Summary Of The Next Christendom Philip Jenkins

The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity written by Philip Jenkins looks over religion as a whole in the future. Philip Jenkins was a Distinguished Professor of History in 1973 and was the Co-Director for Baylor's Program on Historical Studies of Religion, he has studied the Bible and the Quran. The main religion being Christianity, as it flows South to other countries such as Central America and southern Asia and Africa. Jenkins also covers “The Rise of Christianity” where he predicts that it will increase in the coming years. The world would be moving from secularism to non-secular as the Northern states and countries are urbanized. The Southern countries are not urbanized, they believe in the practice of spirituality. In the Next Christendom, Jenkins also predicted that there will be a big population growth in the next coming years as Christianity spreads. Christianity as a whole can be adapted to many different cultures, as it is not as strict as many other religions such as Muslims. In other religions you would have to be

born in it or understand the language from where it originated.
The main point of The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity is predicting where Christianity will be in the year 2050 and beyond. Jenkins has started by separating the difference between Northern Christianity and Southern Christianity. In the North, Christianity that up until recently majority Christians have lived in white nations and there was disbelief that Southern countries would have bigger population of Christians. “Soon, the phrase “a white Christian” may sound like a curious oxymoron, as mildly surprising as a “Swedish Buddhist.” Such people can exist, but a slight eccentricity is implied.” Page 21 (Digital Download Book). Jenkins does believe that the South will contain the majority of Christians population as the North does have a richer economy, the South is known for being very poor and underdeveloped. Christianity thrives in places with a weak economy as the people look to a higher power.
The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity is a book that attempts to predict the future of Christianity and does its job well.

One of the most enjoyable points that Jenkins has done within the book was that he posed questions. The reader would be very engaged in the book and the Jenkins would pose questions that would cause the reader to stop and ponder for a moment. Jenkins had questions such as “Are these people “really” Catholic?” Page 132 (Digital Download Book). This was a question he asked because many Americans consider themselves to be Christian, but deny the church on certain points. They reject some of the doctrines that the church preaches, but yet they mark themselves off as Christians. The reader can have a different answer to the question, Jenkins simply states “For present purposes, my view is that if they consider themselves Catholic, then that is what they are.” Page 132 (Digital Download

Book).
Another thing that the The Next Christendom did well was predicting the outcome of Christianity in 2050. Jenkins, as stated before, attempts to create a prediction for the future of Christianity. As the total population today stands at 6.9 billion and he predicts it will increase to 9 billion in 2050. This is because of the South increasing drastically rather than the North. In the South Christianity is still thriving and expanding were in the North it has slowed down a bit. “As Southern economies develop, their demographic patterns come to resemble those of the older industrial nations, and we already see a steadying or decline of fertility rates in much of the world.” Page 123 (Digital Download Book). This quote brings up the question of secularism in both the South and North, if the North is already secular, but has a declining rate of Christianity; what will happen to the South if it becomes secularized?
Jenkins, has several points due to the secularism in both the North and South. As the South has a majority in Christianity since it is very un-secularized. Most of the locations that are in the south are very poor and have little resources available to them. What they lack in resources are founded in their faith and spirituality. Whereas the north has become this massive urban population where they believe in worldly things. The North has better health insurance, low sexual diseases. Although these may not have things to do with churches or religion it does affect how the growth of Christianity spreads. Jenkins predicts that in the growing population the world will become more urbanized.
Even though the churches in the southern countries are growing. “ These emerging churches work so well because they appeal to the very different demographics of their communities, and do best among young and displaced migrants in mushrooming cities.” Page 136 (Digital Download Book). The growing population for the new generation are the young adults who follow Christianity. This becomes a conflict between the older generation and younger generation as what is better, old or new, secular or non secular.
In Conclusion, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity by Philip Jenkins was a book that showed us a glimpse of the future of Christianity. How the secular world would be and where Christianity would end up going in the year 2050. The southern countries would be flourishing in religion and their population would have been increased due to the fact that Christianity is there. Also it would be growing in population because of fertility, the South does not have the luxuries that the North has such as sexual education, health insurance, and better economy. The people of the south would be very over populated, just by themselves as nations. But also because a majority of the people in the North would want to be migrating to the South. The North although very urbanized does not have the connection that the South has with its Christian roots. The South does not need any worldly things or problems as the secured North has in the present time. Even though urbanization might migrate towards the South and create a more secular place in 2050.