Sarah Mitchell
Christianity is a widespread religion, with around 2.18 billion followers worldwide, making up nearly a third of the global population. Catholicism is the main branch of Christianity, and the Catholic Church is the largest church within the religion. While the number of Catholics worldwide has tripled over the past century, their share of the global population has remained stable, with Catholics making up about half of all Christians.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Christians that are Catholic | 50% or 1.3 billion out of 2.3-2.6 billion Christians |
| Number of Christians | 2.3-2.6 billion |
| Number of Catholics | 1.3-1.4 billion |
| Catholicism as a branch of Christianity | Catholicism is the main branch of Christianity |
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What You'll Learn
Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity
Christianity is a world religion that stems from the life, teachings, and death of Jesus Christ. It is the largest religious group in the world, with an estimated 2.3 to 2.6 billion adherents in 2020. The religion arose in the first century AD after Rome conquered much of the western parts of the fragmented Hellenistic empire created by Alexander the Great. The church was called "Catholic", meaning "universal", from very early in the second century—an acknowledgement of the many different cultures it encompassed.
Catholicism is the main branch of Christianity, and the Catholic Church is the largest among churches. About 50% of all Christians are Catholics, making them the biggest denomination of Christians worldwide. There are approximately 1.3 billion Catholics out of an estimated 2.382 billion Christians worldwide. Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity, with the other two being Eastern Orthodox and Protestantism.
The remaining western, Latin-speaking church was divided during the Reformation of 1517, with many Christians rejecting papal authority and gathering in new ways. Protestantism has four streams: Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, and Anglicanism. While all of these Christian groups have their own subsequent splits, the fragmentation in Protestantism has been extreme, with hundreds of denominations.
Christianity has spread far from its historical origins in the Middle East and North Africa, which now have the lowest concentration of Christians (about 4% of the region's population) and the smallest number of Christians (about 13 million) of any major geographic region. Today, the bulk of the world's Christians live in the "Global South" (Africa, Asia, and Latin America), with more than 1.3 billion Christians, compared with about 860 million in the "Global North" (North America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand).
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Christians are more numerous in the Global South
Christianity is the largest religious group in the world, with an estimated 2.3 to 2.6 billion adherents in 2020, making up around a third of the global population. About half of all Christians are Catholics.
In recent years, there has been a rapid shift in the demographic of Christianity from the Global North (North America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand) to the Global South (Africa, Asia, and Latin America). This shift has been described as a groundbreaking process affecting not only all religions worldwide but also how Christianity is practiced as a global phenomenon.
More than 1.3 billion Christians live in the Global South, constituting 61% of the Christian population, while the Global North is home to about 860 million Christians, making up 39%. The concentration of Christians is higher in the Global North, with 69% of its population identifying as Christian, compared to 24% in the Global South. This disparity is due to the Global South's larger population, which is about 4.5 times greater than that of the Global North.
The growth of Christianity in the Global South is evident in various regions. In Latin America, there has been a significant growth of evangelicalism, particularly in Brazil, but it has not led to notable societal changes. Asia has also experienced Christian growth, with the number of Christians doubling the rate of overall population growth in the 20th century. However, Asia remains the least evangelized region, with 8.2% Christians in 2020. Africa, another region in the Global South, has witnessed the expansion of African evangelical charismatic Christianity, known for its exuberant worship style that includes upbeat praise songs, clapping, and dancing.
The shift in the demographic of Christianity has also brought to light the cultural translatability of the religion. Christianity has historically been accepting of scriptural, liturgical, and cultural translation, with its primary source documents being in a different language than that of its founder, Jesus. As the demographic continues to shift, the diverse communities of Christians worldwide can further embrace this strength of cultural and linguistic translatability.
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Protestants are more numerous in Nigeria than in Germany
Catholicism is the main branch of Christianity, and the Catholic Church is the largest among churches. About 50% of all Christians are Catholics. Protestantism, on the other hand, has four main streams: Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, and Anglicanism. While there are hundreds of denominations, many of these independent churches still belong to broader Protestant traditions.
Protestantism is a primarily non-Western religion that has spread rapidly in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America since 1900, particularly after World War II. In 1900, Protestants constituted 2.5% of South Americans, 2% of Africans, and 0.5% of Asians. In 2000, these percentages had increased to 17%, more than 27%, and 5.5%, respectively.
Nigeria, with its diverse denominations, is home to one of the largest Christian populations in Africa. Christianity in Nigeria is a major religion, shaping the country's cultural, social, and political landscape. Introduced in the 15th century through European missionaries, it gained significant traction in the 19th century, particularly in the southern and central regions. Today, Nigeria's Christian population ranges from approximately 45% to 54% of the country's total population of about 230-237 million. Protestant Christians in Nigeria constitute about 75% of the Christian population, or about 60 million people.
Germany, the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation, has a much smaller Protestant population in comparison to Nigeria. According to a 2019 study, Protestants made up 9% of the EU population, and in 2010, they constituted nearly one-fifth (17.8%) of the continent's Christian population. As of 2025, there are nearly 1.2 billion Protestants worldwide, with 100 million in Europe. While the exact number of Protestants in Germany is unclear, it is evident that Nigeria has a significantly larger Protestant population.
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Brazil has more Catholics than Italy
Brazil's strong Catholic heritage can be traced back to the 15th century when Portuguese settlers conquered the country and institutionalised the faith there. In 1782, the Jesuits were suppressed, and the government tightened its control over the Church. Catholicism was the predominant faith during colonial rule, and in 1824, it became the official religion of an independent Brazil, which also guaranteed freedom of religion for its citizens. In the late 19th century, the Catholic population of Iberian origin was reinforced by a large number of Italian, Polish, and German Catholic immigrants.
Brazilian Catholicism has been shaped by the country's indigenous people, Africans brought over during the slave trade, and immigrants from various European countries. As such, there are three distinct regional Catholic cultures in Brazil: a metropolitan, largely urbanized, European-inflected culture in the south; an African-inflected culture in the northeast; and an indigenous-inflected culture in the interior and Amazonia.
While Catholicism remains the dominant religion in Brazil, its hold on society has weakened over the past few decades. As recently as 1970, 92% of the population identified as Catholic, while today, that number stands at around 63-65%. The percentage of Brazilians aged 15-29 who identify as Catholic has dropped 29 percentage points since 1970, and the share of Catholics in Brazil's urban population has fallen 28 points. At the same time, the number of Protestants has jumped from 5% to 22%, and the number of religiously unaffiliated Brazilians has increased from 1% to 8%.
Despite the decline in its adherents, Catholicism in Brazil remains politically influential, and the country is home to more than 30 Catholic universities. Brazilian Catholics tend to be more socially liberal than Protestants, and they are less likely to believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible. They are also more likely to see human nature as good rather than corrupt and to believe in good luck charms, fortune-tellers, faith healers, and astrology.
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The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ
A search for the percentage of Christians who are Catholic reveals that it is difficult to pinpoint an exact number, as the definition of a 'Christian' can vary and many people may identify as Christian culturally without actively practising a denomination. However, estimates suggest that Catholics make up the largest single denomination within Christianity, with figures ranging from 50% to over half of all Christians worldwide. With this in mind, we can certainly assert that the Catholic Church plays an integral and foundational role in Christianity as a whole.
Now, turning to the statement, 'The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ', we can explore the validity and evidence behind this claim.
Firstly, it is important to understand the distinction between the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations. The term 'Catholic' comes from the Greek 'katholikos', meaning 'universal'. From its inception, the Catholic Church has understood itself as the embodiment of Christ's Church on earth, with a mission to spread his teachings universally, to all people. This understanding is rooted in the Gospel accounts of Christ's life and ministry.
Jesus Christ, as depicted in the New Testament, gathered disciples and followers during his earthly ministry, teaching them and sending them out to preach and perform miracles in his name. After his death and resurrection, as recorded in the Gospels, Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission, as written in Matthew 28:19-20: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
This commission, given to his followers, became the foundational instruction for what would become the Christian Church. The Catholic Church understands itself as the direct continuation of the community established by Jesus, with an unbroken line of apostolic succession from the original twelve apostles.
Furthermore, the Catholic Church holds that Jesus instituted certain sacraments, or rituals, during his ministry, which form the core of Catholic practice. These include baptism, as mentioned in the Great Commission, as well as the Eucharist, or the Lord's Supper, where Jesus instructed his disciples to "do this in remembrance of me" during the Last Supper (Luke 22:19).
In conclusion, the assertion that 'The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ' is based on the understanding that Jesus established a community of followers during his earthly ministry and gave them specific instructions and sacraments to observe and spread. The Catholic Church, through its apostolic succession and adherence to these foundational teachings, sees itself as the faithful continuation of Christ's work on earth.
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Frequently asked questions
Approximately 50% of Christians are Catholics.
Yes, Catholicism is the largest branch of Christianity. Roman Catholicism is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity.
There are approximately 1.3 billion Catholics in the world.
There are approximately 2.3 to 2.6 billion Christians in the world.
Yes, since Catholicism is a subset of Christianity, there are more Christians than Catholics.
