Christianity has long been stereotyped as a Western, white man’s religion, but a prominent theologian stated Thursday that that image will soon drastically change.
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(Photo: AP Images / Ed Ou)Nigerian pilgrims are seen inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, traditionally believed to be the site of the crucifixion and burial, during the Good Friday procession, in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, March 21, 2008.
“The new face of Christianity will be the black woman,” said Dr. Kwok Pui Lan to an audience at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Kwok, a professor at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., is a pioneer in Asian feminist theology as well as postcolonial theology.
Kwok explained that as of last year, Europe still had the largest number of Christians in the world – 532 million. It is followed by Latin America with 525 million and then Africa at 417 million.
But by 2025, Africa is projected to shoot up to 634.6 million Christians, followed closely by Latin America at 634.1 million, while Europe will fall to 531 million Christians.
The United States had 223 million Christians mid-2007 and is predicted to grow slightly to 252 million by 2025.
"The challenge," said the William F. Cole, professor of Christian Theology and Spirituality at the Episcopal Divinity School, "is to re-imagine Christianity in the 21st century."
In 1900, over 80 percent of all Christians were from Europe and North America, but by 2005 the number was under 45 percent, observed Dr. Todd Johnson, director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in his 2006 report entitled USA evangelicals/Evangelicals in a Global Context.
Johnson had noted that the number correlated with new data that revealed a southern shift in Christianity away from the United Kingdom and the United States.
As explanation for Christianity’s boom in Africa, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia – the first African general secretary of the World Council of Churches – said late last year that Christianity is not seen as a “part-time” occupation in Africa in comparison to the United States, but rather “permeates the whole life.”
“Christianity in Africa, sub-Saharan Africa especially, is seen not only as a religion, but this is the opportunity of people to contribute to national building, to peace and reconciliation, to development,” said Kobia at Washington National Cathedral in December. “Therefore the church becomes the center of activity.”
Besides discussing Christianity’s southern shift, Episcopal Divinity’s Kwok also explored the post-colonial world after World War II, when many colonies became independent.
In her lecture entitled “Globalization and the Challenge to Christianity.” Kwok contended that globalization provides opportunities to advance religion, and religion can offer societies a common value system such as human rights. But globalization also presents obstacles to religion, including a counter movement that resorts to violence to retain their beliefs and identities.
Kwok was the guest speaker at The William Daniel Cobb II Lectures at Lexington Theological Seminary. The special lecture began in 1990 in memory of the seminary’s 12th president, inviting a distinguished speaker on theology to the seminary each year.
Comments
Since when is Christianity identified by race? We all believe in the same GOD, and their are many Nations with many people that come from all walks of life that worship GOD and I know that the GOD I believe in does not care what color we are.
Lets not put ism into our Christian theology. We would like it straight up and pure, please.
DJK24,
What, you're saying Jesus is the Rice of Life?
With the growth of the church in Asia (China, Korea, Philippines, India, etc) it can be conservatively shared that there are probably 200 to 300 million Asian believers. I don't think the church can be classified as "black". I do think that we will be eating rice not bread in heaven.
Hume, perhaps the reason why you have never seen any transparent Christians is because you are primarily focused on attacking them. Try a better method; when you meet a Christian consider inviting them to share what they think instead of asserting what you think they think. Maybe if you hang around Christians enough you'll even figure out how to be a good evangelistic atheist. Hang out a little longer still, and maybe you might even discover the evangel.
Dr. Kwok Pui Lan seems to be reading the European numbers as cultural Christians (Anglicans baptized at birth) considering they have a higher percentage of atheists then America according to recent polls.
I also do not understand why the title reads, "Face of Christianity Will Soon be Black" considering according to the current numbers Latin America will be tied with Africans. I also wonder why they did not figure in Asians since the largest church in the world is in Soul Korea.
The last stats that I read on church growth in America were a few years ago, it said that the fastest growing churches were The Church of God in Christ and its sister church, the Assemblies of God. Both tend to go back and forth for the number one postition. It is some kind of wonder why church growth experts turn toward the Crystal Cathedral rather than Pentecostal churches for working strategies.
As explanation for Christianity’s boom in Africa, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia – the first African general secretary of the World Council of Churches – said late last year that Christianity is not seen as a “part-time” occupation in Africa in comparison to the United States, but rather “permeates the whole life.”
Actually, the problem is that Christianity is treated as an occupation.....period.
Church leadership would rather count the number of buildings they have as opposed to the numbers of souls they have.
As a Body we need to learn how to take care of one another while we are out on missions to convert souls to Christ.
I've never seen any transparent Christians, but I guess that would make sense, wouldn't it?
Interesting article here. I always thought that Christianity wasn't identified by it's color but by the transparency of those who believe.