Christianity in Punjab, India

Christians form 1.3% of the total population numbering around 3.5 lakhs in Punjab, India as per as 2011 census. But according to many media reports, demographic experts and Christian groups, there may be as many 1.94-2.77 million Christians living in Punjab, constituting up to (7%-15%) of the state population, the authenticity of that claim is still not known.[1][2] and many converts to Christianity keep their original identity to enjoy the benefits of reservation.[1] John Lowrie and William Reed were missionaries who went there in 1834.[3] The Diocese of Amritsar of the Church of North India has its seat in Punjab as does the Roman Catholic diocese of Jalandhar. There are thousands of settlements with a Christian congregation.[4] From 1881 to 1891 the Christian population of the then still united Punjab increased rapidly.[5]

Denominations: United Churches of North India (UCNI), Protestant Church, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church,[4] Roman Catholic Church, Eternal Light Ministries, Kashmir Evangelical Fellowship, the Pentecostal Mission, Pentecostal and Independent Churches.

History

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] In its meeting on 16 April 1947 and 17 April 1947, the joint committee of the All India Conference of Indian Christians and Catholic Union of India prepared a 13 point memorandum that was sent to the Constituent Assembly of India, which asked for religious freedom for both organisations and individuals; this came to be reflected in the Constitution of India.[6]

On 31 August 2022, the Sikh leader of the Akal Takht alleged that Christian missionaries are forcibly converting people of the state and demanded an anti-conversion law be brought up into the books.[11] On the same day, a pastor's car was lit on fire in Thakarpur village of Tarn Taran district.[12]

In April 2023, Christian organizations and leaders in the state launched the first Christian-affiliated political party, named the United Punjab Party (UPP), to represent the local Christian community’s interests.[13]

Demographics
Christians in Punjab
YearNumberPercentage
2001[14]
292,800
1.20
2011[15]
348,230
1.26

Percentage by district
S.No District Christianity
1 Amritsar 2.18%
2 Barnala 0.10%
3 Bathinda 0.18%
4 Faridkot 0.20%
5 Fatehgarh Sahib 0.28%
6 Firozpur 0.95%
7 Gurdaspur 7.68%
8 Hoshiarpur 0.94%
9 Jalandhar 1.19%
10 Kapurthala 0.67%
11 Ludhiana 0.47%
12 Mansa 0.12%
13 Moga 0.33%
14 Muktsar 0.19%
15 Patiala 0.30%
16 Rupnagar 0.31%
17 Mohali 0.54%
18 Sangrur 0.15%
19 Nawanshehar 0.24%
20 Tarn Taran 0.54%
Punjab (Total) 1.26%

See also

References
  1. https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/census-does-not-tell-real-population-of-christians-in-punjab-leaders/story-N0cDsR0bvq37
  2. "How Christianity is growing among Mazhabi Sikhs & Valmiki Hindus in Punjab's villages". 2 December 2021.
  3. Juergensmeyer, Mark (22 December 1976). "The Fading of an Era: The Last Missionaries in the Punjab". Christian Century. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  4. "Indien: Großartiges Gemeindewachstum in Punjab" (in German). Deutsche Missionsgemeinschaft. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
  5. Krüppner, Thomas (11 November 2006). "Konversion und Rekonversion im Hinduismus" (in German). Suedasien.info. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  6. Thomas, Abraham Vazhayil (1974). Christians in Secular India. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. pp. 106–110. ISBN 978-0-8386-1021-3.
  7. Oddie, Geoffrey A. (2001). "Indian Christians and National Identity 1870-1947". The Journal of Religious History. 25 (3): 357, 361. doi:10.1111/1467-9809.00138.
  8. Pinto, Ambrose (19 August 2017). "Christian Contribution to the Freedom Struggle". Mainstream. LV (35).
  9. Webster, John C. B. (2018). A Social History of Christianity: North-west India since 1800. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-909757-9. 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. Black, Brian; Hyman, Gavin; Smith, Graham M. (2014). Confronting Secularism in Europe and India: Legitimacy and Disenchantment in Contemporary Times. A&C Black. pp. 88–91. ISBN 978-1-78093-607-9.
  11. Brar, Kamaldeep Singh (31 August 2022). "Forced conversion to Christianity is on, need law in Punjab: Akal Takht Jathedar". The Indian Express. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  12. Ghazali, Mohammed. Kumar, Akhil (ed.). "Punjab Pastor's Car Set On Fire, Bhagwant Mann Assures Strict Action". NDTV.com. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  13. Sethi, Chitleen K. (5 April 2023). "'Under attack, need elected representatives': Why Christians in Punjab have launched a political party". ThePrint. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  14. "Total population by religious communities". Censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  15. "Indian Census 2011". Census Department, Government of India. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
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