 Church of Bangladesh | |
|---|---|
| চার্চ অব বাংলাদেশ | |
 | |
| Abbreviation | C of B |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Anglican Presbyterian |
| Scripture | Holy Bible |
| Theology | Reformed |
| Polity | Mixed polity with episcopal and presbyterian elements[1] |
| Governance | Episcopal |
| Structure | Synod |
| Archbishop & Primate | The Most Reverend Samuel Sunil Mankhin; enthroned on 5 December 2018 (Archbishop of Dhaka) |
| Deputy Moderator | The Right Reverend Shourabh Pholia (Bishop of Barisal) |
| Bishops | 3 |
| Cathedral | 3 |
| Associations | Anglican Communion, World Communion of Reformed Churches[2] |
| Region | Bangladesh |
| Headquarters | Moderator & Dhaka Diocesan Bishop's Office 54 Johnson Road, Sadarghat Dhaka 1100 Bangladesh |
| Territory | Bangladesh |
| Origin | 30 April 1974 Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Separated from | Church of Pakistan |
| Parishes | 151 |
| Members | 25000+ (as of 2024) |
| Priests | 31 |
| Missionaries | |
| Hospitals | 2 |
| Nursing homes | 1 |
| Primary schools | 44 |
| Tertiary institutions | 1 (St. Andrew's Theology College, Bangladesh) |
| Other name(s) | CoB |
| Publications | Kapot (কপোত) |
| Official website | churchofbangladesh |
| Slogan | Witnessing Christ |
The Church of Bangladesh (Bengali: চার্চ অব বাংলাদেশ) is a united Protestant church formed by the union of various Protestant churches in Bangladesh, principally the Anglican and Presbyterian denominations. The Church of Bangladesh is a member of the Anglican Communion and the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
The history of the plantation of this united Protestant church is quite old. Presbyterianism and Anglicanism in Bengal became established from the time of British rule in colonial India; since the Anglican Church in England is called the Church of England, the Anglican Church in undivided India was known as the Church of India, Burma and Ceylon, which eventually became the Church of North India, Church of South India and Church of Pakistan; after the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan, the Church of Bangladesh emerged from the Church of Pakistan.
The Church of Bangladesh currently has three dioceses – Dhaka Diocese (Archbishop Samuel Sunil Mankhin), Kushtia Diocese (Bishop Hemen Halder), and Barisal Diocese (Bishop Shourabh Pholia). There are a total of 8 deaneries and 115 parishes under the three dioceses. The population is about 22,000. Membership is diverse, including many different cultures. About half of the total members are from the Garo, Santal, Marma and Chakma ethnic groups of Bangladesh.
- ^ Sachs, William L. (2017). The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume V: Global Anglicanism, c. 1910-2000. Oxford University Press. p. 413. ISBN 978-0-19-252094-4.
- ^ Mankhin, Samuel Sunil (14 January 2020). "Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Church of Bangladesh". Retrieved 21 September 2023.