A new Pew Research Center report shows a marked decline in Christian-majority countries between 2010 and 2020, underscoring a broader trend of religious disaffiliation. In 2010, Christians were the majority in 124 of 201 countries surveyed; by 2020, that number had dropped to 120, representing 60% of all nations compared to 62% a decade earlier. This shift is largely due to the rise of religiously unaffiliated populations—atheists, agnostics, and those claiming “nothing in particular”—who are growing significantly in many countries once dominated by Christianity. Notable losses occurred in the United Kingdom, Australia, France, and Uruguay, all of which saw Christian affiliation fall below 50%. Uruguay now stands as the only nation in the Americas without a Christian majority, while in the UK, Australia, and France, unaffiliated populations are approaching or surpassing Christians in size.

The trend extends beyond these nations. New Zealand and the Netherlands joined the list of countries with religiously unaffiliated majorities in 2020, alongside long-standing secular-majority nations such as China, North Korea, and Japan, bringing the total to 10—up from seven in 2010. While Christianity remains the most geographically widespread faith, encompassing 29% of the global population and forming the majority in 60% of countries, its influence is shrinking in many of its former strongholds. By contrast, Islam held majorities in 53 nations, Hinduism in two, and Buddhism in seven. The number of countries with no clear religious majority also rose slightly, from six to seven. Pew’s findings highlight the ongoing secularization of traditionally Christian societies, signaling cultural and institutional shifts that are reshaping the global religious landscape.

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SOURCE: Christian Post