Easter Geography 2008: Christianity in Numbers

Previous Easter Geography posts focused on the world at the time of Jesus' passion. These year we will look and the triumphs and tragedy's of what came from that passion.

Today's post examines the numbers of the various denominations:

Catholic (Roman and Eastern Rite): 1.3 Billion

The Catholic Church is the clear winner of the numbers game. The various Catholic Western European had babies and spread out across the world with both conquest and missionary mindsets.

Protestant: 675 Million

The above number includes mainstream groups at 270 million, Pentecostals at 129 million and 77 million Anglicans. While Protestantism came from Northern Europe, Protestants can thank the United Kingdom and the United States for various colonial and missionary expeditions for their numbers.

Eastern Orthodox (Both Recognized and Not): 260 Million

The One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church - Eastern Divison has a siege mentality for a reason. If the Ottomans are not holding them down it is the Communists. Orthodox Churches are divided upon nationality and that really hurts expansion efforts. The recruiting pool is limited.

Oriental Orthodoxy: 79 Million

The Council of Chalcedon enrages the Christians from the Eastern fringes of the old Eastern Roman Empire. Copts, Ethiopians, Armenians, and some Indian Christians hold themselves to be the true Orthodox.

Latter Day Saints: 13.25 Million

Thirteen million Salt Lake City Mormons and a few resistors fight for the sucessor of Jospeh Smith. Salt Lake City is trying to shake the pure English-image of the Church, dump its racist legacy, and convert minorities in former English colonies.

Nestorians: 1 Million

Also from the hinterlands of the Empire, Nestorians once nearly took China. Now they are mostly in the United States exiled from their homeland in Iraq by the Baathists and Islamists.