New research from the Pew Research Center reveals significant global patterns in how people change their religious affiliations. The study’s main conclusion shows that Catholic Church membership is declining worldwide, while Protestant denominations are experiencing growth.
According to the research, individuals who leave the Catholic faith typically join Protestant churches, though some abandon organized religion entirely. The pattern works differently in reverse – when people leave Protestant denominations, they seldom convert to Catholicism and instead usually choose to become religiously unaffiliated.
