Читать книгу The Atlas of Religion - Joanne O'Brien - Страница 48

Christians make up a third of the world’s population, but receive more than half the world’s total annual income. This is because they are concentrated in the industrialized world, and their average annual income, at around $8,000, is well above the world average. This figure disguises an unequal distribution, however. While half of all Christians live in affluence, and over a third are comparatively well off, 13 percent live in poverty. Affiliated church members give over $270 billion to Christian causes. While 40 percent goes towards the running of their denominations and their local church, 60 percent is for agencies founded by Christian groups and run by Christians to support welfare programmes, health and education facilities, religious programmes, aid and development projects, and other charities or foundations. The finances of these parachurch agencies are independent of the Churches. Christians are also heavily involved in financial support of social and development programmes beyond or outside the boundaries of their Church, giving $27.1 billion to secular charities that provide, for example, famine relief, hospitals and medical research. While North Americans and Europeans make the largest individual financial contribution to their Churches, Christians in Africa, Asia and Latin America make a substantial contribution of their time and skills.