The growth and non-growth of Christianity

virmilitaris

What are the main causes and reasons for the growth and decline of religious belief in various countries ?

Why did Christianity take off in certain countries and not in others ?

I'm really interested in the growth of Christianity (and other religions) since the beginning of the 20th century, not so much before that because growth or lack of growth can often be attributed to what the ruling classes wanted.

Take Japan for example. One of the most developed countries in the world, some might say the most developed. Very rich as a country, hugely technologically advanced, very high levels of education, world renowned Universities that have undertaken world renowned scientific research. Very low crime rates per capita when you consider how tightly packed the population is, 19.177 per 1,000 people compared to the USA's 80.0645 per 1,000 people.

And they couldn't be less interested in Christianity.

South Korea, while often touted as a 'Christian' nation in Asia is about 30% Christian (Catholic, Protestant & looney Christian-like religions (JW's etc) included) and 23% Buddhist while about 47% proclaim no religion*.

* Many people proclaiming 'no religion' would actually have strong Buddhist / Shamanic or Confucian beliefs but wouldn't consider themselves to be religious.

So Christianity has a sizeable share in SK but has failed miserably to make any inroads in Japan. Why ?

JimiTime

virmilitaris wrote: »

What are the main causes and reasons for the growth and decline of religious belief in various countries ?

I think wealth is a huge factor. The Gospel resonates with the lowly a lot more than the rich IMO. Christ himself tells us about it being easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the Kingdom. In this world, wealth gives you a degree of control over yourself and your affairs. Enough to not think about salvation, or hope etc. I mean, who needs God when you have all you want/need right?

I'm really interested in the growth of Christianity (and other religions) since the beginning of the 20th century, not so much before that because growth or lack of growth can often be attributed to what the ruling classes wanted.

Like its growth under authorities that would feed you to wild animals for being Christian? Or its growth in China where you can be tortured and killed?

Take Japan for example. One of the most developed countries in the world, some might say the most developed. Very rich as a country, hugely technologically advanced, very high levels of education, world renowned Universities that have undertaken world renowned scientific research. Very low crime rates per capita when you consider how tightly packed the population is, 19.177 per 1,000 people compared to the USA's 80.0645 per 1,000 people.

And they couldn't be less interested in Christianity.

TBH, i know very little about Japan or its propensity to Christianity, but if its as you describe, then I would probably refer to my first point.

PDN

I must say, I've never heard South Korea described as 'a Christian nation' - but, then again, you've lived there (I think) whereas I've only breezed through for a few days.

One of the insights developed by the late Presbyterian missionary/missiologist Donald McGavran and the subsequent Church Growth Movement was that numerical conversion growth tends to occur more readily when cultural barriers to the Gospel are reduced. Or, conversely, sociological conditions can create something that McGavran called "a bridge to God".

In the early 19th Century Henry Venn, an Anglican secretary of the Church Missionary Society, proposed the theory (now accepted by virtually all missiologists) that an indigenous church movement will grow best when it becomes self-governing, self-financing, and self-propagating. In other words, missionaries should plant the seed and then get the hell out of there and stop interfering.

Often the most spectacular growth occurs when missionaries contextualised the Gospel - ie they expressed it in terminology and adaptations that made sense to the local culture. This is distinct from syncretism (where the Gospel is merged with profoundly unChristian beliefs - the most glaring example of this today can be seen in much North American Christianity where the Gospel has been emasculated and subordinated to capitalistic materialism).

You can readily see the above principles in action within the last 60 years in the explosive Christian growth in China (where the missionaries were forced out) and in sub-Saharan Africa (where missionaries turned most church work over to Africans, who in turn provided the impetus for independence movements, which in turn encouraged the development of more indigenous church movements).

Btw, persecution often (but not always) encourages the growth of a religion. This was expressed by Tertullian centuries ago ("the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church") and was evident in the first three centuries of Christianity, in China today, and even with regard to Roman Catholicism in Ireland. The Penal Laws and other dumb policies actually make me wonder if the Brits wanted the Reformation to fail in Ireland so as keep an effective apartheid system in place.

Now, in Japan (as in China) the Jesuits initially had a good measure of success in sharing their faith. They adapted local customs and their innovative missionary methods produced thousands of converts. However, for a number of different reasons the Jesuits were reined in and suppressed by the Vatican and subsequent missionary efforts to Japan (both Catholic and Protestant) tended to reflect the interests of denominational headquarters rather than those of the Japanese people. These meant trying to import western culture into Japan alongside Christianity - and that is usually a recipe for failure.

Sorry for the long post. I'm currently developing a PhD proposal on this subject and I tend to bore anyone rigid with far too much detail any time I talk about it with anyone.

Fanny Cradock

If anyone is interested in the rise of early Christianity (and later Christendom) then I suggest reading Atheist Delusions by David B. Hart. It's a deliberately provocative title that attempts to correct some common historical mistakes often repeated.

virmilitaris

JimiTime wrote: »

Like its growth under authorities that would feed you to wild animals for being Christian? Or its growth in China where you can be tortured and killed?

I don't agree regarding China today but yes that's what I meant. I don't want examples of growth / lack of growth from states that violently oppressed Christianity or violently forced it on populaces either.

TBH, i know very little about Japan or its propensity to Christianity, but if its as you describe, then I would probably refer to my first point.

And I'd immediately bring up the point that Japan has not always been rich and that Japanese people were in a terrible situation right after WW2. There has been religious freedom in Japan since 1871.

Even when they were ruined after WW2, penniless, defeated, downtrodden just as in your point about wealth they still didn't convert to Christianity.

virmilitaris

PDN wrote: »

I must say, I've never heard South Korea described as 'a Christian nation' - but, then again, you've lived there (I think) whereas I've only breezed through for a few days.

Still do. I'm stuck here.

The Japanese and other Asian nations sometimes refer to SK as a Christian nation because of the large number of missionaries they pump out.

Btw, persecution often (but not always) encourages the growth of a religion.

I didn't say it didn't did I ? I couldn't agree more.

These meant trying to import western culture into Japan alongside Christianity - and that is usually a recipe for failure.

You'd be surprised. The Japanese tend to take things they find useful and change them to suit themselves.

Sorry for the long post. I'm currently developing a PhD proposal on this subject and I tend to bore anyone rigid with far too much detail any time I talk about it with anyone.

No I find it interesting, fire away.

But I don't think your points apply to Japan now. I've read quite a bit about this in the last few weeks and while you are correct, there are a lot of foreign missionaries of many religions in Japan failing spectacularly, there is a small native Christian presence (some of them there from the 16th century) who equally fail to make any progress.

alois

virmilitaris wrote: »

You'd be surprised. The Japanese tend to take things they find useful and change them to suit themselves.

This might be true in certain circumstances, but the impression I've always got was that there was a constant nationalistic current in Japanese culture. I've also heard that the Shinto religion is very closely tied in with the idea of Japanese (google 'state shinto'). Wealth allows a country the means to fortify it's own culture and in this regard religion is included. Switzerland is another example of a state that wishes to "preserve its identity" and has the means to do so.

anymore

virmilitaris wrote: »

What are the main causes and reasons for the growth and decline of religious belief in various countries ?

Why did Christianity take off in certain countries and not in others ?

I'm really interested in the growth of Christianity (and other religions) since the beginning of the 20th century, not so much before that because growth or lack of growth can often be attributed to what the ruling classes wanted.

Take Japan for example. One of the most developed countries in the world, some might say the most developed. Very rich as a country, hugely technologically advanced, very high levels of education, world renowned Universities that have undertaken world renowned scientific research. Very low crime rates per capita when you consider how tightly packed the population is, 19.177 per 1,000 people compared to the USA's 80.0645 per 1,000 people.

And they couldn't be less interested in Christianity.

South Korea, while often touted as a 'Christian' nation in Asia is about 30% Christian (Catholic, Protestant & looney Christian-like religions (JW's etc) included) and 23% Buddhist while about 47% proclaim no religion*.

* Many people proclaiming 'no religion' would actually have strong Buddhist / Shamanic or Confucian beliefs but wouldn't consider themselves to be religious.

So Christianity has a sizeable share in SK but has failed miserably to make any inroads in Japan. Why ?

Peter Heather in his book Empires and Barbarians has intersting insights in the spread of christianity.

anymore

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

If anyone is interested in the rise of early Christianity (and later Christendom) then I suggest reading Atheist Delusions by David B. Hart. It's a deliberately provocative title that attempts to correct some common historical mistakes often repeated.

Had a quick look and it seems interesting ... not sure i would buy it, but if it was available to me, I would read it. That said, the times we live in are not as 'anti religous' as it is sometimes made out. In fact new religions are still being created ! Take ' Scientology' for example. Why on earth there should be a demand for a ' religion' that was the product of one man's imagination, i.e Ron Hubbard, I dont know, but it was created, successfully establised and it is growing across the Western World. I know some will say it is not a real religion, but presumably for its adherents it is.

JimiTime

anymore wrote: »

Had a quick look and it seems interesting ... not sure i would buy it, but if it was available to me, I would read it. That said, the times we live in are not as 'anti religous' as it is sometimes made out.

'Religion' is such a huge word, that such a statement can be quite ambiguous. What I would say, is that we live in a world where any religion which asserts what is moral etc is vilified. If you keep your religion to yourself, the world doesn't care. live and let live is the modern philosophy, except that it doesn't, or eventually wont apply to those who adhere to a religion that is something more than relativistic to the times we live.

Personally, while I think a lot of Christians, including many on this site, think that too big a deal is made of the issue of sexual morality, it appears to me that its through that very topic that religion is going to be silenced. my two cent.

anymore

JimiTime wrote: »

'Religion' is such a huge word, that such a statement can be quite ambiguous. What I would say, is that we live in a world where any religion which asserts what is moral etc is vilified. If you keep your religion to yourself, the world doesn't care. live and let live is the modern philosophy, except that it doesn't, or eventually wont apply to those who adhere to a religion that is something more than relativistic to the times we live.

Personally, while I think a lot of Christians, including many on this site, think that too big a deal is made of the issue of sexual morality, it appears to me that its through that very topic that religion is going to be silenced. my two cent.

Yes you are right about religion being such a big word - sometimes I think that ' Political Correctness' is well on the way to becoming a religion