Happy history is being made for Christians in Pakistan.
In a gathering for the history books, three oppositional Presbyterian parties in Pakistan united recently, settling their differences and ending several years of hostility before convening the 32nd General Assembly in the auditorium of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) offices in Lahore on January 15. The parties, which unanimously affirmed and proclaimed their faith, also elected new leadership to the assembly.
The assembly brought together all delegates who served at the last unified General Assembly in 2017. One group seceded in 2018; another smaller group seceded in 2019. The reasons for the separations are unclear from this later date, except that many troubles arose out of personality and power conflicts among leaders.
In a nation where Presbyterian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a significant role in serving the churches and the general population of all faiths, the NGOs were unanimous in support of the plan for reconciliation, says Veda Shaheen Gill, executive director of the Presbyterian Education Board, which sponsors 26 Christian elementary and secondary schools around the country.
“All educational institutions have been supporting this union,” she said. “The medical board, education board and other boards under the umbrella of PCP, including community development projects, all supported this reunion.”
The newly elected moderator, the Rev. Arif Siraj, and Executive Secretary (Stated Clerk) the Rev. Dr. Majid Abel, continue to fill offices already held in the parent denomination, the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (PCP), the first party. The assembly also voted in the Rev. Javaid Gill, of the second party, as moderator-elect. They elected Elder Lucqas Javed, of the first party, as vice moderator, the Rev. Sheraz Sharif Alam, of the third party, as general secretary and Rev. Joel Raja, of the second party, as treasurer.
“It was a beautiful day,” Abel said. “We had a full house. There was such a positive vibe there. People who had not met together for such a long time. They had their differences and different reasons for division, they came together, were hugging each other, taking hands. I remember the two moderators from Islamabad, they were standing together to my left and right, and they asked photographers to take our photos; they were just so happy.”
He adds, “This was an environment that we have not seen in the longest time. People are excited that the church is together now. We know that it’s not easy to do this. We had a long journey. But this brings us one step closer to our goals, our destination.”
Dr. James Tebbe, the retired president of Forman Christian University who is halfway through a year-long assignment as the PC(USA)’s property coordinator for Pakistan, hosted the gathering and preached the morning’s sermon. He spoke on love and acceptance, reconciliation and the opening of hearts. After the assembly, the PC(USA) hosted a dinner reception.
“It seemed like nobody wanted to leave from there,” Abel said. “I will never forget this day. I will never forget it.”
A handful of Presbyterians from the third party did not join in the reconciliation. In fact, the Assembly had been scheduled originally for November 20, 2024, but those opponents, a sub-group within the third party, protested. So, at that time, Tebbe called a meeting with them. “We discussed their concerns for five hours,” he recalled, “and they agreed to postpone until January 15.”
In the ensuing months, the assembly’s steering committee earnestly attempted to urge the others to join with them “so no one is left behind,” Abel shared.
Before the Jan. 15 meeting, they came together on the plan and slate of candidates. But in the end, Ruben Qamar, the moderator of the third group, Ruben Qamar, changed his mind and did not support the vote. But with overwhelming support from the rest, the meeting proceeded. And the delegates voted together for a suggestion of Tebbe’s to form a peace commission to keep the door open for anyone who is still outside and wants to come back.
Over the past months, Tebbe has been an observer through most of the reconciliation process. He was aware of the challenges involved but was convinced about the sincerity of the present leadership as it formulated the plan for reunification.
This new chapter of the PCUSA-PCP partnership follows a long history of Presbyterians dividing and re-uniting. The U.S. church has suffered nearly three dozen divisions, and only a few have reunited. Most notably, the North-South split over slavery settled publicly in the five-year-long Civil War, took nearly 120 years for the churches to reunite in 1983. Two other earlier reconciliations did occur, between the PCUSA and UPCNA (United Presbyterian Church in North America) in 1958 after 100 years apart, and the Old Side-New Side reconciliation in 1758 after 18 years apart.
That this newest reconciliation took place after a six- to seven-year time frame might have set a record.
Christians in Pakistan mark their beginnings with the arrival and sojourn of the Apostle Thomas in the ancient ruins of Sirkap City in Taxila, near Islamabad. The modern Presbyterian movement was launched by UPCNA missionaries J.C. Lowrie in 1834, and John Newton and Charles Forman in 1849. With funding help from the PC(USA), much land was purchased for congregations and NGOs, most of whom continue to serve the churches and communities. Through the ensuing years, many programs and institutions have been launched, from the Sialkot revival of 1904 (repeated annually) to the Gujranwala Theological Seminary, the premier graduate theological school in the country, serving multiple denominations and church groupings.
In 1993, several Presbyterian groupings gathered together to form the PCP. Today the PCP includes approximately 500,000 members in 24 presbyteries, making it the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country. Altogether, Christians in Pakistan number approximately 5 million among a nation of 250 million.
Thanks be to God, almost all Presbyterians there are enjoying making history and finding a spirit of unity in a time and world known more for its divisions.