In this engaging seminar, Joseph Sawatzky, training and resources facilitator, explores the key themes of Palmer Becker’s What is an Anabaptist Christian? (2008), while weaving in his own insights on the evolving identity of Anabaptist Christianity in the modern world.
The core values of Anabaptist Christianity remain steadfast:
- Jesus is the center of our faith.
- Community is the center of our lives.
- Reconciliation is the center of our work.
Yet, the geographic and demographic center of Anabaptist Christianity is undergoing a profound shift. Current global demographics reveal a dramatic transformation:
In 1900, 80% of Christians lived in the Global North (Europe, North America, etc.), with only 20% in the Global South (Africa, Latin America, Asia, Oceania, etc.).
Today, 60% of Christians reside in the Global South, where younger, and more diverse populations are driving rapid growth, compared to 40% in the Global North.
This trend is projected to intensify in the coming decades. Drawing on these demographic shifts and other global data, the “average” Christian — and by extension, the “average” Anabaptist Christian — can be envisioned as a 19-year-old woman living in Ethiopia, embodying the dynamic and diverse future of the faith.
