The two biggest religions in the world are growing in number and influence. The others are diminishing.

Islam and Christianity seem to be the winners on the religious market according to a new report from the Center of Study of Global Christianity.  200 years ago 33 per cent of the world´s population belonged to one of these two religions. Today their share has grown to more than 50 per cent. Estimates for the future show that they will continue to grow and that 66 per cent of the world’s population will be either Muslims or Christians by year 2100. The Christians will continue to outnumber the Muslims.

The intermingling of Muslim and Christian peoples is evident in Africa, Central Asia, India and Indonesia—all areas where Muslim-initiated persecution and conflict are more likely. Religious conflict could become a major destabilizing factor along the fault line between Muslim and Christian areas, states Patrick Johnstone in the book The Future of The Global Church that was published last year.

Stein Villumstad who is heading the European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL) says it is important that leaders from different religions acknowledge and show respect for each other.

To a growing extent the leaders now take part in both formal and informal talks across the religious borderlines and we experience that there is a greater sense of understanding between them than before, says Villumstad.