Considers data from religious communities, censuses, surveys, and scholarly research, along with several in-depth case studies on the global Muslim population, religion in China, and the religious demogra
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“Todd Johnson and Brian Grim have produced a synthesis of statistics and commentary that will stand as a landmark in the quantitative study of world religions.” (Journal of Contemporary Religion, 1 October 2014)
“A very scholarly book with huge amounts of data included in it but with a major contribution to the methodology of taking forward religious demography as a discipline. The World’s Religions in Figuresis strongly recommended for any library with a focus on religion, sociology or world politics.” (Reference Reviews, 1 October 2014)
“Todd Johnson and Brian Grim have produced a synthesis of statistics and commentary that will stand as a landmark in the quantitative study of world religions.” (Journal of Contemporary Religion, 1 August 2014)
“And in my opinion, this book is a must read for everyone interested in the field of international religious demography.” (Journal for the scientific study of Religion, 10 June 2014)
"This book is a comprehensive introduction to religious demography, both by way of method and by way of data and results.” (International Journal for Religious Freedom, 1 October 2013)
“It is a technical, critical volume. For those who are seriously engaged in demographic studies and the manner in which international religious traditions have developed, and are now developing, this book will have value and significance. It is a remarkable achievement.” (Association for Mormon Letters, 1 September 2013)
Table of Contents
List of Figures xiii
List of Tables xiv
Foreword xix
Acknowledgments xxiv
Introduction 1
Part I Overview 7
1 Global Religious Populations, 1910–2010 9
2 Regional Religious Populations, 1910–2010 81
3 Religious Diversity 93
4 Projecting Religious Populations, 2010–50 111
Part II Data and Methods 133
5 Defining Religion and Religious Identity 135
6 Religious Demography as an Emerging Discipline 143
7 Major Sources and Collections of Data 163
8 Analyzing Data on Religion 190
9 Dynamics of Change in Religious Populations 205
Part III Case Studies 227
10 Estimating Changes in the Global Muslim Population 229
11 Factors Driving Change in the Global Muslim Population 258
12 Estimating China’s Religious Populations 286
13 Assessing Religious Populations in the Sudans 313
14 Migration and Religious Diasporas 321
Conclusion 333
Appendix: World Religions by Country 337
Glossary 346
Index 360
