World Christian Database: glossary

Data source: Gina A. Zurlo and Todd M. Johnson, eds., World Christian Database (Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2024).

Glossary item	Definition
prisoners of conscience	Political prisoners undergoing torture, estimated at over one million across the world in over 100 countries.
private attenders	Persons who attend church services only for special private family occasions (baptisms, weddings, funerals).
probability	Something that is probable, statistically, logically or otherwise.
probationer	In Methodism, an intending new member who is put on probation for a period of time to demonstrate his commitment to full membership.
proclaim	To declare openly or publicly, make widely known in speech or in writing, announce, show, demonstrate, publish, extol; especially of the gospel and of Christ.
proclamation	The action of proclaiming, the condition of being proclaimed, something proclaimed; especially of the gospel.
professed	Monks or nuns who have taken the vows of a religious order.
professing	Declaring, stating, confessing, self-identifying.
professing Christians	Persons publicly professing (confessing, declaring, stating, self-identifying) their Christian preference or adherence in a government census or publicopinion poll, hence known as Christians to the state or society or the public.
professing Christians	Persons publicly professing, confessing, declaring, stating, self-identifying themselves as followers of Christ, usually in censuses or public-opinion polls.
profession, religious	See religious profession.
professional	One engaging in a particular pursuit, study, or science for gain or livelihood (as contrasted with an amateur); one with authority or practical experience in an area of knowledge.
professionals’ associations	Christian organizations for workers or professionals, significant at the national or wider levels, number over 400.
professions	See decisions.
programmed learning	(PL), programmed instruction (PI). A teaching technique and device in which material to be taught is presented, the student providing his answers and immediately comparing them with correct answers; based on the concept of immediate reinforcement of correct answers as a way of impressing information on a learner.
progressivist	In Catholicism, a progressive tendency or emphasis or attitude favoring reforms and activism, as opposed to more traditionalist attitudes.
projection	The carrying forward of a present trend into the future; an estimate of future possibilities based on current trends.
pro-nuncio	The diplomatic envoy of the Catholic pope to a foreign country where Catholics are in a minority.
Propaganda	Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (qv).
prophecy	In modern usage in the charismatic renewal, an utterance in public by any Christian which purports to be direct speech by God concerning particular issues.
prophesying	Prophecy (qv).
prophet	(1) A Biblical, especially Old Testament, revealer, spokesman or seer. (2) An official or office-holder in some pentecostal churches. (3) A charismatic leader of a new religious movement of any sort.
prophet movement	An indigenous Christian movement led by a charismatic prophet figure, which usually results in a Non-White indigenous church (qv).
proselyte	One who has been converted from one religious faith to another, usually by questionable or dubious methods.
proselytism	A manner of behaving, contrary to the spirit of the gospel, using dishonest methods to attract men to a community, e.g. by exploiting their ignorance or poverty.

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Religions

Data on 18 categories of religion, including non-religious, by country, province, and people.

Countries and regions

Data on all religions, Christian activities, and trends.

Denominations

Membership data, year begun, and rates of change.

Cities & provinces

Population and religion data on all major cities & provinces.

Peoples & languages

Detailed information covering religion, culture, and geography.