What is the fastest growing religion?
Short answer: Christianity Slightly longer answer: Christianity is the fastest growing religion in absolute growth, meaning the fastest growing religion in the annual increase of new adherents. The absolute growth number is calculated as the annual number of new Christian converts subtracted the number of ex-Christians + number of births subtracted number of deaths (new converts – former Christians + births – deaths). Christianity is the fastest growing religion at both parameters, both in absolute number of new converts and absolute number of new Christians due to population growth. In all, this sums up to an additional approximately 25.2 million new Christians annually(Table J). 22.7 million due to population growth and 2.5 million due to conversions(Table J). Another slightly longer answer: Another way to calculate growth is in relative terms. How much does a particular religion grow (or shrink) compared to last year. Since relative growth favours smaller base numbers, in terms of r
is: All religions are the fastest growing religion. Some religions are the fastest growing on a percentage basis, some by raw numbers. Some are growing fast in some countries, but losing ground in others. Some are growing through increased numbers of congregations, but losing overall market share. Some groups are losing members, but growing by other measures. For instance, the Southern Baptist Convention had a net membership loss in 1998, but the percentage of the remaining membership who were attending church was up, indicating a smaller but more committed membership.
