Data source: Gina A. Zurlo and Todd M. Johnson, eds., World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2024).
| Glossary item | Definition |
|---|---|
| gospel | The good news of salvation and new life in Jesus Christ and the coming of the Kingdom of God. |
| gospel | (1) The Good News about God, Jesus Christ, salvation and discipleship. (2) When capitalized, one of the 4 Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). (3) Not capitalized, a printed copy of one of the Gospels for mass distribution. |
| gospelize | To instruct in the gospel, preach the gospel, evangelize. |
| gospels | See portions. |
| Gospels | 4 New Testament books containing narratives of the life and death of Jesus Christ, ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. |
| government ministries of religion | See state departments for religious affairs. |
| government statistics of religion | Figures of adherents of religions and churches promulgated by governments, usually derived from government censuses of population. |
| graph | A diagram with 2 axes, horizontal and vertical, with changes in variables represented by lines or curves. |
| graphic | A visual or pictorial form of transmitting complex data or information; a line diagram. |
| graveyard evangelism | Preaching and evangelism engaged in on the occasion of funerals or burials, especially in anti- Christian countries where preaching outside church buildings is prohibited. |
| gray money | Dirty money or criminal profits laundered by banks. |
| Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church | Major Eastern Orthodox ecumenical council to be held shortly, the first since Nicea II in AD 787. Eastern Orthodox in canonical relationship:. |
| Great Britain | Geographically, the 3 countries England, Wales and Scotland; politically, often used for the whole United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. |
| Great Church | Official name of Santa Sophia, former cathedral church of Constantinople. |
| Great Commission | The universal or last commission delivered to his disciples by the Risen and Ascended Christ: ‘Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind’ (Mark 16.15, GNB). |
| Great Commission | The final commandment of Jesus Christ on Earth, to his disciples before his Ascension, ordering the evangelizing, discipling, baptizing, and training of all peoples as his followers. |
| Great Commission (used as an adjective) | A descriptive term for persons or organizations or plans or activities of any nationality, denomination, or confession which are based on Christ’s Great Commission and which are actively working to obey it, personally and corporately. |
| Great Commission agency | A church or parachurch or service agency which publicizes its raison d’être as obedience to Christ’s Great Commission. |
| Greater Vehicle | The Mahayana school of Buddhists. |
| Greek | A European ethnolinguistic family and people. |
| Greek Catholics | (1) Those using the Greek rite, under Rome: membership (1995) 2,350 total community. (2) Melkites (qv). |
| Greek Orthodox | (1) Christians related to the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople; often loosely used, instead of the more correct term Eastern Orthodox, to include Slavic Orthodoxy also. (2) Greek-speaking Orthodox using Greek rite. |
| Gregorian Calendar | New Calendar (qv). |
| Gregorians | Armenian Apostolics, or Armenian Orthodox (qv). |
| gross national product | The total value of the goods and services produced in a nation during a specific period (usually a year), and also comprising the total of expenditures by consumers and government plus gross private investment. |
Data on 18 categories of religion, including non-religious, by country, province, and people.
Data on all religions, Christian activities, and trends.
Membership data, year begun, and rates of change.
Population and religion data on all major cities & provinces.
Detailed information covering religion, culture, and geography.
A repository of historical data, including a chronology of Christianity from the 1st to 21st centuries.