Christianity in Thailand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christianity was first introduced to Thailand by European missionaries in 16-17th centuries. The large part of the Christian converts came from ethnic minorities. By the information of United Bible Society, Thailand had 1.7% of Christians among the total population by 1998.[1] The US State Department 2006 Report said, that there were 438,600 Christians (0.7%) in the country.
Christians made and are making substantial contribution to health care and education in Thailand. Such facilities, as Saint Louis Hospital, Bangkok Mission Hospital, Camillian Hospital, Bangkok Christian Hospital are considered to be among the best in the country.
European and American missionaries introduced printing press, western surgery, smallpox vaccinations, taught foreign languages and wrote linguistic dictionaries.
In November 2007, Bangkok’s Assumption Cathedral became the venue of ecumenical Pilgrimage of trust, when Christians from different backgrounds gathered to pray together. Among the present were religious leaders of Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Thailand, Church of Christ in Thailand, Russian Orthodox Church and also the young people from Laos, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia who came specially for the prayer[2].
Contents |
[edit] Roman Catholicism in Thailand
First Roman Catholic missionaries in Siam were Friar Jeronimo da Cruz and Sebastiâo da Canto, both Dominicans, who came in 1567. They were killed by the Burmese in 1569. Later arrived Franciscans and Jesuits.[3] The following period (17-th, 18-th, 19-th centuries) was marked by different stages of persecution and ease between Siamese official powers and Roman Catholic missionaries.
At the beginning of 20th century, there were about 23,000 Catholic believers, 55 churches and chapels, representatives of such monastic orders, social and educational institutions (e.g. orphanages, schools and a seminary, college). [4] During the 20th century, many Roman Catholic congregations arrived to work in Thailand. [5]
On October 22, 1989, the catechist Philip Siphong Onphitak and six companions, who had been killed in 1940 under the suspicion of being French spies, were beatified as the Martyrs of Thailand.
[edit] Protestants in Thailand
Several Protestant denominations belong to one of the four umbrella organizations. The oldest of them is Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) formed in the mid-1930s. The CCT consists of Thai, Chinese, Karen, and English-speaking congregations. It is a member of the World Council of Churches and has about 60,000 members. [6]
One of the largest Protestant groups is the Evangelical Foundation of Thailand. Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists are recognized by local authorities as separate Protestant denominations and organized under the same umbrella groups.[7]
Among the other Protestant groups presented in Thailand are lutherans [8], already mentioned baptists [9] and adventists[10], methodists[11], Pentecostal and Charismatic churches [12], Anglican Church [13][14].
[edit] Thailand Bible Society
Thailand Bible Society was officially established in 1966, though its organised work began in 1828. Part of the Bible in Thai was first published in 1834. The New Testament in Thai was printed for the first time in 1843. The first full collection of Bible texts in Thai came out in 1883.[15] In 2005, Thailand Bible Society distributed 43 740 examples of the Bible and 9 629 examples of New Testament in Thai language.[16]
[edit] Eastern Orthodoxy in Thailand
Orthodoxy in Thailand is presented by the Representative Office of Russian Orthodox Church, including the Orthodox parish of Saint Nicolas in Bangkok.[17][18]
The mission was headed by Father Oleg Cherepanin (by 2003 information)[17] and served not only Russian touirists or citizens in Thailand, but some local believers of Thai origin.[19]
The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy and Great Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox Church also have plans to establish their parishes in Thailand.[20]
[edit] See also
- Roman Catholicism in Thailand
- Protestants in Thailand
- Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees
- Camillian social center in Rayong
- Christian Care Foundation for Children with Disabilities
- Christian Foundation for the Blind in Thailand
- Christ Church Bangkok
- Sister Joan Evans
- Dan Beach Bradley
- Sarnelli House
- Hand in Hand Ministries
[edit] References
- ^ Bible Society Work in Thailand
- ^ Pilgrimage of trust in Bangkok, Taize Home Page
- ^ A Brief History Of The Catholic Church In Thailand
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia Article
- ^ A Brief History Of The Catholic Church In Thailand
- ^ Church of Christ in Thailand, ELCA Page
- ^ US State Department 2006 Report
- ^ Lutheran World
- ^ Independent Baptist Missionaries to Thailand
- ^ Adventist Mission in Thailand
- ^ United Methodist Church
- ^ Charismatic and Pentecostal Directory
- ^ Christ Church in Bangkok
- ^ Christ Church in Bangkok
- ^ Reading the Scriptures in Thai
- ^ Bible Society work in Thailand
- ^ a b Thailand: Thai convert trains to become Russian Orthodox priest, by UCAN
- ^ Official Directory of Russian Orthodox Church, in Russian
- ^ World of Orthodoxy, in Russian
- ^ Far Eastern Orthodoxy, History
[edit] External links
- Blogs of Christian missionaries in Thailand
- Thai Gospel Resources on Ethnic Harvest Ministry Directory
- Hope of Bangkok Church, International Fellowship - A Non-dominational Church in Bangkok, Thailand
- Christian Outreach service operating in Thailand
- Bangkok church and other religious worship centers
- Hope of Bangkok Church
- Directory of Thai Christian Churches in America
- Mission Thailand, under renovation
- OMF International (formerly China Inland Mission and Overseas Missionary Fellowship)
|
||||||||
|
|||||||||||
