#ThrowbackThursday – The State of Religious Diversity Now and in 2050

It is remarkable to note that with all the proliferation of science and technology today, world religions are showing no significant decline in members. The religious make-up of the major religions however, is another story altogether. Due to various cultural factors as well as differing fertility rates, size of youth population around the world, it seems Christianity will be superseded by Islam as the largest religion by sheer number of followers alone circa 2050.

Religious Make-up is in for a Shakeup

Atheists and agnostics will grow in countries such as USA and the European continent, as evident by the fact that the three-quarters of the current population will dwindle down to two-thirds of the population that’s Christian from 2010-2050. The share of atheists and agnostics in the worldwide population will continue to decline. Interestingly, the Buddhist population will see no signs of change between now or after 4 decades. India will remain the country with the highest number of Hindus and at the same time, the Muslim population of India is poised to become the largest in the world.

Almost All Religions are registering growth

The planet Earth is home to 6.9 billion people. Religions have and will continue to play a formative role in the lives of its inhabitants. All religions save for Buddhism are poised to grow during this time. This can be attributed to fertility rates and geography. Even the folk religions like in African regions, Native Americans and Australian aboriginal religions are going to enjoy growth during this time.

Some major world religions like Judaism however, will shrink in terms of the world’s overall population percentage.

The role of community surveys in documenting these changes is crucial, since they give decision makers and stakeholders in firms, NGOs, countries and continents crucial data about the cultural and societal changes that can result from demographic shifts in population.

Lets take an in-depth look at the future trends in religion from today to 2050:

Conclusion

Societies are always in a state of flux, with factors like economy, ethnicity and religion determining how individuals and groups will live their lives. The role of religion in informing lifestyles and in upholding the fabric of society can’t be ruled out. Knowing how the religious populations of the world will change is integral in fostering inter-faith harmony and in ensuring a more pluralistic society for all where tolerance and acceptance are the guiding forces.