Religion In Papua New Guinea

The courts and government in both theory and practice uphold a constitutional right to freedom of speech, thought, and belief.

The 2000 census showed 96 percent of citizens were members of a Christian church, however many citizens may combine their Christian faith with some pre-Christian traditional indigenous practices.¹ The census percentages were as follows:

Roman Catholic Church (27.0%)

Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Papua New Guinea (19.5%)

United Church (11.5%)

Seventh-day Adventist Church (10.0%)

Pentecostal (8.6%)

Evangelical Alliance (5.2%)

Anglican Church Of Papua New Guinea (3.2%)

Baptist (2.5%)

Salvation Army (0.2%)

Other Christian (8.0%) ²

CHRISTIANITY

The Papua New Guinea Council Of Churches members are:

Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea

Gutnius Lutheran Church ( Missouri Synod )

Union Baptist

Roman Catholic Church

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea

United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands

Salvation Army

There are also a number of parachurch organizations:

The Summer Institute Of Linguistics is an important missionary institution drawing its support from conservative evangelical Protestant churches in the United States and to a lesser extent Australia; it translates the New Testament into native languages.

Young Women's Christian Association

OTHER RELIGIONS

Minority religions include the Jehovah's Witness (20,000) and the Church Of Christ (20,000). Non-traditional Christian churches and non-Christian religious groups are active throughout the country. The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches has stated that both Muslim and Confucian missionaries are active, and foreign missionary activity in general is high.

TRADITIONAL RELIGIONS

Traditional religions were animist and also tended to have elements of ancestor worship.

SEE ALSO

Religious Life Of The Korowa

REFERENCES

Information About

Religion In Papua New Guinea