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The Pew Research Center has recently published a report that highlights the rapid growth and global dispersion of Orthodox Christians, now numbering approximately 260 million worldwide. This branch of Christianity is one of the three largest denominations globally alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. The split between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism occurred in 1054 due to several theological disagreements primarily centered around issues of papal authority.
Key insights from this report are as follows:
Since their population has more than doubled over the past century, Orthodox Christians have experienced a notable decline relative to other Christian groups. As of today, they constitute roughly one-eighth 12 of the world's Christians compared to one-fifth 20 in 1910.
More than three-quarters 77 of global Orthodox populations reside in Europe. In contrast, just over a quarter 24 and about an eighth 12 of Catholics and Protestants respectively live in this region. Currently, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region have the highest concentration of these religions.
Russian Orthodoxy is a significant component worldwide with nearly one-hundred million believers concentrated there alone. However, despite Orthodox Christian numbers being predominantly European based on historical distribution, most Orthodox communities live in countries that were once within the former Soviet Union's sphere of influence. In these regions, religiosity ts to be less pronounced compared to other global Christian traditions.
Majorities among Orthodox Christians across surveyed nations, with exceptions for Greece and the United States, hold a strong stance agnst homosexuality's societal acceptance and advocate for its prohibition. Furthermore, they oppose same-sex marriage legalization except in the US context.
A minority of Orthodox Christians desire reunification with Roman Catholicism. Only Romania displays a significant portion favoring this reconciliation. Notably, majorities from both religions across surveyed regions see similarities between their fths.
Orthodox Christians generally support their church's stance agnst women's ordination to priesthood roles. Favoring this decision is more common among Orthodox Christians than opposing it in most surveyed countries. In Ethiopia for instance, an overwhelming 89 of Orthodox Christians orse the prohibition while only 7 are agnst it.
In Romania, a majority 74 supports the Church’s position on women's ordination, with only a minority opposed at around 22. This indicates that the position varies across different countries and cultures.
It is crucial to note Pew Research Center provide unbiased information based on factual research without advocating for any specific policy or aga. The data is collected through various methodologies including public opinion polling, demographic analysis, computational social science research, and other data-driven techniques.
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This article is reproduced from: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/11/08/key-takeaways-about-orthodox-christians/
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Orthodox Christians Rapid Growth Globally Worldwide Population Over 260 Million Split with Roman Catholicism in 1054 Decline Relative to Other Christian Groups Highest Concentration in Latin America Africa Russian Orthodoxy Predominantly Distributed