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| February 2002 |
Vol.5, No. 2
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The Coming World Religion
New religions dot the world's nations
like mushrooms after a rain. They help mold and shape the course of history. A "new"
religion that is really the regeneration of an extremely old faith will soon spread
out to dominate all nations.
by Darris McNeely
What will the religious landscape of the 21st century look like? Will another
major new religion arise? The Bible talks of a major religious force to arise in
the time prior to Christ's return. What can be discerned about this new world religion
from today's religious landscape?
When it comes to predicting the "next new thing"
in religion, most experts miss the mark. No one foresaw the force with which Islamic
fundamentalism would hit the modern world during the last 30 years. That's why today
many are scrambling to understand Islamic culture and religion. Books and videos
on the subject are in major demand as the Western world seeks better understanding
of this globe-girdling religion.
Most people are familiar with their own faith but don't always
study other religions, particularly non-Western faiths such as Islam or Hinduism.
That ignorance leaves out a majority of the world's faiths and creates a knowledge
vacuum about forces shaping many parts of the world. Not understanding the ferment
in the world of faith and religion can leave one unprepared for future developments
on the world scene.
A recent article in The Atlantic Monthly, an American
opinion magazine, tells of the new religious movements that are growing at phenomenal
rates. Quoting David B. Barrett, editor of the World Christian Encyclopedia, "There
is enormous religious change going on across the world, all the time. It's
massive, it's complex, and it's continual. We have identified nine thousand and nine
hundred distinct and separate religions in the world, increasing by two or three
new religions every day" ("Oh, Gods!," February 2002, p. 38, emphasis
theirs).
Related Information on UCG Sites:
Table of Contents that includes "The Coming World Religion"
Other Articles by Darris McNeely
Ecumenism:
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