A Pew Research Center report indicates that Christianity remains the largest global religion at 2.3 billion but is losing its population share due to disaffiliation. In contrast, Islam, with an average follower age of 24, increased its global share, primarily due to higher fertility rates and lower disaffiliation levels. The report highlights that, especially among youth, many who leave Christianity outnumber those who convert. Additionally, sub-Saharan Africa now has the largest Christian population as Europe experiences aging and declining fertility rates.
"It's just striking that there was such dramatic change in a 10-year period," said Pew's Conrad Hackett, lead author of the report. "During this time, the Muslim and Christian populations grew closer in size. Muslims grew faster than any other major religion."
"Among young adults, for every person around the world who becomes Christian, there are three people who are raised Christian who leave," Hackett said.
"And that's the result of high fertility, youthfulness and rapid growth in general of sub-Saharan Africa," Hackett said, "as well as the aging, lower fertility and disaffiliation going on in Europe."
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