Global currents: reading the movements of faith

In the language of the sea, a sounding is a measure of depth — a way of learning what lies beneath by reading what is at hand. This page gathers the surface readings of the world's religious life. It shows where the world's Catholics live and how their numbers are shifting, and, alongside them, the other great traditions: Christians of every church, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Sikhs and others. It also shows the large and growing number of people who claim no religion at all, often called the "nones."

​

The numbers tell a story of historic movement. The Catholic Church's center of gravity is shifting south, toward Africa and Asia, where communities are young and growing. Meanwhile the historic heartlands of Europe and the Americas, where most Catholics still live, are contracting. Islam is the fastest-growing of the major traditions, carried largely by young populations. And the nones, about 1.9 billion people, now make up nearly a quarter of humanity, the third-largest group after Christians and Muslims. Between 2010 and 2020 they and Muslims were the only groups to grow as a share of the world. This is not simply decline in one place and growth in another. It is one interconnected current, remaking what religious life looks like, who carries it, and what it will ask of those who lead.

​

​The Atlas of Global Religions below brings these readings together on one interactive map. Its Catholic Church tab counts Catholics, priests, deacons, religious sisters and brothers, and seminarians in every country, from the Catholic Church's own records. Its World religions tab shows each major tradition, and those with no religion, side by side. Click any country for its full profile. Move the year slider to see the past and projections of the future: from 1800 to 2100 for the Catholic Church, and from 1900 for the world religions. Switch between current levels and trends to see where numbers are rising or falling, or simply ask a question in plain words, such as "How many religious sisters are in France compared to Brazil?" Every figure is marked as reported, estimated or projected, and the sources and methods are set out under About & sources. The Catholic Church counts baptisms while surveys count how people describe themselves, so the two tabs give different totals for Catholics. Both are shown, and About & sources explains why.

​

Numbers, though, are the surface of things. What they mean — the deeper invitation inside this season of change, and how communities at the crossroads might respond — is the deeper work of The Soundings, where these movements are explored through discernment and interpretation. The atlas is updated each quarter as new data is released.