In terms of numbers in the first world, why are Catholicism, traditional Protestantism and the Orthodox Churches on the decline while Evangelicals and Baptists are on the rise? What makes them more successful recruiters?
emotion and immediacyas the developing world becomes more complex, and time and labor become more accelerated, we see a retreat from complexity as a reaction and necessity.Religions that just require action and affect, like charismatic christianity, thrive in these conditions.
They're called evangelicals for a reason: They are very dedicated to telling people about their churches. How often do those more traditional groups you name knock on random people's doors? The evangelicals (and Baptists) do this. One comparison I like to make is that between the Anabaptists and Jehovah's Witnesses. I compare them as members of both groups believe Christians should refrain from war in this current age. Anabaptism was established in the 1520s, and has two-million baptized members. The Witnesses were established in the 1930s, and have nine-million baptized members. Why does this heterodox pacifist group have so many more members than this orthodox pacifist tradition? Because the Witnesses actually try to convert people, while the Anabaptists have largely been very isolated. The Witnesses go on streetcorners, while (too many of) the Anabaptists stay on their farms and don't really care if anyone joins. All it really takes for a Christian group to succeed is to be nice and proselytize. Sounds simple, but a lot of Christian groups don't put much of an effort towards this. >All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.>But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.
>>18446823This. catholics/trad prots don't evangelize, and orthodox churches are basically just social clubs for east euro/mena FOBs. Let alone the passive-aggressive hostility cradle catholics have towards converts
>>18446830>passive-aggressive hostility cradleThat’s all churches
>>18446835Baptist, evangelicals and the others have nowhere near the hostility to converts that cradle caths do. You will never hear a jehovah's witness saying that converts aren't 'really' joeys in the way the born joeys are like cradle caths do
I think they know how to appeal to total strangers. Orthodox and Catholics are too insular in latter case ironically
>>18446695why did asuka get south park
>>18446695Evangelical Christianity is basically the cheap fast food equivalent of religion. They believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible unlike the deeper metaphysical, spiritual, and symbolic interpretations found in branches like Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity. There are no life-long rituals to reinforce your commitment to religious values, you are "saved" the moment you become an Evangelical Christian.
>>18446695I really, really, really like this image
>>18447066>unlike the deeper metaphysical, spiritual, and symbolic interpretations found in branches like Catholicism and Orthodox Christianitylmao most catholics and orthodoxers are catholic/orthodox simply because they were born into it, like any other religion. if polled catholics regularly show that around 50% of them are pro-abortion I sincerely doubt they're still catholic because they've gone through a religious struggle session and identified catholicism as the most logical belief
