Christianity in Arunachal Pradesh

Christianity is a growing religion in Arunachal Pradesh, a state of Northeast India bordering China. The state was nearly 20% Christian as per the last official census.[1] The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the state with around 180,000 adherents. The Arunachal Baptist Church Council is the second largest denomination with 83,000 baptized members in about 1,000 churches.

The state belongs to the area of the diocese of North East India of the Church of North India.[2] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Itanagar and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Miao have their seat in the state. The state is an area of rapid growth of Roman Catholicism in recent years.[3]

Among the Christians in the state there is a literacy rate higher than the rate in the state population at large.[4]

Christian missionary activity is not allowed in Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal has prohibited bribery or coercion for conversion since 1978, but no one has been brought to trial under the law.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/Population_by_religious_communities.htm
  2. ↑ "The Diocess - The Church Of North India". Cnisynod.org. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  3. ↑ Tuesday, July 1, 2008 (2008-07-01). "Aid to the Church in Need: Building the Faith, Chapel by Chapel". Churchinneed.org. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  4. ↑ "Welcome to Frontline : Vol. 29 :: No. 16". Hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  5. ↑ Georg Evers (November 2008). "India's Christians Taken Aim at by Radical Hindus". Con-spiration.de. Retrieved 2013-03-26. For in several Indian federal states - in 1978 in Arunachal Pradesh, in 2003 in Gujarat, in 2006 in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and in 2007 in Himachal Pradesh - bills were passed which make conversions that happened by force or by material benefits punishable. So far, however, not a single case has been brought before the courts.