The new standard resource on Global Christianity.
Understand Christianity within each continent, country, tradition, and movement:
- Current demographic information from the United Nations
- Research from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity
- A focus on historical, sociological, political, and religious contexts
- "Things to consider" within each local context, such as political conflicts, church-state relations, religious freedom, gender equality, education, health, economics, and climate change.
This resource will satisfy those looking for background on the global church and equip individuals and churches to strategically pray for, give to, and unite with fellow Christians around the world.
Dr. Gina Zurlo
Gina A. Zurlo (Ph.D., Boston University School of Theology) is co-director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA, and a research fellow at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs. She is co-author of the World Christian Encyclopedia, 3rd edition and co-editor of the World Christian Database and was named one of the BBC’s 100 most inspiring and influential women of 2019 for her work in quantifying religion worldwide.
Endorsements
“In a day when “global Christianity” is frequently spoken of as a monolithic unit, Dr. Zurlo in Global Christianity, brings out a beautiful and variegated overview of the church in every country of the world. She highlights not just the four major Christian traditions, but the distinctive voices of thousands of Christian movements all across the globe. This is an invaluable resource and an indispensable guide for anyone who really wants to have a better understanding of the surprisingly diverse expressions and faces of Christianity in the 21st century.”
—Timothy C. Tennent, PhD, President, Professor of World Christianity, Asbury Theological Seminary
“Global Christianity brings the world to our doorstep. It opens up the panorama of Christianity, country by country. Using simple language, the latest statistics, and clear charts and maps, this book reveals Christianity—the world’s largest religion—at my fingertips. It works! I looked up unfamiliar countries and within minutes could surmise the status and scope of Christianity in that country and continent across various traditions. This long-awaited volume is for everyone to grasp Jesus’ magnificent Gospel spreading in the nations!”
—Mary Ho, International Executive Leader, All Nations
“From Pentecost onward, Christianity is a global faith. We hold to the same Christ, but a Christian in Afghanistan is in a far different context from one in Alabama or Australia. This book is a thorough, accessible guide to understanding the way Christians live, believe, and worship, country by country and region by region.”
—Russell Moore, Public Theologian at Christianity Today, Director of Christianity Today's Public Theology Project
“Without sacrificing substance for brevity, Global Christianity by Zurlo distills information from the 1000 plus page tome, World Christian Encyclopedia, to demonstrate how the universal faith is lived in various localities, in all its beautiful diversity.
A go-to-resource - there’s plentiful wisdom here beyond demographic statistics, interpretation of trends and a sample of persecution, as Zurlo offers information that can be tools for decision-making and prayer. Unbeknownst to most, the last century has witnessed a tectonic shift in global Christianity, and this one-stop publication is for all who are interested in the state of the largest religion in the world.
Highly recommended for the pastor discerning her church’s role in global Christianity, the ecumenical bureaucrat traversing the globe for advocacy and kingdom advance and the student and scholar who needs a quick reference for their scholarship.”
—Revd Dr. Casely Baiden Essamuah, Secretary, Global Christian Forum
“Dr. Gina Zurlo’s Global Christianity is a comprehensive, essential, and valuable book in the study of World Christianity. She covers four major Christian traditions and provides trends, declines, growth, and vital information about these traditions around the globe. Each country covered includes maps, graphs, statistics, facts, culture, comparative charts, and other pertinent data. This book is accessible and a rich resource for students, churches and anyone interested in global Christianity. I highly recommend it.”
—Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion
