Religion in Papua New Guinea

Religion in Papua New Guinea is predominantly Christian, with traditional animism and ancestor worship often occurring less openly as another layer underneath or more openly side by side Christianity. The courts, government, and general society uphold a constitutional right to freedom of speech, thought, and belief. There is no state religion, although the government openly partners with several Christian groups to provide services, and churches participate in local government bodies.

Citizen population in Papua New Guinea by religion, based on the 2011 census[1]

  Catholic Church (26%)
  Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (18.4%)
  Seventh-day Adventist (12.9%)
  Pentecostal (10.4%)
  United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (10.3%)
  Evangelical Alliance Papua New Guinea (5.9%)
  Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea (3.2%)
  Baptist (2.8%)
  Salvation Army (0.4%)
  Kwato Church (0.2%)
  Other Christian (5.1%)
  Non Christian (1.4%)
  Not stated (3.1%)
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A large majority of Papua New Guineans identify themselves as members of a Christian church (96% in the 2000 census); however, many combine their Christian faith with traditional indigenous beliefs and practices.[2] Other religions represented in the country include the Baháʼí Faith, Hinduism and Islam.[3]

Christianity
Christian denominations
in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinean interchurch
Anglican
Catholic
Lutheran
Methodist and Presbyterian
United Church
Others
St Andrews Lutheran Church (Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG Headquarters), Malahang, Morobe Province.
Christmas pageant in Port Moresby Anglican church mid-1990s.

The 2000 census percentages were as follows:

Iglesia ni Cristo, a Philippine base Christian church had already sets its foot in the country.

In 2010, emerging Christian denominations include the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Members Church of God International.

The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches members are:

There are also a number of parachurch organizations:

Midwives training at Pacific Adventist University.

Several Christian professional educational institutions have been opened in the country, such as Christian Leaders' Training College, Divine Word University, Pacific Adventist University and Sonoma Adventist College.

Baháʼí Faith
Main article: Baháʼí Faith in Papua New Guinea

The Baháʼí Faith in Papua New Guinea began after 1916 with a mention by `Abdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, that Baháʼís should take the religion there.[5] The first Baháʼís moved (referred to as "Baháʼí pioneering") to Papua New Guinea in 1954.[6] With local converts the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1958.[7] The first National Spiritual Assembly was then elected in 1969.[8] According to the census of 2000, the number of Baháʼís does not exceed 21,000.[9] But the Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated three times more Baháʼís at 60,000 or 0.9% of the nation in 2005[10] Either way it is the largest minority religion in Papua New Guinea, albeit a small one. Among its more well known members are the late Margaret Elias and the late Sirus Naraqi.

Margaret Elias was the daughter of the first Papua New Guinean woman on the national assembly,[11] and the country's first woman lawyer (in the 1970s).[12] She attended the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and was given an award in 1995 and 2002 for her many years in the public service, particularly in the national government. She went on to support various initiatives for education.[13]

Sirus Naraqi lived and worked in Papua New Guinea from 1977 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1998, doing clinical medical work as well as teaching at the University of Papua New Guinea, where he was given an award in 1999 and had served as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Australasia since 1985.[14]

Islam
Main article: Islam in Papua New Guinea

Islam in Papua New Guinea counts for more than 5,000 followers,[15][16] (most of whom are Sunni) mainly as a result of a recent spike in conversions. Despite being a dominant religion in neighbouring Indonesia, adherents of Islam make up a small segment of the population.

Traditional religions
See also: Papuan mythology
Duk-Duk dancers in the Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain, 1913.
Ancestor figure with skull, Sepik, Iatmul people.

Traditional ethnic religions are often animist and many have elements of ancestor worship, as well as tamam witches.[17]

Religious syncretism is high, with many citizens combining their Christian faith with some traditional indigenous religious practices.[2]

New religious movements

Cargo cults

Some cargo cults sprang up in Papua New Guinea during the 20th century, including the Taro Cult and the events known as the Vailala Madness.

Religious freedom

The constitution of Papua New Guinea establishes freedom of religion and religious practice, provided that it does not infringe on the rights of others or of the public interest. There is no state religion, although the preamble to the constitution mentions "the Christian principles" the country is founded upon. Parliament sessions and most official government functions open and close with Christian prayer. Since 2016, the government has pursued programs to increase the partnership between churches and the state, including subsidies to churches and the establishment of church councils to assist in local governance.[18]

Religious groups are required to register the government in order to hold property and obtain tax-exempt status. Foreign missionaries are allowed into the country on special work visas with lower fees than other visa categories.[18]

Churches operate roughly half of the educational and medical institutions in the country, and receive government subsidies to provide these services. Public schools provide one hour of non-compulsory religious education per week; in practice, few students opt out of these lessons. Government officials have discussed plans to make religious education compulsory, but as of the end of 2017, these were not implemented.[18]

Religious leaders have stated that religious groups are generally able to practice their religion without interference. However, there have been multiple incidences of Muslim refugees and asylum seekers being the targets of stabbings. Other Muslim residents of Papua New Guinea have not faced such attacks.[18]

References
  1. Koloma. Kele, Roko. Hajily. "PAPUA NEW GUINEA 2011 NATIONAL REPORT-NATIONAL STATISTICAL OFFICE". sdd.spc.int.
  2. "US Department of State International Religious Freedom Report 2003". Retrieved 2006-03-23.
  3. "Papua New Guinea. International Religious Freedom Report 2006 BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR". U.S. Department of State.
  4. "History Catholic Church in PNG". Archived from the original on 2005-09-23. Retrieved 2006-03-23.
  5. `Abdu'l-Bahá (1991) [1916-17]. Tablets of the Divine Plan (Paperback ed.). Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. pp. 40–42. ISBN 0-87743-233-3.
  6. "A life in pursuit of noble endeavors". Baháʼí World News Service. Baháʼí International Community. 29 June 2004. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  7. "Celebrations held throughout the land". Baháʼí World News Service. Baháʼí International Community. 8 May 2004. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  8. Hassall, Graham; Universal House of Justice. "National Spiritual Assemblies statistics 1923-1999". Assorted Resource Tools. Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  9. "East & Southeast Asia - Papua New Guinea". CIA World Factbook. November 13, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  10. "Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  11. "Baháʼís in PNG". NSA of Baháʼís of PNG. 2012. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  12. "From around the world, Baháʼí women converge on Beijing". One Country. Baháʼí International Community. 7 (2). September 1995. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  13. "Elder, Papua New Guinea, Global University for Lifelong Learning". Global University for Lifelong Learning. 2012. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  14. "A special place in the rose garden". Baháʼí World News Service. Baháʼí International Community. 18 August 2004. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  15. "Growing numbers convert to Islam in PNG - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". mobile.abc.net.au.
  16. "The growing muslim minority community in Papua New Guinea". Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  17. Marty Zelenietz, Shirley Lindenbaum -Sorcery and Social Change in Melanesia 1981- Page 66 The body shadow or reflection of the tamam cannot fuse with & finiik in the ancestral underworld, for a "witch's" finiik spirit entirely disintegrates at death. There are no tamam in the idyllic abode of the ancestors.
  18. International Religious Freedom Report 2017 § Papua New GuineaUS Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

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