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CHRISTIANITY IN PAKISTAN

In 1877, on St. Thomas' Day at Westminster Abbey, London, Rev Thomas Valpy French was appointed the first Anglican Bishop of Lahore, a large diocese which included all of the Punjab, then under British colonial rule, and remained so until 1887; during this period he also opened the Divinity College, Lahore in 1870. Rev Thomas Patrick Hughes served as a Church Missionary Society missionary at Peshawar (1864–84), and became an oriental scholar, and compiled a 'Dictionary of Islam' (1885).Sacred Heart Cathedral, Lahore Missionaries accompanied colonizing forces from Portugal, France, and Great Britain. Jesuit missionaries sent from their Portuguese-held Goa built a Catholic church in Lahore, the first in Punjab, around 1597, two years after being granted permission by emperor Akbar, who had called them to his court in Fatehpur Sikri for religious discussions. This church was later demolished, perhaps during Aurangzeb times. Later on, Christianity was mainly brought by the British rulers of India in the later 18th and 19th century. This is evidenced in cities established by the British, such as the port city of Karachi, where the majestic St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of Pakistan's largest church, stands, and the churches in the city of Rawalpindi, where the British established a major military cantonment.

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CATHOLICISM IN PAKISTAN

The Catholic Church in Pakistan is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the pope in Rome. Pope John Paul II visited Pakistan on 16 February 1981. There are over one million Catholics in Pakistan, which represents less than 1% of the total population. There are 7 ecclesiastical units in Pakistan comprising 2 archdioceses, 4 dioceses, and one Apostolic Vicariate, all Latin Rite. The Catholic Church in Pakistan is also active in education managing leading schools like Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi, health and other social aspects of daily life in addition to its spiritual work. The Catholic Church runs 534 schools, 53 hostels, 8 colleges, 7 technical institutes and 8 catechetical centers, according to 2008 statistics.Joseph Cordeiro, Archbishop of Karachi, became the first (and thus far only) Pakistani Cardinal elevated to the position by Pope Paul VI on 5 March 1973.Pope John Paul II received the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf in a private audience in the Vatican on 30 September 2004. In 2004 President Pervez Musharraf began hosting an annual Christmas dinner as an expression of seasonal goodwill.

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PROTESTANTISM IN PAKISTAN

The Europeans won small numbers of converts to Anglicanism, Methodism, the Lutheran Church and Catholicism from the native populations. Islam was very strong in the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and the North West Frontier Province, but small native communities of converts to Christianity were formed. The largest numbers came from resident officers of the British Army and the government.Church of Pakistan, denomination inaugurated in Pakistan in 1970 and comprising former Anglican, Methodist, Scottish Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches and mission bodies. It is the only church in the world joining Lutherans with Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians and one of three in which Anglicans and Methodists unite, the others being the churches of North and South India.Protestants are a minority of less than 2% of the population of Pakistan.The Protestant Church of Pakistan is the only one in the world where Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian Christians unite to pray.The Church of Pakistan is the largest of the Protestant faith. Others include The United Presbyterian Church, Baptists, Seventh-Day Adventists, and the Pentecostal Church with many other smaller churches.

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CHRISTIAN LIFE IN PAKISTAN

Christians in Pakistan face a number of key challenges. Firstly, the lack of political activity, participation and knowledge of the Christians in Pakistan is astonishing. At a time when youngsters all over the world are looking for political democratic solutions for their problems, Christians in Pakistan remain ignorant of their political stature. Secondly, Christians living in Pakistan have traditionally been an underprivileged class. The nonexistence of government initiatives to uplift the economic status of Christians presents an extremely grim future. The „quota system‟, implemented in many political and academic institutions, creates reverse discrimination, where members of majority feel discriminated. Thus, instead of creating harmony, it further deteriorates the fluctuating relationship among Christians and the majority. Micro-finance initiatives, technical colleges, business incubators, tech-labs and other forms of support for businesses owned by Christians can substantially improve the living standards of this persecuted community. Business activity is essential for the progress of any community.Thirdly, Christians in Pakistan remain isolated and segregated from local communities. They like to live in their own restricted neighborhoods and they support their own relatives. This has led to a lack of participation of Christians in the social issues of Pakistan. Christian Institutions in Pakistan need to raise their voice on the social challenges which Pakistan is facing and they must present their solutions to the competent authorities in order to positively contribute to the Pakistani society.

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DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CATHOLICS & PROTESTANTS

They worship the same God, but the principles of their faith are different. Five hundred years after the Reformation, there are still painful divisions between Protestants and Catholics. In Germany, the country of the Reformation, a deep animosity divided Catholic and Protestant Christians up until a few decades ago. This division had deepened over the centuries through religious conflicts and wars.It all started when Reformation took place, 500 years ago, as Martin Luther (1483-1546) tried to reform the Catholic Church. His attempt to do so instead led to a schism in the church.On October 31, 1517, the publication of his Ninety-Five Theses, which outlined different abusive practices of the church, is considered the founding event that led to this division in Germany and the creation of the Evangelical Church. One of the first major differences between Catholicism and Protestantism is the issue of the sufficiency and authority of Scripture. Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God’s special revelation to mankind and teaches us all that is necessary for our salvation from sin. Protestants view the Bible as the standard by which all Christian behavior must be measured. This belief is commonly referred to as “sola scriptura” and is one of the “five solas” (sola is Latin for “alone”) that came out of the Protestant Reformation as summaries of some of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

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HOLY BIBLE THE WORD OF GOD

The Bible is the inspired Word of God and relates how God our Creator expresses his undying love for his creation mankind. The Bible presents salvation history: how God reveals himself and his plan for the redemption of fallen mankind. His Divine plan begins with the creation of the world, passes to the definitive moment in time of the Incarnation, and will be concluded with the Parousia, the Second Coming of the Lord. Promise and prophecy found in Hebrew Scripture, our Old Testament, finds fulfillment in the New Testament: God giving his only son Jesus Christ to save humanity, and sending the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Bible provides direction for a happy life on earth, gives prophecy on the end times, and helps us reach heaven in the after-life. The Old Testament relates God's Creation of the world and his Word to Israel. He reveals his undying love for his creation mankind through the promise of a Redeemer, in spite of man's sin and disobedience. There are a number of Messianic prophecies in Hebrew Scripture, among them Genesis 3:15, Deuteronomy 18:15-18, 2 Samuel 7:14-16, I Chronicles 17:12-14, Psalms 2, 22, and 110, Isaiah 7:14 and 52:13-53:12, Daniel 7:13-14 and 9:24-27, Micah 5:2, and Zechariah 9:9 and 12:10. The New Testament recorded the oral tradition of the Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, his Passion, Death on the Cross, Resurrection and Ascension, and the formation of the early Christian community, the Church. Jesus of Nazareth and his Apostles spoke Aramaic, the common language at the time in the Levant. Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, became the biblical and liturgical language of early Christian Churches in the Middle East. Jesus the Messiah addressed God in prayer, using the Aramaic word Abba, the affectionate term for "Father" (Mark 14:36). Jesus raised the child by calling out Talitha cumi, which means "little girl, arise" in Mark 5:41. He cured the man who was deaf and dumb by speaking Ephphatha, meaning "be opened" in Mark 7:34. Jesus refers to hell as Gehenna in Mark 9:42-50. Jesus used Aramaic words twice in referring to Peter: he used the prefix Bar-, "the son of," (not the Hebrew Ben) when he called Peter Bar-Jonah, the son of Jonah (Matthew 16:17); and he called Peter Cephas, the Aramaic word for rock in John 1:42. Jesus cried out from the cross Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34).

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ST.THOMAS THE APOSTLE OF ASIA AND Patron Saint of Pakistan

Saint Thomas the Apostle (also known as Judas Thomas or Didymus, meaning "Twin") was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus who is best known for doubting the resurrection of Jesus and demanding to feel Jesus' wounds before being convinced (John 20:24-29). This story is the origin of the term "Doubting Thomas." After seeing Jesus alive, Thomas professed his faith in Jesus, exclaiming "My Lord and my God!" presenting one of the first clear declarations of Christ's divinity. Christianity in Asia has its roots in the very inception of Christianity, which originated from the life and teachings of Jesus in 1st century Roman Palestine. Christianity then spread through the missionary work of his apostles, first in the Levant and taking roots in the major cities such as Jerusalem and Antioch. According to tradition, further eastward expansion occurred via the preaching of Thomas the Apostle, who established Christianity in the Parthian Empire (Iran) and India. The first Caucasus nations to adopt Christianity as a state religion were Armenia in 301 and Georgia in 327.St. Thomas the Apostle is a Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Lansing. Our mission is rooted in the life of our patron saint. When Saint Thomas encountered the Risen Christ, his faith was encouraged and his heart was enlivened to become an apostle, spreading the Gospel and serving the early Church. We encounter the Risen Christ in Word and Sacrament, most especially in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We encourage faith in our Lord Jesus Christ through prayer, education, and the spiritual formation of children and adults. The love of God enlivens our hearts and we bear witness to the Gospel with lives of evangelism and service.Our mission reflects the life of our patron. When St. Thomas encountered the Risen Christ, his faith was encouraged and his heart was enlivened to become an apostle, spreading the Gospel and serving the early Church.

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POPE JOHN PAUL II VISIT PAKISTAN IN 1981

As he came down from his aircraft on Karachi airport in 1981, Pope John Paul II kissed the Pakistani soil. Though he had made the same gesture of love to people wherever he went, for Pakistanis he brought alive the meaning of the first line of the national anthem. His kiss was a testimony to this land being sacred. The Mass that he led at the National Stadium in Karachi was shown on state-owned television that enabled the people at large to witness symbolic Catholic rites and listen to recitation from the Bible in Urdu alongside the millions of Christians who had gathered to greet the Pope in the city.It is indeed a pleasure for me to welcome Your Excellency as I accept the Letters accrediting you as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. My satisfaction in extending this greeting derives, in great part, from my firm belief that the cordial diplomatic relations between your country and the Holy See enable us to join in a cooperative spirit of dialogue which, I feel, fosters deeper understanding and a genuine sense of esteem for one another.I ask you to reciprocate the good wishes of His Excellency President Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, whom I assure of my high regard for all the people of Pakistan.I am grateful for your reference to my visit to your nation in February 1981. While admittedly my stay was brief, it nevertheless provided an excellent opportunity for me to experience the warm hospitality and animated vigour of your people. Having been in their midst, I am all the more conscious of their hopes and aspirations for the betterment of human life. These desires, which reflect the noble yearnings of the heart, must be cherished, aided and encouraged. At the same time, I also noted the deep commitment of various religious groups to the promotion of the material, as well as the spiritual, well-being of your country’s citizens. This cooperation among the members of different faiths, founded as it is on a common belief in the love of Almighty God, serves as the basis of a common vision of society.

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Lord Jesus christ mission in pakistan

Pakistan is renowned for natural beauty — from its Arabian Sea coast in the south to the Himalaya Mountains in the north, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to the southwest, and China in the far northeast, respectively. It is separated narrowly from Tajikistan by Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor in the north-west, and also shares a maritime border with Oman. Pakistan is a country which is rich in culture and religion. Islam is the major religion but along with it there are other minorities like Christians, Hindu, Sikh, Ahmadis, Chitrals, and Afghans etc. Christians are the largest minority community in Pakistan. They constitute about 2% of the Pakistan’s population. I am the White part of the Pakistani Flag, The white represents the minorities, White represents the Dove, The dove is a symbol The Holy Spirit and Peace, White represents purity, White represents me- Pakistani Christian, Jesus Christ Is My Lord, said to me as a Christian "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."(Mathew 28:18-20).Christianity in Asia has its roots in the very inception of Christianity, which originated with Jesus Christ, and then spread through the missionary work of his apostles. Christianity first expanded in the Levant, taking roots in the major cities such as Jerusalem and Antioch. According to tradition, further eastward expansion occurred via the preaching of Saint Thomas the Apostle, who established Christianity in the Parthian Empire (Iran) and India.St. Thomas a disciple of Jesus who chooses the biggest area for the evangelization and traditions says that it was the will of Jesus that St. Thomas should work in India. India where Hinduism was the first religion but we cannot ignore that people had the sense of god and they were worshipping their gods and goddess. As Thomas was introduced to this new field of evangelization, he not only preached through words but he gave the life witness, which attracted a quite number of peoples.

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PROTESTANT CHURCHES IN PAKISTAN

  • The Church of Christ traces its history back to the original organization that was established by Jesus Christ in the first century AD. That original Church had Jesus Christ as its head and twelve Apostles that had the oversight of the Church organization on the earth. The ancient New Testament Church taught the pure, simple gospel of Christ. Read more...
  • Church of Pakistan, denomination inaugurated in Pakistan in 1970 and comprising former Anglican, Methodist, Scottish Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches and mission bodies. It is the only church in the world joining Lutherans with Anglicans, Methodists, and Presbyterians and one of three in which Anglicans and Methodists unite the othersRead more...
  • The churches of the Anglican Communion have their historical roots in the English Reformation. The church grew out of the work started in the late nineteenth century by the Church Missionary Society (CMS), the Oxford Mission to Calcutta, and the English Presbyterian Society. Until 1951, the Anglican Church in East Pakistan was under the Diocese of Calcutta. Under the church union plan ... Read more...
  • The United Pentecostal Church in Pakistan (UPCPK) is a Oneness Pentecostal organization with churches, ministers, and members in all over Pakistan. With roots anchored firmly in the Bible and a vision for ministering to communities in Pakistan, the UPCPK embraces its mission to carry the whole gospel to the whole world by the whole church. Read more...
  • The mission of The Methodist Church is to provide help for development in the Sectors of Spiritual, social, Creative intellectual, Physical and Economic Spheres of the community. To put efforts to provide basic facilities of life and security for all human beings,toward their endeavor to become Self-sufficient and economically well-established. Read more...
  • The Pakistani Lutheran Church is a small ethnic congregation that was chartered in 2003 by the LCMS to serve Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Afghans, in Denver. You will not find a church building so named because the informal evening services are mostly held at the home of Deacon Shakil Nazami.The services often include some special carol singing Read more...
  • The Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (PCP) was constituted in 1993. It has a long history rooted in the establishment of the Lahore Church Council of the United Church of Pakistan and the Synod of the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan. Presbyterian mission in the area was started in 1854 by the United Presbyterian Church of North America. Read more...
  • The irrevocable union of the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan and the Lahore Church Council of the United Church in Pakistan is the expression of their oneness which has resulted in their common witness to be more effective. The said two churches over a century have had a close working relationship and in a mutual consultation. Read more...
  • Pakistan Adventist Seminary is a Christian co-educational institution of higher learning located in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The purpose of the Pakistan Adventist Seminary is to train workers to serve the church in Pakistan and beyond, as well as to prepare Christian youth for useful service to society.Read more...
  • The National Baptist Church of Pakistan (NBCP) is an indigenous Church.Ministry serving the Lord in Pakistan since 1990. NBCP is working in three Provinces of Pakistan including Khyber Phakhtoon Khawah, Punjab and Sindh having its head office in Islamabad. NBCP with its holistic approach attempts to address the needs of the community by providing people with variousRead more...
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