is one of the reasons for the growth of Christianity in Mexico. By 2050, the country is expected to have 139,773,000 Christians.

6. Nigeria

21.4% of Nigerians adhered to Christianity in 1953 compared to the 48.2% in 2003. This growth is attributed to the large missionary community in the country. 50% to 67.4% of Nigerians are currently Christians, most of whom inhabit the central and southern areas of Nigeria. Islam dominates the northern region where Muslims have been switching faiths to Christianity despite persecution. Nigeria already has the largest African Christian congregation as over 85 million people identify with a denomination. Protestant communities have been increasing their presence in the country such as the Nigerian Baptist Convention and the Seventh-day Adventists. By 2050, the number of Christians in Nigeria is projected to top 127,374,000 followers.

7. Uganda

More than 84% of Uganda's population professed the Christianity faith in a 2014 census followed by Islam at 14%. Roman Catholics form the largest Christian community in Uganda. Evangelicals are at the forefront of the rise of Christianity in Uganda, and they enjoy strong links with the Evangelical community in the US. The Ugandan Evangelicals engage in social initiatives such as building health centers, schools, and orphanages with aid from Americans. The Evangelicals also take a central role in politics and also aggressively search for converts. It is estimated that by 2050, Uganda will be home to 123,415,000 Christian followers.

8. Russia

Orthodox Christianity is identified as Russia's largest as well as the traditional religion. 71% of Russians said they were adherents of the Eastern Orthodox in a 2015 survey undertaken by the Pew Research Center. About 140,000 inhabitants of Russia are Roman Catholics, most of who live in western Russia. The Orthodox Church enjoys a harmonious relationship with the Russian State, and it has been able to grow its influence and be viewed as part of Russian culture. The country has also undertaken to rebuild churches and build new ones after they had been de-popularized by the Soviet Union. It is estimated that Russia will be home to 115,756,000 Christians in 2050.

9. Philippines

Nearly 92% of the people in the Philippines identify with Christianity, where 81% are Roman Catholics while 11% belong to autonomous Catholic denominations and Protestant Communities. The number of Christians in the Philippines in 2050 is projected to be 112,756,000. Protestantism has also been gaining more presence in the country, and it includes notable congregations such as Iglesia ni Cristo translated to Church of Christ.

10. China

China is one of the Asian nations projected to have large populations of Christians by 2050. An estimated 102,208,000 Christians will live in China in 2050. One of the primary factors driving this growth is high conversion rates, especially among indigenous communities and Buddhists. The conversion rate in China is estimated to range between two to eight times that of the growth of population.

Trends

The world Christian population has been changing the base from Europe to Africa. About half of the international Christian population currently inhabit Africa as well as the Latin America and Caribbean regions. The Pew Research Center estimates that these regions will have over six in ten of the global Christians whereas only a quarter of the world's Christians will inhabit Europe and North America by 2050.