Prevailing Religions of the World and Progress of Evangelization

A crusade to save the world – global evangelical progress in the late 19th century.

“This triangle represents 1500,000,000 – total population – and the respective colors corresponding with those on the map represent the various religions, with their approximate comparative number of adherents. Parts without color represent deserts or sparsely inhabited tracts of country. The small cross in the heathen section stands for the native Christian community in pagan and heathen lands. The Jews, being dispersed through various lands, their location is not indicated on the map. The yellow spots represent mission stations and centers.” – Text, lower center.

This color-coded persuasive map highlights vast amounts of the globe where the preferred (i.e. Protestant) religion has not yet taken a firm hold. While the United States, northern Europe and parts of the British Empire are shaded golden yellow; Orthodox (pink), Catholic (red), Muslim (green), and heathen/pagan (grey) communities occupy much of the other available inhabited territory. The last categories are particularly interesting – combining distinct and widespread Asian religions into one group (heathen), while disparate indigenous belief systems are broadly identified as pagan. Faint dots and stars, applied with gold ink, note the precise location of missionary facilities across the globe.

The map was created in 1894 by the Baker and Taylor Company for inclusion in Rev. Arthur T. Pierson’s “New Acts of the Apostles”. Printed by Ketterlinus of Philadelphia and New York.

Source: University of Texas at Arlington