Church of Pakistan

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The Church of Pakistan is a united church in Pakistan, which is part of the Anglican Communion and a member church of the World Methodist Council. It was established in 1970 with a union of Anglicans, Scottish Presbyterians (Church of Scotland), Methodists, and Lutherans. It is the only United Church on the Indian sub-continent which involves the Church of Scotland. Though united, it is mainly Anglican in theology and outlook, since from the beginning Anglicans formed the bulk of the 800,000 strong congregation and most of the important Sees.

Despite the presence of this official body, Christians in Pakistan have been the victims of significant persecution because of their religion on a local level in the 20th century. Its most internationally famous clergyman, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, formerly diocesan bishop of Raiwind in West Punjab, was given sanctuary by Robert Runcie, the then-Archbishop of Canterbury when his life was imperilled; he then taught at Oxford and is currently the bishop of Rochester, England.