Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim (EPCS) is a Presbyterian denomination, established in Sikkim, in 1993, by churches that broke away from the Church of North India.[1][4] As of 2014, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sikkim.[1][2][5]

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationReformed
TheologyCalvinist
PolityPresbyterian
Associationsand Reformed and Presbyterian Fellowship of India[1]
RegionSikkim
Origin1993
Separated fromChurch of North India
Branched fromChurch of Scotland
Congregations120 (2015)[2]
Members61,000 (2018)[3]
Official websitecouncilofepcs.org

History

The Presbyterian churches originate from the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. It is the Christian Protestant churches that adhere to Reformed theology and whose ecclesiastical government is characterized by the government of an assembly of elders. Government Presbyterian is common in Protestant churches that were modeled after the Reformation Protestant Switzerland, notably in Switzerland, Scotland, Netherlands,  France and portions of Prussia, of Ireland and later in United States.[6]

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Church of Scotland planted churches in North India. In 1936, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim was established by the Scottish missions. However, after the Independence of India, the missionaries had to leave the region. Consequently, most Protestant groups in the north of the country united to form the Church of North India (CNI) in 1970.[4]

In 1993, most of the CNI-affiliated churches in Sikkim separated from the denomination and reconstituted the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim, the largest Christian denomination in the state since then.[4][5]

Since then, the denomination has been known for its social actions.[7]

Doctrine

The EPCS subscribes to the Apostles' Creed, Athanasian Creed, Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, Westminster Confession of Faith, Westminster Shorter Catechism and Westminster Larger Catechism.[8][2]

Interchurch Relations

The denomination is a member of the Reformed and Presbyterian Fellowship of India.[1][2]

References
  1. "History of the Presbyterian and Reformed Fraternity of India" (PDF). The Presbyterian Banner. November 1, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  2. "Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim is part of the Presbyterian and Reformed Fraternity of India". Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  3. Stephen Christopher (June 15, 2018). "Tribal Christianity in the Himalayas". Kyoto University. p. 8. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  4. Jayakumar, A. (2013). "History of Christianity in India". p. 242. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  5. "Landscape Perspectives Academics". December 3, 2015. p. 12. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  6. "Presbyterian and Reformed Churches". Britannica. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  7. "Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim helps people affected by earthquakes". Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  8. "Doctrine of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim". Retrieved February 5, 2022.
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