Pew Research Center Releases Data On The Decline of Christian Majority Countries
5 August 2025 |
The Pew Research Center has just released statistics on the decline of Christian majorities in certain countries. Every decade, the research center will survey to determine the religious majorities of each country and territory, allowing for calculations on a global scale. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Christian majority countries and territories went from 124 to 120. The report shares that the decrease was caused by millions of people changing their self-identification from Christianity to religiously unaffiliated, such as agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular”.
When observing which countries experienced the shift, they found that:
Between 2010 and 2020, Christians lost their majority status in the United Kingdom (where they made up 49% of the population as of 2020), Australia (47%), France (46%), and Uruguay (44%).
In three of these countries – the UK, Australia, and France – no religious group held a majority in 2020. But the religiously unaffiliated category continued to be the second-largest in all three places, approaching Christians in size.
The research clarifies that the religious majority within a country does not suggest that it is the standard majority on a global scale. As an example, 95% of the world’s Hindus lived in India; however, Hindus made up 15% of the global population.
Pew Research Center’s report offers statistics for a recognizable reality on a local scale. At GC Sessions, a similar report is often given, noting the decline in membership in Adventist churches and decreased engagement. Many have attributed the trend to younger demographics; however, there is no evidence in the original research to suggest it is an age-related issue. It is becoming more apparent that many are leaving religious practices out of a distrust of institutions. It is uncertain whether the number of Christian majority countries will continue to decline, plateau, or see an increase over the next decade.
