Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
and the former Soviet Union; approximately 355 million
in North and Middle America; approximately 310 million
in South America; perhaps 240 million in Africa; and an
estimated 165 million in Asia. Christians thus account for
nearly 40 percent of the members of the world's major reli-
gions. Roman Catholicism, as noted earlier, is the largest
segment of Christianity. Figure 7.6 reveals the strength
of Roman Catholicism in parts of Europe and North
America, and throughout much of Middle and South
America. Among religious adherents in signifi cant parts of
North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa,
Protestant churches prevail. Eastern Orthodox churches
have as many as 180 million followers in Europe, Russia
and its neighboring states, Africa (where a major cluster
exists in Ethiopia), and North America.
the north and northeast. Protestantism began in several
parts of western Europe and expanded to some degree
through contagious diffusion. Much of its spread in north-
ern and central Europe, however, was through hierarchical
diffusion, as political leaders would convert—sometimes
to escape control from Rome—and then the population
would gradually accept the new state religion.
The worldwide diffusion of Christianity occurred
during the era of European colonialism beginning in the
sixteenth century. Spain invaded and colonized Middle
and South America, bringing the Catholic faith to
those areas. Protestant refugees who were tired of con-
fl ict and oppression in Europe came to North America
in large numbers. Through the efforts of missionar-
ies, Catholicism found adherents in Congo, Angola,
Mozambique, and the Philippines. The Christian faith
today has over 33,000 denominations. Hundreds of
these denominations engage in proselytizing (purposeful
spreading of religious teachings) around the world, cre-
ating an incredibly complex geographical distribution of
Christians within the spaces of the world map that are
shaded in “Christian” (Fig. 7.6).
The Christian faith has always been characterized by
aggressive and persistent proselytism, and Christian mis-
sionaries created an almost worldwide network of conver-
sion during the colonial period that endures and contin-
ues to expand today (Fig. 7.14).
Diffusion of Christianity
The dissemination of Christianity occurred as a result of
expansion combined with relocation diffusion. In western
Europe, Christianity declined during the centuries imme-
diately after the fall of the Roman Empire. Then a form of
contagious diffusion took place as the religious ideas that
had been kept alive in remote places such as coastal Ireland
and Scotland spread throughout western Europe. In the
case of the Eastern Orthodox faith, contagious diffusion
took place from the religion's hearth in Constantinople to
Figure 7.14
Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
A
Baptist missionary from Arkansas,
Dr. J.P. Bell examines a child in
a Mexican town with almost no
medical facilities. Christian mis-
sionary work expanded around the
globe during colonialism. Today,
missionaries from North America
and Europe work not only in
their home countries, but also in
developing countries where they
work to bring food, shelter, edu-
cation and health care around the
world. Missionaries from develop-
ing countries also travel in North
America and Europe to inform
church members of needs in their
home countries.
© Paul S. Howell/
Getty Images.
