During the past 100 years membership in the Society of Jesus has steadily grown and steadily dropped. In 1910 there were 16,295 Jesuits worldwide and in 2010 there are 18,266. The number of Jesuits steadily increased year by year from 1910 until it peaked in 1965 at 36,038 Jesuits. Since 1965 there is a steady decline each year resulting in about half the number of Jesuits as there was 45 years ago.
5 comments:
With the rise of Liberation Theology, we see a decline in Jesuit vocations.
Mark's claim sounds like a case of "post hoc ergo propter hoc."
This chart actually proves the point that the bursting-a-the-seams mid-twentieth century Society was an anomaly.
much more meaningful to plot Jesuits / number of Catholics worldwide.
With world population increasing sixfold, this chart is apples and oranges.
And the location (from '65) of Jesuits and their institutions in regions and countries where the population is increasing (and decreasing).
Quite helpful information, thanks for your article.
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