Protestantism

==Spread and demographics==
{{Main|Protestantism by country}}
{{See also|Christianity by country}}
[[File:St. Peter's Church, Bermuda, Front.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[St. Peter's Church, St. George's|St. Peter's Church]] in [[Bermuda]], built in 1612, is the oldest surviving Protestant church in the "New World", including the [[Americas]] and certain Atlantic Ocean islands. It was the first of nine [[Parish church]]es established in Bermuda by the [[Church of England]]. Bermuda also has the oldest [[Presbyterian]] church outside the British Isles, the [[Church of Scotland]]'s [[Christ Church in Warwick|Christ Church]] (1719).]] 
There are more than 900&nbsp;million Protestants worldwide,<ref name="pewforum1"/><ref name="gordonconwell.edu"/><ref name="Hillerbrand" /><ref name="Clarke, Beyer">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rBgn3xB75ZcC&pg=PA510|title=The World's Religions: Continuities and Transformations|first1=Peter B.|last1=Clarke|first2=Peter|last2=Beyer|date=2009|publisher=Taylor & Francis|via=Google Books|isbn=9781135211004|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=10 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220210203239/https://books.google.com/books?id=rBgn3xB75ZcC&pg=PA510|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lplJPBYWefcC&pg=PA13|title=Protestantism|first=Stephen F.|last=Brown|date=2018|publisher=Infobase Publishing|via=Google Books|isbn=9781604131123|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003040/https://books.google.com/books?id=lplJPBYWefcC&pg=PA13|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Noll">{{Cite book|url={{Google books|id=1GKBgK00JSsC|plainurl=y|page=9}}|title=Protestantism: A Very Short Introduction|first=Mark A.|last=Noll|authorlink=Mark Noll|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780191620133|archive-date=2020-05-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003134/https://books.google.com/books?id=1GKBgK00JSsC&pg=PA9|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Diamond, Plattner, Costopoulos, 2005">Jay Diamond, Larry. Plattner, Marc F. and Costopoulos, Philip J. ''World Religions and Democracy''. 2005, p. 119. [https://books.google.com/books?id=CTqTeiBfdxEC&pg=PA119 link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003137/https://books.google.com/books?id=CTqTeiBfdxEC&pg=PA119 |date=23 May 2020 }} (saying "''Not only do Protestants presently constitute 13 percent of the world's population—about 800 million people—but since 1900 Protestantism has spread rapidly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.''")</ref>{{efn|Estimates vary considerably, from 400 up to more than a billion. One of the reasons is the lack of a common agreement among scholars which denominations constitute Protestantism. Nevertheless, 800 million is the most accepted figure among various authors and scholars. For example, author Hans Hillerbrand estimated a total 2004 Protestant population of 833,457,000,<ref name="books.google.pl" /> while a report by Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary—961,961,000 (with inclusion of independents as defined in this article) in mid-2015.<ref name="gordonconwell.edu"/>}} among approximately 2.4&nbsp;billion Christians.<ref name="gordonconwell.edu"/><ref name="World">~34% of ~7.2&nbsp;billion world population (under the section 'People') {{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/world/|title=World|date=15 November 2021|publisher=CIA world facts|access-date=24 January 2021|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126032610/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/world/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Global Christianity">{{cite web |author=Analysis |url=http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Global-Christianity-exec.aspx |title=Global Christianity |publisher=Pewforum.org |date=19 December 2011 |access-date=17 August 2012 |archive-date=30 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730062627/http://www.pewforum.org/christian/global-christianity-exec.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|Current sources are in general agreement that Christians make up about 33% of the world's population—slightly over 2.4&nbsp;billion adherents in mid-2015.}} In 2010, a total of more than 800&nbsp;million included 300&nbsp;million in Sub-Saharan Africa, 260&nbsp;million in the Americas, 140&nbsp;million in Asia-Pacific region, 100&nbsp;million in Europe and 2&nbsp;million in Middle East-North Africa.<ref name="pewforum1"/> Protestants account for nearly forty percent of Christians worldwide, and are more than one tenth of the total human population.<ref name="pewforum1"/> Various estimates put the percentage of Protestants in relation to the total number of world's Christians at 33%,<ref name="Clarke, Beyer" /> 36%,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/rel04-demograph.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318101547/http://www.fsmitha.com/h2/rel04-demograph.htm|url-status=dead|title=Protestant Demographics and Fragmentations|archive-date=18 March 2015}}</ref> 36.7%,<ref name="pewforum1"/> and 40%,<ref name="Hillerbrand"/> while in relation to the world's population at 11.6%<ref name="pewforum1"/> and 13%.<ref name="Diamond, Plattner, Costopoulos, 2005"/>

In European countries which were most profoundly influenced by the Reformation, Protestantism still remains the most practiced religion.<ref name="Clarke, Beyer" /> These include the [[Nordic countries]] and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="Clarke, Beyer" /><ref>{{cite web|title=Religious Populations in England|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=954|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=8 April 2011|archive-date=24 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824122412/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=954|url-status=live}}</ref> In other historical Protestant strongholds such as Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Latvia, and Estonia, it remains one of the most popular religions.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I9OyQ9mEpxkC&pg=SL1-PA42|title=The Pearson General Knowledge Manual 2012|first=Edgar|last=Thorpe|date=2018|publisher=Pearson Education India|via=Google Books|isbn=9788131761908|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003139/https://books.google.com/books?id=I9OyQ9mEpxkC&pg=SL1-PA42|url-status=live}}</ref> Although Czech Republic was the site of [[Hussites|one of the most significant pre-reformation movements]],<ref name="museeprotestant.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.museeprotestant.org/en/notice/protestantism-in-the-republic-of-czechoslovakia/|title=Protestantism in Bohemia and Moravia (Czech Republic) – Musée virtuel du Protestantisme|website=www.museeprotestant.org|access-date=24 July 2014|archive-date=15 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015211407/http://www.museeprotestant.org/en/notice/protestantism-in-the-republic-of-czechoslovakia/|url-status=live}}</ref> there are only few Protestant adherents;<ref>{{cite web|language=cs |url=http://www.czso.cz/sldb2011/eng/redakce.nsf/i/tab_7_1_population_by_religious_belief_and_by_municipality_size_groups/$File/PVCR071_ENG.pdf |title=Tab 7.1 Population by religious belief and by municipality size groups |publisher=Czso.cz |access-date=19 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221184947/http://www.czso.cz/sldb2011/eng/redakce.nsf/i/tab_7_1_population_by_religious_belief_and_by_municipality_size_groups/%24File/PVCR071_ENG.pdf |archive-date=21 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=cs |url=http://www.czso.cz/sldb2011/eng/redakce.nsf/i/tab_7_2_population_by_religious_belief_and_by_regions/$File/PVCR072_ENG.pdf |title=Tab 7.2 Population by religious belief and by regions |publisher=Czso.cz |access-date=19 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104224923/http://www.czso.cz/sldb2011/eng/redakce.nsf/i/tab_7_2_population_by_religious_belief_and_by_regions/%24File/PVCR072_ENG.pdf |archive-date=4 November 2013}}</ref> mainly due to historical reasons like persecution of Protestants by the [[Catholic]] [[Habsburgs]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pqJNavelP3UC&pg=PA108|title=Frommer's Prague & the Best of the Czech Republic|first=Hana|last=Mastrini|date=2008|publisher=Wiley|via=Google Books|isbn=9780470293232|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003043/https://books.google.com/books?id=pqJNavelP3UC&pg=PA108|url-status=live}}</ref> restrictions during the [[Communism|Communist rule]], and also the ongoing [[secularization]].<ref name="museeprotestant.org"/> Over the last several decades, religious practice has been declining as [[secularization]] has increased.<ref name="Clarke, Beyer" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/arts/31iht-idlede1.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all | work=The New York Times | first=Mark | last=Lilla | title=Europe and the legend of secularization | date=31 March 2006 | access-date=12 February 2017 | archive-date=30 January 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130062241/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/arts/31iht-idlede1.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all | url-status=live }}</ref> According to a 2019 study about Religiosity in the European Union in 2019 by [[Eurobarometer]], Protestants made up 9% of the [[EU]] population.<ref>{{citation |title=Discrimination in the EU in 2019 |work=[[Eurobarometer|Special Eurobarometer]] |year=2019 |series=493 |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/index.cfm/Survey/getSurveyDetail/instruments/SPECIAL/surveyKy/2251 |access-date=15 May 2020 |publisher=European Commission |location=European Union |archive-date=18 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518204808/https://ec.europa.eu/commfrontoffice/publicopinion/index.cfm/Survey/getSurveyDetail/instruments/SPECIAL/surveyKy/2251 |url-status=live }}</ref> According to [[Pew Research Center]], Protestants constituted nearly one fifth (or 18%) of the [[Christianity in Europe|continent's Christian population]] in 2010.<ref name="pewforum1"/> Clarke and Beyer estimate that Protestants constituted 15% of all Europeans in 2009, while Noll claims that less than 12% of them lived in Europe in 2010.<ref name="Clarke, Beyer"/><ref name="Noll"/>

Changes in worldwide Protestantism over the last century have been significant.<ref name="Hillerbrand"/><ref name="Noll"/><ref name = "Witte and Alexander">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Ie-AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT44|title=The Teachings of Modern Protestantism on Law, Politics, and Human Nature|first1=John|last1=Witte|first2=Frank S.|last2=Alexander|year=2018|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=9780231142632|via=Google Books|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003155/https://books.google.com/books?id=3Ie-AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT44|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 1900, Protestantism has spread rapidly in Africa, Asia, Oceania and Latin America.<ref name = "Encyclopedia of Protestantism" /><ref name="Diamond, Plattner, Costopoulos, 2005"/><ref name = "Witte and Alexander" /> That caused Protestantism to be called a primarily non-Western religion.<ref name="Noll"/><ref name = "Witte and Alexander" /> Much of the growth has occurred after [[World War II]], when [[decolonization of Africa]] and abolition of [[Anti-Protestantism|various restrictions against Protestants]] in [[Latin America]]n countries occurred.<ref name="Diamond, Plattner, Costopoulos, 2005"/> According to one source, Protestants constituted respectively 2.5%, 2%, 0.5% of Latin Americans, Africans and Asians.<ref name="Diamond, Plattner, Costopoulos, 2005"/> In 2000, percentage of Protestants on mentioned continents was 17%, more than 27% and 6%, respectively.<ref name="Diamond, Plattner, Costopoulos, 2005"/> According to Mark A. Noll, 79% of [[Anglicans]] lived in the United Kingdom in 1910, while most of the remainder was found in the United States and across the [[British Commonwealth]].<ref name="Noll"/> By 2010, 59% of Anglicans were found in Africa.<ref name="Noll"/> In 2010, more Protestants lived in India than in the UK or Germany, while Protestants in Brazil accounted for as many people as Protestants in the UK and Germany combined.<ref name="Noll"/> Almost as many lived in each of [[Nigeria]] and China as in all of Europe.<ref name="Noll"/> China is home to world's largest Protestant minority.<ref name="pewforum1"/>{{efn|Estimates for China vary in dozens of millions. Nevertheless, in comparison to the other countries, there is no disagreement that China has the most numerous Protestant minority.}}

Protestantism is growing in Africa,<ref name = "Encyclopedia of Protestantism" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-20/christianity-growth-africa-europe/52125920/1|title=Study: Christianity grows exponentially in Africa|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120193240/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-12-20/christianity-growth-africa-europe/52125920/1|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="TIME 2001">{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,156277,00.html|title=The Battle for Latin America's Soul|first=Richard N.|last=Ostling|magazine=Time|date=24 June 2001|via=content.time.com|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-date=26 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926044305/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,156277,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Asia,<ref name = "Encyclopedia of Protestantism" /><ref name="TIME 2001"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/china-protestantisms-simplicity-yields-more-converts-catholicism-213465|title=In China, Protestantism's Simplicity Yields More Converts Than Catholicism|website=[[International Business Times]]|date=28 March 2012|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-date=12 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812085447/http://www.ibtimes.com/china-protestantisms-simplicity-yields-more-converts-catholicism-213465|url-status=live}}</ref> Latin America,<ref name="TIME 2001"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/03/201232593459332334.html|title=Evangelicals rise in Latin America|first=Chris|last=Arsenault|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-date=8 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308115716/https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/03/201232593459332334.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and Oceania,<ref name = "Encyclopedia of Protestantism" /><ref name = "Witte and Alexander" /> while declining in [[Anglo America]]<ref name = "Witte and Alexander" /><ref>[http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ America's Changing Religious Landscape] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226054944/http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ |date=26 December 2018 }}, by [[Pew Research Center]], 12 May 2015</ref> and Europe,<ref name="Clarke, Beyer" /><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XRLBF3KW8HkC&pg=PA59|title=Religion in a Secularizing Society: The Europeans' Religion at the End of the 20th Century|first1=Loek|last1=Halman|first2=Ole|last2=Riis|year=2018|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-9004126220|via=Google Books|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003154/https://books.google.com/books?id=XRLBF3KW8HkC&pg=PA59|url-status=live}}</ref> with some exceptions such as France,<ref name = "Jean-Paul Willaime">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaJtXsY4ttQC&pg=PA99|title=Religious Newcomers and the Nation State: Political Culture and Organized Religion in France and the Netherlands|first1=Erik|last1=Sengers|first2=Thijl|last2=Sunier|date=2018|publisher=Eburon Uitgeverij B.V.|isbn=9789059723986|via=Google Books|access-date=27 June 2015|archive-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003132/https://books.google.com/books?id=DaJtXsY4ttQC&pg=PA99|url-status=live}}</ref> where it was eradicated after the abolition of the [[Edict of Nantes]] by the [[Edict of Fontainebleau]] and the following persecution of [[Huguenots]], but now is claimed to be stable in number or even growing slightly.<ref name = "Jean-Paul Willaime" /> According to some, [[Russia]] is another country to see a Protestant revival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/april/protestant-revival-sweeps-moscow/|title=Moscow Church Spearheads Russia Revival|access-date=14 February 2015|archive-date=27 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527024350/http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/April/Protestant-Revival-Sweeps-Moscow/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rss/28-1_093.pdf|title=Protestantism in Postsoviet Russia: An Unacknowledged Triumph|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-date=10 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110073012/http://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rss/28-1_093.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/june10/13.22.html?paging=off|title=Growing Protestants, Catholics Draw Ire|author=Felix Corley and Geraldine Fagan|website=ChristianityToday.com|date=10 June 2002 |access-date=14 February 2015|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120113934/https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/june10/13.22.html?paging=off|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2010, the largest Protestant denominational families were historically Pentecostal denominations (11%), Anglican (11%), Lutheran (10%), Baptist (9%), [[United and uniting churches]] (unions of different denominations) (7%), Presbyterian or Reformed (7%), Methodist (3%), Adventist (3%), Congregationalist (1%), [[Plymouth Brethren|Brethren]] (1%), [[The Salvation Army]] (<1%) and [[Moravian Church|Moravian]] (<1%). Other denominations accounted for 38% of Protestants.<ref name="pewforum1"/>

The United States is home to approximately 20% of Protestants.<ref name="pewforum1"/> According to a 2012 study, Protestant share of U.S. population dropped to 48%, thus ending its status as religion of the majority for the first time.<ref name = "Nones of the Rise">[http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/10/NonesOnTheRise-full.pdf "Nones" on the Rise: One-in-Five Adults Have No Religious Affiliation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826234925/http://www.pewforum.org/files/2012/10/NonesOnTheRise-full.pdf |date=26 August 2014}}, Pew Research Center (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life), 9 October 2012</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19892837|title=US Protestants no longer majority|work=BBC News|date=10 October 2012|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-date=10 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010042339/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19892837|url-status=live}}</ref> The decline is attributed mainly to the dropping membership of the [[Mainline Protestant]] churches,<ref name = "Nones of the Rise"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9303/articles/johnson.html|title=Mainline Churches: The Real Reason for Decline|website=www.leaderu.com|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-date=29 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429115337/http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9303/articles/johnson.html|url-status=live}}</ref> while [[Evangelical Protestant]] and [[Black church]]es are stable or continue to grow.<ref name = "Nones of the Rise"/>

By 2050, Protestantism is projected to rise to slightly more than half of the world's total Christian population.<ref name=":3">Johnstone, Patrick, [https://books.google.com/books?id=AVzFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA109 "The Future of the Global Church: History, Trends and Possibilities"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519062536/https://books.google.com/books?id=AVzFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA109 |date=19 May 2020 }}, p. 100, fig 4.10 & 4.11</ref>{{efn|Magisterial Protestant, Independent, Anabaptist and Anglican parties are understood as Protestant as stated previously in the article, as well as in the book: ''Statistics for the P, I and A megablocs are often combined because they overlap so much-hence the order followed here.''}} According to other experts such as Hans J. Hillerbrand, Protestants will be as numerous as Catholics.<ref name=":2">{{cite encyclopedia |editor-surname=Hillerbrand |editor-given=Hans J. |title=Encyclopedia of Protestantism |volume=1–4 |year=2004 |place=London; New York |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-92472-6 |url={{Google books|id=PMSTAgAAQBAJ|plainurl=y|page=1815}} |archive-date=2020-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523003036/https://books.google.com/books?id=4tbFBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT3311 |url-status=live |page=1815 |quote="Observers carefully comparing all these figures in the total context will have observed the even more startling finding that for the first time ever in the history of Protestantism, ''Wider Protestants'' will by 2050 have become almost exactly as numerous as Catholics—each with just over 1.5&nbsp;billion followers, or 17 percent of the world, with Protestants growing considerably faster than Catholics each year."}}</ref>

According to [[Mark Juergensmeyer|Mark Jürgensmeyer]] of the [[University of California, Santa Barbara|University of California]], popular Protestantism{{efn|A flexible term; defined as all forms of Protestantism with the notable exception of the historical denominations deriving from the Protestant Reformation.}} is the most dynamic religious movement in the contemporary world, alongside the resurgent [[Islam]].<ref name="books.google.com"/>

<gallery widths="300px" heights="155px" class="center">
File:Protestant majority countries (2010).svg|Protestant majority countries in 2010.
File:Countries by percentage of Protestants (2010).svg|Countries by percentage of Protestants, 2010.
</gallery>