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What was the most significant change in Christianity over the past decade?

Compiled by Ruth Moon | posted 12/23/2009 02:57PM

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"The epicenter of global Christianity has shifted dramatically in the past 10 years. While American faith seems to be simmering on low, or cooling off completely, spiritual fervor is reaching a boiling point in places like Jakarta, Bangalore, Nairobi, Bogota and Sao Paulo. The church in the developing world is now setting the pace, and we have so much to learn from them."
J. Lee Grady, editor, Charisma Magazine

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"A widespread abandonment of Christian doctrinal commitment — even doctrinal knowledge. Forget the rising number of people with no religious identity; the news to me is the vast number of self-identified Christians who have no real knowledge of, or deep commitment to, a specific Christian faith. You could say they were watering down Christianity's teachings, but I question if they even know those core teachings."
Cathy Lynn Grossman, religion reporter, USA TODAY

Related Elsewhere:

Christianity Today chose the top 10 news stories of 2009 and the top 10 stories of the decade.

Christianity Today chose the top 10 news stories of 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, and 2000.

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December (Web-Only) 2009, Vol. 53

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JW	Posted: January 04, 2010 10:44 AM


What was the most significant change in Christianity over the past decade? American evangelicals enthusiatic support of pre-emptive wars of agression and occupation in response to terrorism...in effect supporting the needless deaths of hundreds of thousands and displacement of several million innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fred Aberdeenshire Scotland

Posted: January 03, 2010 7:13 AM

There has been no change in Christianity over the past decade , there has been none in 2000 years. There have been changes among people attitudes some coming from actual Christians who try to pander to the world and do nothing but bring Christ into disrepute and are responsible for the blessing of the Holy Spirit leaving North America and Europe but even more from the larger number that claim to be Christians but know not Christ and who on that day will hear the words "depart - I know you not." God does not and can not change but the Devil loves to twist Christians who do not learn their Bible and keep close to God in prayer. Do we actually want to be "unprofitable and disobedient servants" when we stand before Christ on judgement day ? This world needs Christ , without Christ your neighbours are going to Hell.

David Lim

Posted: January 03, 2010 1:19 AM


I thought most obvious trend of the past decade was the continuing increase of the non-Western Christianity (esp. in Africa, China & India), and the continuing decline in Western Christianity, esp. in Europe! Also, the emergence of militant Islam in the 1990s resulted in its global impact in the 2000's!