World Christian Encyclopedia

The World Christian Encyclopedia stands as a comprehensive reference work documenting global religious demographics, with particular focus on Christian denominations worldwide. The first edition, published in 1982 by Oxford University Press, emerged from David B. Barrett's extensive 14-year research journey across 212 countries. The encyclopedia provides detailed statistical data on religious membership, including historical trends and future projections for major world religions. All data from the encyclopedia has been digitized and made available through the World Christian Database, increasing its accessibility for researchers and institutions. This reference work represents a significant contribution to religious demographics and the academic study of global Christianity. Its systematic approach to documenting religious populations has established new standards for quantitative research in religious studies.

Readers value this encyclopedia as a comprehensive statistical reference on global Christianity and religious demographics. Multiple reviewers note its value for academic research and missions work. Liked: - Detailed country-by-country data on religious affiliations - Historical statistics dating back to early Christianity - Maps and visual presentations of data - Coverage of small Christian movements and denominations Disliked: - High cost limits accessibility ($295+ for latest edition) - Some statistical methodologies questioned by scholars - Data becomes outdated between editions - Dense academic writing style - Limited analysis of underlying trends Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (13 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (9 ratings) Notable reader comment from Amazon: "An indispensable reference work for understanding global Christianity, though the price tag puts it out of reach for many individuals." - Religious Studies Professor WorldCat user review: "The statistical tables are useful but methodology for some countries appears inconsistent."

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🔍 The first edition required over 13 years of research and correspondence with 500+ researchers across 6 continents 📊 It contains demographic data on over 9,000 distinct Christian denominations and 1,500 other religious groups 🌍 Barrett developed the concept of "Great Commission Christians" while working on the encyclopedia, referring to active evangelicals across denominations 📚 The encyclopedia's methodology revolutionized religious demographics by introducing standardized ways to count adherents across different faiths 🎓 While working as an Anglican missionary in Kenya, Barrett earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University specifically to develop better research methods for the project