| Evangelical Protestantism in Albania | |
| Abbreviation: | VUSH |
| Main Classification: | Evangelical Protestantism |
| Theology: | Biblicist |
| Governance: | Autonomous independent churches and organizations, but voluntarily cooperative |
| Founder: | Gjerasim Qiriazi[1] |
| Founded Date: | 1890 |
| Founded Place: | Manastir (present-day Bitola, Macedonia) (later in Korça, Albania) |
| Fellowships: | Baptist, Brethren, Assemblies of God, non-denominational groups, etc. |
| Associations: | Various regional associations |
| Area: | Albania, with partnerships in Kosovo and other Albanian regions |
| Congregations: | approx. 200 |
| Members: | approx. 16000 |
| Other Names: | Albanian Evangelical Churches |
Evangelical Protestantism is one of five officially recognized faiths in Albania.[2] It is a Christian faith that views Jesus Christ as its founder and head, and the Bible (especially the New Testament) as its written authority.
The US International Religious Freedom Report of 2022 noted that 38% of the population (just over a million people) have a Christian background.[3] The number of Evangelical Protestants in Albania has risen from approximately 8000 in 1998,[4] to approximately 14,000 in the early 2020s.[5] However, in the 2011 census, 70% of respondents refused to declare belief in any of the listed faiths.[6]
Unlike other official religions in Albania, Evangelical Protestants are not organized under a hierarchy with an official head, but operate autonomously in separate churches or organizations bearing different denominational or non-denominational names. Most, but not all Evangelical/Protestant groups are members of the Albania's Evangelical Brotherhood (VUSH), a cooperative organization which views itself as existing as "an instrument of blessing … with the purpose of promoting unity amongst the churches, representing every local church with dignity, and promoting evangelism."[7]
Protestant denominations include Baptist, Lutheran and Anglican.[8] [9] [10]
On August 26, 1816, Robert Pinkerton wrote the British and Foreign and Bible Society to encourage them to translate the New Testament into Albanian.[11] Cyrus Hamlin reported in 1857 that Albanians were applying to his Protestant seminary.[12] The first documented Albanian Protestant was Kostandin Kristoforidhi, who left his native Orthodox faith and converted to Protestantism on his own while comparing Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant theological texts. He joined the Protestant Church of Smyrna in 1856 or 1857, and was sent to Istanbul for theological training.[13]
In Monastir, Gjerasim Qiriazi also converted to Protestantism ca. 1876-1877, and united with the multi-ethnic Protestant church there. The first two known Albanian Protestant-Evangelical churches were both established by Gjerasim Qiriazi, first in Monastir in 1884 and later in Korça in 1890 (both cities then part of the Ottoman Empire).[14]
In April 1890, Gjerasim Qiriazi was ordained as the first Albanian evangelist and preacher by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in the board's annual meeting help in Monastir.[15] The second church among Albanians was opened in Korça. Qiriazi was also the head of one of the first national societies within Albania, named “The Evangelical Brotherhood”. As a result, Gjerasim Qiriazi is considered as the father of the Albanian Protestant Church.[16]
During the Communist regime of the late 20th century, Albania was declared as the world’s first atheist country. Over 2,000 religious institutions were closed. Several religious leaders and preachers were arrested, imprisoned and executed.[17] It was against the law to buy a Bible at that time.[18] When the regime ended in 1991, there were less than 20 Evangelical Christians in the country.[19]
In July, 1991 an international consortium of eleven mission agencies calling themselves the Albanian Encouragement Project (AEP) secured government permission to hold an evangelical gathering in Tirana. The AEP grew to 45 agencies and continued their work there for several years.[20]
In 2023, the constitution provides for freedom of religion and conscience. It states that there is no official religion, but officially recognises Sunni Albanian Muslims, Bektashi Muslims, Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and VUSH.[21]
In 2022, Albania scored 4 out of 4 for religious freedom.[22]