United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan

The United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan is the second-largest Presbyterian, Reformed denominations and the third-largest Protestant denomination in Pakistan. It was formed in 1968 by churches that split from the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (1855-1993).[2][3]

United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan
ClassificationProtestant
OrientationCalvinist
TheologyReformed
PolityPresbyterian
ModeratorJaved Akhtar
AssociationsWorld Reformed Fellowship[1]
RegionPakistan
Origin1968
Separated fromUnited Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (1855-1993) (which in 1993 merged with Council of Churches of Lahore to form the present Presbyterian Church of Pakistan)
Branched fromUnited Presbyterian Church of North America
Congregations200 (2018)
Members250,000 (2018)

History
Main article: United Presbyterian Church of North America § Colonial India

In 1855 the United Presbyterian Mission of the United States opened work in Lahore with Andrew Gordon as a missionary; two years later he established a mission station in Sialkot, where he was joined by other missionaries. Schools and an orphanage were opened by the missionary group. In 1859 the Presbytery of Sialkot was formed.

The "Sialkot Conventions", promoted by the church, have been held since 1904 and are recognized as fundamental to the strengthening and dissemination of the Christian faith in Pakistan. The Psalms used in the Sialkot Hymnbookwith Convention, as well as hymns in Punjabi and Urdu as Indian songs are widely used in all Protestant churches in the country.[4]

The church grew, and other presbyteries were established. In 1893 the Synod of Punjab (SP) was formed as one of the synods of the United Presbyterian Church of North America.

The SP founded the Gujiranwala Seminary, which became a united seminary in 1954, which went on to serve for the training of ministers of various Protestant denominations in Pakistan such as the Church of Pakistan and Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Pakistan.[5]

The same synod became autonomous in 1961 forming the United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (1855-1993). In 1968, as a result of the movement opposing McIntire's Liberal Theology, part of the members split and founded another denomination with the same name "United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan" (UPCP).[6]

On November 18, 1993, the first United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (1855-1993) and the Lahore Council of Churches (which at the time was affiliated with Church of Pakistan) united again and formed the present Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (PCP).[7][8]

As such, only the splinter denomination, formed in 1968, continued to use the name "United Presbyterian Church of Pakistan".

Policy & Statistics

The church's emphasis is on the Christian Bible as "the inspired, inerrant, infallible and revealed WORD of GOD". One of the oldest churches in the sub-continent, membership is estimated to be approximately 250,000, including 100 pastors, 100 evangelists, 500 elders and 150 church buildings. The session is the basic unit with teaching elders, ruling elders and deacons. The presbytery is a higher body. Activities of the church include evangelism, education, agriculture, jail, community development and theological education.[9] Their head office is located in Gujranwala.

Interchurch Relations

The denomination is a member of the World Reformed Fellowship.[1]

IPUP participates in the Society of Biblical Christian Churches of Pakistan and runs, together with the Anglican Orthodox Church of Pakistan, a seminar for training pastors.[10]

See also

References
  1. "World Reformed Fellowship: Member Denominations". March 10, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  2. "The Battle of Pasrur". October 3, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  3. "Reformed Online: Presbyterian Church of Pakistan". Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  4. "Unity of Christian Churches in Pakistan". Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  5. "Presbyterian Seminary in Gujiranwala". Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  6. "The Battle of Pasrur". October 3, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  7. "Presbyterian Church (USA): Presbyterian Church of Pakistan". Retrieved 11 Aug 2015.
  8. "History of the merger of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan". Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  9. "Home | Injeeli Consultancy".
  10. "Seminar of the Society of Biblical Christian Churches of Pakistan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 November 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
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