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Religiously Unaffiliated Surge: Islam Grows, Christianity Declines

6/10/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The global landscape of belief has shifted dramatically from 2010 to 2020, with the religiously unaffiliated population soaring to 1.9 billion, especially in North America and Europe. Meanwhile, Buddhism faced a 5% decline, largely from East Asia, as Islam surged as the fastest-growing faith, while Christianity's presence waned amid lower birth rates and rising disaffiliation.

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Story summary

The global landscape of belief has shifted dramatically from 2010 to 2020, with the religiously unaffiliated population soaring to 1.9 billion, especially in North America and Europe. Meanwhile, Buddhism faced a 5% decline, largely from East Asia, as Islam surged as the fastest-growing faith, while Christianity's presence waned amid lower birth rates and rising disaffiliation.