Indian Christians - Demographics

Demographics

The total number of Christians in India as per Census in 2001 are 24,080,016 or 2.34 per cent of the population.

The majority of Indian Christians are Catholics, accounting for a total of 17.3 million members, including 500,000 members of the Syro-Malankara Church and 3,900,000 of the Syro-Malabar Church. In January 1993, the Syro-Malabar Church and in February 2005, the Syro-Malankara Church were raised to the status of major archiepiscopal churches by Pope John Paul II. The Syro-Malabar Church is the second largest among the twenty two Eastern Catholic Churches who accept the Pope as the visible head of the whole church.

The Oriental Orthodox churches in India include the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church with 1,000,000 members and the Indian Orthodox Church with 2,500,000 members.

Most Protestant denominations are represented in India, as a result of missionary activities throughout the country, such as the American Missionary Association, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Mission, the Church Mission Society of the Church of England and many other missions from Europe, America and Australia. With approximately 4 million members, the largest Protestant denomination in the country is the Church of South India, which is a union of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, and Anglican congregations. It is also one of four united churches in the Anglican Communion. A similar Church of North India has 1.25 million members. These churches are in full communion with the Anglican Communion. The Mar Thoma Church with 900,000 (Approx) members is also in communion with the Anglicans, but is not a full member. In 1961, the evangelical wing of the church split from the Mar Thoma Church and formed the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India which has 10,000 members. There are about 1,267,786 Lutherans, 648,000 Methodists, 2,392,694 Baptists, and 823,456 Presbyterians in India. The Brethren denomination is also significantly represented in India. They are known by different names such as the Plymouth Brethren, the Indian Brethren, and the Kerala Brethren.

Pentecostalism is also a rapidly growing in India. The major Pentecostal churches in India are the Assemblies of God, The Pentecostal Mission, the Indian Pentecostal Church of God with 900,000 members, the New Apostolic Church with 1,448,209 members, the New Life Fellowship Association with 480,000 members, the Manna Full Gospel Churches with 275,000 members, and the Evangelical Church of India with 250,000 members.

From the late 19th century, the fastest growing Christian communities have been located in the northeast, in the Seven Sister States, among the Khasis, Mizos, and the Nagas. Today Christians are most prevalent in the northeast, and in the southwestern states of Kerala and Goa. The states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in South India and Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya in North-East India account for 60% of India's total Christian population.