The Future of Christianity

“I can’t see mainline protestant denominations surviving. They will not be influential,” says retired Anglican bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, speaking to the Anglican journalist David Virtue. Virtue had said, “the global scene it is being said that Christianity, the world’s first global religion, will devolve over time into two forces – The Roman Catholic Church and Pentecostalism. Liberalism will die out having run its course. Do you think this is an accurate picture?”

Nazir-Ali replied:

I think that is true. I would also add a certain kind of conservative evangelicalism will survive – the Tim Kellers of this world. The mainline protestant denominations will do their Cheshire cat act. What will survive may be an orthodox form of Anglicanism which is allied to Pentecostalism, conservative Anglicans or the Ordinariates. I can’t see mainline protestant denominations surviving. They will not be influential.

Pentecostalism does not have a global voice but it is bringing about transformation on the ground. Sociologist David Martin, perhaps the greatest living British sociologist of religion, says that when people are converted they change personally, in the family and at work. A new cycle of virtue brings about socio economic change. In Latin America Pentecostalism is doing what Liberation Theology failed to do.

VOL [Virtue Online]: Do you have any misgivings about Pentecostalism?

NAZIR-ALI: Within the Christian world, my fear about Pentecostalism is that there can be a lack of biblical depth.

Virture also asks him about Anglicanism in Africa, which has long been the conservative Western Anglican’s great hope. It may not work in the West, they in effect argue, but golly it’s great in Africa. Nazir-Ali suggests that’s now only partly true.

VOL: Anglicanism is still growing at a fast clip in Africa, largely through aggressive evangelism. Do you see that continuing or do you see it leveling off? Could African Anglicans be siphoned off into Pentecostalism?

NAZIR ALI: Anglicans are being siphoned off into African independent churches of which there are some 6000 denominations. Many of the leaders are former Anglicans. The Anglican Church in Africa was not doing what they are doing now. Two Nigerian Anglican Primates ago, Archbishop Joseph Adetiloye appointed the first missionary bishops. The truth is it will level off, they aren’t the people to evangelize. Thirty years ago there was a large animist population. Now many are Christians. Nigerians are sending missionaries to the Cameroons and Niger and further afield.