The Center for the Study of Global Christianity is an academic research center that monitors worldwide demographic trends in Christianity, including outreach and mission. We provide a comprehensive collection of information on the past, present, and future of Christianity in every country of the world. Our data and publications help churches, mission agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to be more strategic, thoughtful, and sensitive to local contexts.

More specifically, the Center:

• Publishes global, regional, and country-level information on Christian denominations and traditions through noted reference works such as the World Christian Database, World Christian Encyclopedia, and Atlas of Global Christianity.
• Educates the public on global Christianity by serving as a resource to both secular and religious media outlets, including The New York Times, The Economist, National Geographic, and Christianity Today.
• Helps churches, mission agencies, and non-profits maximize their effectiveness by measuring Christian outreach and evangelization efforts (such as Bible translation, media, and missionary presence) among the world’s peoples and languages.

In addition, the Center

• Advocates for solidarity between Christians of different traditions by working on joint projects with the Boston Theological Institute, which includes Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant theological schools.
• Offers accurate, contextual resources on Christianity and religions to help solve the world’s most pressing needs, such as our recent report, “Christianity in its Global Context, 1970–2020: Society, Religion, and Mission”.
• Maintains and makes available to researchers a collection of materials on global Christianity and world religions, including a 12,000-volume library and more than 1 million printed documents (such as newspaper and magazines articles, scholarly publications, census reports, and correspondence).
• Offers graduate-level classes at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Boston University School of Theology on global Christianity and on issues related to social justice, including advocating for religious freedom and encouraging wisdom in international development.
• Provides opportunities for students through research internships, seminars, and study abroad opportunities, such as a study abroad trip to Uzbekistan focused on religions on the Silk Road.
• Gives conference presentations for both secular and religious organizations, such as the American Academy of Religion, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, Lausanne Movement, and World Council of Churches.
• Partners with the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs (CURA) at Boston University to assist in international demographic research on adherents of all world religions and the nonreligious.

Courses

Center personnel are regularly involved in teaching courses on global Christianity, mission, and related disciplines. Some recent courses include:

• Trends in Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton & CUME campuses (Fall 2019)
• NOGs and Development at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Fall 2018)
• Global Pentecostalism at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Spring 2018)
• Rise of Global Christianity, 1910–2010, Boston University School of Theology (Fall 2017)
• Doctor of Ministry in Global Christianity and Global Development at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (January 2016)
• Trends in Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Fall 2014)
• Religions on the Silk Road at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Spring 2014)
• Global Pentecostalism at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Fall 2013)
• Rise of Global Christianity, 1910-2010 at Boston University School of Theology (Spring 2013)
• NGOs and Development at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Fall 2012)