Church of Pakistan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Pakistan |
|
|---|---|
Logo
|
|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | United Protestant |
| Polity | Mixed polity with episcopal and presbyterian elements |
| Moderator | Azad Marshall |
| Associations | World Methodist Council, Anglican Communion, World Communion of Reformed Churches, Christian Conference of Asia World Council of Churches |
| Origin | 1970 Pakistan |
| Merger of | Anglicans (Church of India, Burma and Ceylon), Presbyterians (Church of Scotland), Lutherans, Methodists |
| Separations | Church of Bangladesh (1974) |
| Members | 1,500,000 |
| Ministers | 600 |
The Church of Pakistan is a Christian church in Pakistan. It was formed in 1970 when several different Christian groups joined together. It is a member of important global Christian groups like the Anglican Communion and the World Methodist Council.
Contents
How the Church of Pakistan Started
The Church of Pakistan was created in 1970. It brought together four different Christian traditions:
- Anglicans (from the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon)
- Scottish Presbyterians (from the Church of Scotland)
- United Methodists
- Lutherans
This was a special event because it was the only time in South Asia that Lutherans joined such a united church.
Training Leaders for the Church
The Church of Pakistan has two special schools called theological seminaries. These schools train people to become pastors and leaders in the church.
- The Gujranwala Theological Seminary
- St. Thomas' Theological College, Karachi
Church Areas and Leaders
The Church of Pakistan is divided into different areas called dioceses. Each diocese has a bishop who leads the church in that area.
List of Dioceses and Bishops
- Faisalabad (Bishop: Aleem Anwar Gill)
- Hyderabad (Bishop: Bishop Kaleem John)
- Karachi (Bishop: Frederick John)
- Lahore (Bishop: Nadeem Kamran)
- Multan (Bishop: Leo Roderick Paul)
- Peshawar (Bishop: Humphrey Peters)
- Raiwind (Bishop: Azad Marshall)
- Sialkot (Bishop: Alwin John Samuel)
The Diocese of Sialkot is part of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The entire Church of Pakistan is now also listed as a member of this group. The Sialkot Diocese has over 40,400 members in 44 churches and 28 smaller home groups.
Leaders of the Church
The main leader of the Church of Pakistan is called the Moderator of the Synod. One past Moderator was Zahir-Ud-Din Mirza.
When the church first started in 1970, it had four main areas: Multan, Lahore, Sialkot. In 1980, four more areas were added: Hyderabad, Raiwind, Faisalabad, and Peshawar. Today, there are eight diocesan bishops.
The Diocese of Raiwind
The Diocese of Raiwind is one of the eight main areas of the Church of Pakistan. It was created in 1980. This was 10 years after the different Christian groups came together to form the Church of Pakistan.
This diocese mainly covers rural and semi-urban areas. Its main office is in Lahore. The Diocese of Raiwind has over 26,000 members in 38 churches.
What the Raiwind Diocese Does
The Diocese of Raiwind focuses on many important activities:
- Pastoral Care: Helping and guiding church members.
- Village Schools: Running schools in villages.
- Sunday School Ministry: Teaching children about faith.
- Peace Building: Working to create peace in communities.
- Hostel for Poor Children: Providing a safe place for children in need.
- Youth Empowerment: Helping young people develop skills and confidence.
- Women Empowerment: Supporting women in their roles and development.
- Special Education: Providing education for children with special needs.
Global Connections of the Church
The Church of Pakistan is part of a worldwide group called the Global South (Anglican). This group connects Anglican churches from different parts of the world.
Bishop Azad Marshall of Raiwind is a key leader in connecting the Church of Pakistan with other global Anglican groups. He became the Moderator Bishop of the Church of Pakistan in 2021. This has helped the church build stronger ties with other Anglican churches around the world.
See also
- Christianity in Pakistan
- Christianity in India
Images for kids
-
A church building in Murree, Pakistan
