Protestantism in India
Encyclopedia
Protestants in India are a minority in a predominantly Hindu
country, but form majorities in the north-eastern states of Meghalaya
, Mizoram
, Nagaland
and sizeable minorities in Goa
and various east coast and northern states. Protestants today trace their heritage back through a rich history history of Christian
and monotheistic faith on the Indian subcontinent
.
, leading to the growth of different Christian communities. In 1793, William Carey
, an English Baptist Minister, came to India as a missionary. He worked in Serampore
, Calcutta and other cities founding churches. On the educational front, in addition to starting the Serampore College
, he also translated the Bible into Bengali
and Sanskrit
, continuing with these labours until his death in 1834.
Anthony Norris Groves
, Plymouth Brethren
missionary came to India in 1833. He worked in the Godavari delta
area of Tamil Nadu
, until his death in 1852.
Many Protestant denominations are represented in India, the result of missionary activities throughout the country especially under British rule
. The largest Protestant denomination in the country is the Church of South India
, since 1947 a union of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, and Anglican congregations with approximately 2.2 million members as of 1995. The broadly similar Church of North India
had 1 million members. (Both churches are in full communion with the Anglican Communion
.) There were about 1.3 million Lutherans, 473,000 Methodists, and 425,000 Baptists as of 1995.
Pentecostalism, one of the largest Protestant denominations worldwide, is also a rapidly growing denomination in India. It is spreading greatly in northern India and the southwestern areas, such as Kerala
. The largest indigenous Pentecostal church in India is the India Pentecostal Church of God (IPC).
As for the smaller denominations, another prominent group is the Brethren. They include Plymouth Brethren
, Indian Brethren
, Kerala Brethren
etc. The Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India
has more than 100,000 members.
One of the oldest denominations meanwhile is the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
.
Source of the list: World Christian Encyclopedia.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
country, but form majorities in the north-eastern states of Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
, Mizoram
Mizoram
Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...
, Nagaland
Nagaland
Nagaland is a state in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
and sizeable minorities in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
and various east coast and northern states. Protestants today trace their heritage back through a rich history history of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and monotheistic faith on the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
.
The history of Protestantism in India
Beginning in the eighteenth century, Protestant missionaries began to work throughout IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, leading to the growth of different Christian communities. In 1793, William Carey
William Carey
William Carey was an English Baptist missionary and a Reformed Baptist minister, known as the "father of modern missions." Carey was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society...
, an English Baptist Minister, came to India as a missionary. He worked in Serampore
Serampore
Serampore is a city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. It is a pre-colonial town on the right bank of the Hoogli River...
, Calcutta and other cities founding churches. On the educational front, in addition to starting the Serampore College
Serampore College
Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, West Bengal, India.The college consists of two entities:*The theological faculty*A separate college with faculties of arts, science, commerce...
, he also translated the Bible into Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, continuing with these labours until his death in 1834.
Anthony Norris Groves
Anthony Norris Groves
Anthony Norris Groves has been described as the "father of faith missions". He launched the first Protestant mission to Arabic-speaking Muslims, and settled in Baghdad, now the capital of Iraq, and later in southern India. His ideas influenced a circle of friends who became leaders in the Plymouth...
, Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
missionary came to India in 1833. He worked in the Godavari delta
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
area of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, until his death in 1852.
Many Protestant denominations are represented in India, the result of missionary activities throughout the country especially under British rule
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. The largest Protestant denomination in the country is the Church of South India
Church of South India
The Church of South India is the successor of the Church of England in India. It came into being in 1947 as a union of Anglican and Protestant churches in South India. With a membership of over 3.8 million, it is India's second largest Christian church after the Roman Catholic Church in India...
, since 1947 a union of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, and Anglican congregations with approximately 2.2 million members as of 1995. The broadly similar Church of North India
Church of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
had 1 million members. (Both churches are in full communion with the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
.) There were about 1.3 million Lutherans, 473,000 Methodists, and 425,000 Baptists as of 1995.
Pentecostalism, one of the largest Protestant denominations worldwide, is also a rapidly growing denomination in India. It is spreading greatly in northern India and the southwestern areas, such as Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. The largest indigenous Pentecostal church in India is the India Pentecostal Church of God (IPC).
As for the smaller denominations, another prominent group is the Brethren. They include Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
, Indian Brethren
Indian Brethren
The Brethren are a Christian Evangelical premillennial religious movement.The "Brethren" churches or Assemblies are completely independent of each other.Local assemblies are autonomous but are often informally linked with each other....
, Kerala Brethren
Kerala brethren
The Kerala Brethren are a subgroup of the larger Christian movement known as the Plymouth Brethren. Kerala is a small state in India, where this movement started in 1898 with the baptism of four men from traditional churches...
etc. The Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India
Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India
Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches in India is the largest Mennonite denomination of India. Its membership exceeds 100,000 persons. It has 103,000 members in 840 congregations. The Presiding officer for the conference is Dr P B Arnold...
has more than 100,000 members.
One of the oldest denominations meanwhile is the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church
Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church is a multi-lingual Lutheran Christian church that is centred mainly in three states of North India - Bihar, Assam and Bengal. The reach of the Church extends into Nepal and the NELC also works in Bhutan....
.
List of Baptist denominations
- Ao Baptist Arogo MungdangAo Baptist Arogo MungdangAo Baptist Arogo Mungdang is the largest Baptist convention affiliated to the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, with over 125 full-fledged churches, 25 fellowships, and average weekly church attendance between 150,000 to 200,000.-History:The convention was formed in 1897 with Impur of India as...
(Ao Baptist Churches Convention) - Apatani Christian Fellowship
- Assam Baptist ConventionAssam Baptist ConventionAssam Baptist Convention or ABC is a Baptist church based in Assam, India, with more than 37,000 members and 300 congregations.The Assam Baptist Convention traces its origins back to the work of 19th Century Baptists missionaries in Assam such as Krishna Chandra Pal, Nathan Brown, Oliver Cutter and...
- Baptist Christian Association
- Baptist Church of MizoramBaptist Church of MizoramBaptist Church of Mizoram, abbreviated BCM is a Protestant denomination of India and the second biggest Church in Mizoram state in Northeast India....
- Baptist Union of North IndiaBaptist Union of North IndiaBaptist Union of North India is a Protestant denomination of India. The number of its congregations exceeds 100. The number of its members exceeds 50,000. Its bishop is Nimrod Christian.- Sources :* http://www.prayertoweronline.org/reports/2005_dpf/...
- Bengal Baptist FellowshipBengal Baptist FellowshipBengal Baptist Fellowship is a Protestant denomination of India. It is limited to the part of India bordering to Bangladesh. It has about 4,000 members.- External links :...
- Bengal Orissa Bihar Baptist ConventionBengal Orissa Bihar Baptist ConventionBengal Orissa Bihar Baptist Convention is a Protestant denomination of India. It is in Orissa, Bihar and Bengal, which are areas in the Eastern half of India. It has about12,000 members. It counts about 70 congregations.-External links:...
- Council of Baptist Churches in Northern IndiaCouncil of Baptist Churches in Northern IndiaCouncil of Baptist Churches in Northern India is a major Christian denomination of India. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance. It is not affiliated with the World Council of Churches, however. The Council of Baptist Churches in Northern India belongs to the National Council of Churches in...
- Convention of Baptist Churches of the Northern Circars
- Evangelical Baptist Convention of India
- Garo Baptist ConventionGaro Baptist ConventionGaro Baptist Convention is a Protestant denomination of India and Bangladesh. It is named after the ethnic group of the name Garo. Most members of this church are in Meghalaya...
- Gospel Association of India
- India Association of General Baptists
- Karbi Anglong Baptist Convention
- Karnataka Baptist Convention
- Lower Assam Baptist Union
- Maharashtra Baptist Society
- Manipur Baptist ConventionManipur Baptist ConventionManipur Baptist Convention is an apex body of the Baptist Churches in Manipur, India. At present, it has 29 Associations, over 1330 Churches and approximately 2,00,000 baptized members. It is under the Council of Baptist Churches in Northeast India . The convention is also a member of Asia Pacific...
- Nagaland Baptist Church CouncilNagaland Baptist Church CouncilNagaland Baptist Church Council is a Protestant church of India. It is in the North Eastern state of Nagaland. It counts more than 1001 congregations. It has over 600,000 members. More than 20 Naga Baptist conventions are affiliated to it. Baptists form more than 80% of Nagaland's population and...
- North Bank Baptist Christian AssociationNorth Bank Baptist Christian AssociationNorth Bank Baptist Christian Association is a Protestant church of India. It has about 800 congregations. It has about 80,000 members. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
- Orissa Baptist Evangelical Crusade
- Rabha Baptist Church UnionRabha Baptist Church UnionRabha Baptist Church Union is a Protestant denomination of India. It has 51 congregations. It has about 8000 members. It is in the East of India.- External links :*...
- Samavesam of Telugu Baptist ChurchesSamavesam of Telugu Baptist ChurchesSamavesam of Telugu Baptist Churches are churches, that form a denomination in India.The churches are part of the Telugu Christian community of Southern India. Its language isTelugu. It belongs to the Baptist World Alliance....
- Separate Baptists in ChristSeparate Baptists in ChristThe Separate Baptists in Christ are a denomination of Separate Baptists found mostly in United States.-History:The Separate Baptists had no formal statement of faith before 1776. They only followed the Bible. In 1776 there was split in the Separate Baptist movement over the Arminian system...
- Seventh Day Baptist ChurchSeventh Day Baptist ChurchSeventh Day Baptist Church can refer to:* Seventh Day Baptist Church , listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Madison County, New York*Seventh Day Baptist, a Christian Baptists sect that observes seventh-day Sabbath...
- Tamil Baptist Churches
- Tripura Baptist Christian UnionTripura Baptist Christian UnionThe Tripura Baptist Christian Union is the largest protestant church body in the Indian state of Tripura. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. It has been found lending support to the banned terrorist organization, NLFT.-History:...
Source of the list: World Christian Encyclopedia.