Christianity in Punjab, Pakistan explained

Christianity is the second-largest religion in Punjab Province of Pakistan comprising 1.9% of its population. Most Christians (81%) of Pakistan live in Punjab province. There are 2,458,924 Christians in Punjab province as of 2023,[1] up from 1,699,843 in 1998.[2]

The churches in Lahore include Cathedral Church of Resurrection, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore, St. Andrew's Church, Lahore, St. Anthony's Church, Lahore and St. Joseph’s Church, Lahore. Lahore and Faisalabad have more Christian population than any other city in Punjab. Most Punjabi Christians are converts from the Hindu Churas and Mazhabi Sikh caste to Christianity during the British Raj in colonial India.[3]

History

Christianity came to Punjab in 1834.[4] The Christian Mission in Ludhiana set up in the first Sikh Gurmukhi printing press the following year.[5]

The Christians of colonial India were active in the Indian National Congress and wider Indian independence movement, being collectively represented in the All India Conference of Indian Christians, which advocated for swaraj and opposed the partition of India.[6] [7] [8]

The meeting of the All India Conference of Indian Christians in Lahore in December 1922, which had a large attendance of Punjabis, resolved that the clergymen of the Church in India should be drawn from the ranks of Indians, rather than foreigners.[9] The AICIC also stated that Indian Christians would not tolerate any discrimination based on race or skin colour.[9]

S. K. Datta of Lahore, who served as the principal of Forman Christian College, became the president of the All India Conference of Indian Christians, representing the Indian Christian community at the Second Round Table Conference, where he agreed with Mahatma Gandhi's views on minorities and Depressed Classes.[10]

On 30 October 1945, the All India Conference of Indian Christians formed a joint committee with the Catholic Union of India that passed a resolution in which, "in the future constitution of India, the profession, practice and propagation of religion should be guaranteed and that a change of religion should not involve any civil or political disability."[6] This joint committee enabled the Christians in colonial India to stand united, and in front of the British Parliamentary Delegation "the committee members unanimously supported the move for independence and expressed complete confidence in the future of the community in India."[6] The office for this joint committee was opened in Delhi, in which the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University M. Rahnasamy served as President and B.L. Rallia Ram of Lahore served as General Secretary.[6] Six members of the joint committee were elected to the Minorities Committee of the Constituent Assembly.[6]

Following the partition of colonial India, the Catholic Union of India granted independence to its branches in Sind and Baluchistan in its Second Annual General Meeting in Bangalore in October 1947, which was presided by Ruthnasamy.[11]

21st century

The number of Christians in the state is seen to be rising.[12] Estimates of Christian followers vary, mainly due to Dalits not being included in several surveys.[13]

Punjab is considered a province with persecution of Christians.[14] The high-profile Asia Bibi blasphemy case was a famous example of this. Bibi was arrested in Punjab in 2009 under the blasphemy law in Pakistan, found guilty and sentenced to execution.[15] [16] After ten years in prison, and an international campaign, she was acquitted and she and her family moved to Canada, then on to France. The governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, was assassinated for his defence of Bibi.[17]

In 2022, Freedom House rated religious freedom across the country as 1 out of 4.[18]

In April 2023, Pentecostals in Punjab started a new political party, named the United Punjab Party.[19] [20]

Notable People

Christian denominations in the province

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Religious Demographics of Pakistan 2023 . 20 May 2021.
  2. Web site: Population distribution by religion, 1998-Census . 2011 . Pakistan Statistical Year Book 2011 . . 2013-02-19.
  3. Alter, J.P and J. Alter (1986) In the Doab and Rohilkhand: north Indian Christianity, 1815–1915. I.S.P.C.K publishing p196
  4. https://www.news18.com/opinion/proselytisation-in-punjab-how-mazhabi-sikhs-and-valmiki-hindus-are-being-lured-into-christianity-7440811.html News18 website
  5. https://www.newsclick.in/rise-new-christian-party-punjab-no-surprise Newsclick website
  6. Book: Thomas . Abraham Vazhayil . Christians in Secular India . 1974 . Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press . 978-0-8386-1021-3 . 106-110 . English.
  7. Oddie . Geoffrey A. . Indian Christians and National Identity 1870–1947 . The Journal of Religious History . 2001 . 25 . 3 . 357, 361. 10.1111/1467-9809.00138 .
  8. Pinto . Ambrose . Christian Contribution to the Freedom Struggle . Mainstream . 19 August 2017 . LV . 35 . English.
  9. Book: Webster . John C. B. . A Social History of Christianity: North-west India since 1800 . 2018 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-909757-9 . English . In December 1921, the Punjabi-dominated meetings of the All India Conference of Indian Christians in Lahore was more cautious in their proposals but less cautious in the rationale they offered. They passed resolutions, first indicating that the Protestant missions 'should be completely merged in the Indian Church and that in future all Foreign Missionaries should be related to it', and then urging the missions in the meantime to 'appoint Indians of ability and character on an increasing scale'. Among their supporting arguments were that 'Indian Christians are not going to put up with colour and racial distinctions', that foreign missionaries could not solve the community's problems 'because of lack of sympathy', that the missions were too divided by denominational differences to bring about a united Indian Church, and that 'In these days Indians look up to Indians and do not pay much attention to foreigners.'.
  10. Book: Black . Brian . Hyman . Gavin . Smith . Graham M. . Confronting Secularism in Europe and India: Legitimacy and Disenchantment in Contemporary Times . 2014 . A&C Black . 978-1-78093-607-9 . 88-91 . English.
  11. News: Partition Affects Catholic Union Of India . Indian Daily Mail . 21 November 1947 . Bangalore . English . A resolution that, in view of the partition of India into two separate Dominions and the result of the Catholic Associations of Sind and Baluchistan - the only associations, in Pakistan affiliated to the Catholic Union - to sever its connection with the Union, the jurisdiction and activities of the Union be confined to the Dominion of India and necessary amendments be made in the Constitution was passed at the Second Annual General Meeting of the Catholic Union of India held at St. Joseph's College Hall, Civil Area, last week. Mr. Ruthnasamy, President of the Union was in the chair..
  12. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/call-of-faith-promising-pull-of-punjabi-pastors-101676746862341.html Hindustani Times website
  13. https://theprint.in/india/how-christianity-is-growing-among-mazhabi-sikhs-valmiki-hindus-in-punjabs-villages/775047/ The Print India website
  14. Web site: Kathweb Nachrichten .:. Katholische Presseagentur Österreich . www.kathpress.co.at . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101003061453/http://www.kathpress.co.at/content/site/nachrichten/database/27417.html . 2010-10-03.
  15. Web site: Christian group says Punjab govt wants Aasia dead | Pakistan Today.
  16. https://www.npr.org/2010/12/14/132031645/christian-s-death-verdict-spurs-holy-row-in-pakistan NPR website
  17. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-57516630 BBC website
  18. https://www.freedomhouse.org/country/pakistan/freedom-world/2022 Freedom House, Retrieved 2023-04-25
  19. https://www.newsclick.in/rise-new-christian-party-punjab-no-surprise Newsclick India website
  20. https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/july/united-punjab-party-christian-india-vote-hindu-nationalism.html Christianity Today website

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