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{{More citations needed|date=July 2020}}
[[File:Church at Tezpur.JPG|thumb|The church at [[Tezpur]]]]
{{Commons category|Churches in Assam}}
'''[[Christianity]]''' is a third largest religion in '''[[Assam]]''', a state of [[India]] in the [[North-East India|north-eastern region]]. The population of [[Christians]] in [[Assam]] is 1,165,867 making up 3.74% of state population as of the 2011 census report, and it is also the second-fastest growing religion in Assam after [[Islam]]. The largest concentration of [[Christians]] in [[Assam]] can be found in [[Dima Hasao District]] where Christian population is about 30% and [[Karbi Anglong district]] where Christian population is about 16.5% as of the 2011 census report.

Two Portuguese Jesuit missionaries, Cabral and Cacella — the first Christian Missionaries to set foot in Assam — reached Hajo and [[Guwahati]] on September 26, 1626. They were en route to Tibet from [[Chinsurah|Hooghly]]. There is no record of significant sharing of the gospel in Assam at this point.

The start of sustained missionary work in Assam seems to come with the arrival of [[Nathan Brown (missionary)|Nathan Brown]] along with Oliver Cutter in 1836. They previously had been Christian missionaries in Burma. They carried a printing machine with them and first arrived in Sadiya, easternmost part of Assam. They started schools in [[Assamese language|Assamese]] and [[Khamti language|Khaamti]] languages and authored text books. They also started the translation of the [[New Testament]] into Assamese. But in 1839, due to Khamti rebellions, Brown along with Cutter left for [[Jaipur]], India. They kept publishing in Assamese from there. The complete translation of the New Testament was first published in 1848 as 'Amaar Traankorta Jisu Christor Natun Niyom'. In 1854, he published 'Christor Biworon and Xhubho Bartaa'. He also translated a few prayers to Assamese. Brown started the translated of Bible he was finally completed in 1903 with other missionaries efforts.{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}}

Oliver Thomas Cutter was born in United States in 1811. He started his journey towards east in 1831 along with his wife Harriet Cutter. He first landed in [[Burma]] (Myanmar) and from there he crossed [[Patkai]] to reach Assam in 1836 along with Nathan Brown's family. He together with Browns started a printing press in Sadiya. They started to print books in Assamese, Khamti and Singfou language from there. They also started school and authored some text books for the schools. But due to Singfou{{Clarify|date=November 2014}} rebellions, they were forced to leave Assam and go back to Jaipur. But they kept on publishing books from Jaipur. After few years, Cutter's family came back to Assam and this time settled down in [[Sivasagar|Sibsagar]]. [[Miles Bronson]] came to Assam with friend Jacob Thomas in 1836. He first started his works in Sadiya, Jaipur and Naamsang. He started interacting with Naga tribes and first compiled 'East Naga' Thesaurus. According to historian Mccangie, no European after or before Bronson could get so close to Nagas. But he soon felt ill working with Nagas, so he finally came down to Nagaon via Sibsagar. In Assam, Bronson started working in both Christianism and local education. During the period from 1848 to 1851 and 1867 to 1871, he took vacation from his works and went back to [[New York (state)|New York]]. Miles Bronson was the main leader of the movement against government enforcing Bengali language as the official language in courts, school in Assam. In 1867, using Jaduram baruah's scripting, he published the first Assamese and English dictionary. The dictionary contained around 14 thousands words and published from Baptist Missionary Press, Sibsagar. This dictionary was another strong step in support of Assamese language. Bronson also started the translation of Bible to Assamese. Nidhiram Keot, the first native convert of the whole Northeastern region of India from the indigenous [[Jalia Kaibarta|Keot(Kaibarta)]] community (an aboriginal tribe Sanskritised to a low position in the caste hierarchy), was baptised by Bronson on June 13, 1841 and took up the name Nidhi Levi Farewell.{{Citation needed|date=November 2014}}

[[Khasi people|Khasi]] and [[Garo (tribe)|Garo]] are notable ethnic groups with a large Christian population. The [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Himalayan States]] has an Assam diocese since 2003, which used to be the [[Assam Church]].<ref>[http://www.nmz-mission.de/de.partner/de.indien/de.indien.10/de.indien.2/index.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310223952/http://www.nmz-mission.de/de.partner/de.indien/de.indien.10/de.indien.2/index.html |date=March 10, 2012 }}</ref> Among the large Bengali population of Assam, there are few Christians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gfa.org/countryprofiles/assam/ |title=Regional Updates - Gospel for Asia |publisher=Gfa.org |access-date=2013-12-15}}</ref>

== Population ==
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: right;"
|+ Christians in Assam
! Year !! Number !! Percentage
|-
| 2001<ref name="religion1">{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/Population_by_religious_communities.htm|title=Total population by religious communities|publisher=Censusindia.gov.in|access-date=20 November 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119031333/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/Population_by_religious_communities.htm|archive-date=19 January 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref>|| <center>986,589</center> || <center>3.70</center>
|-
| 2011<ref name="religion2">{{cite web|publisher=Census Department, Government of India|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/c-01.html|title=Indian Census 2011|access-date=25 August 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913045700/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01.html|archive-date=13 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>|| <center>1,165,867</center> || <center>3.74</center>
|-
|}

{{Historical populations
|title = Historical Christian Population in Assam<ref>http://www.cpsindia.org › BlogsPDF
Web results
The Christianisation of the Northeast - Centre for Policy Studies</ref>
|type =
|footnote =
|align = right
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|pop_name =
|percentages =
|source = [[census of India]]
|1901 | 13,638
|1911 | 22,817
|1921 | 41,686
|1931 | 79,025
|1941 | 37,599
|1951 | 160,438
|1961 | 263,134
|1971 | 381,010
|1981 | 534,572
|1991 | 744,367
|2001 | 986,589
|2011 | 1,165,867
}}

===Trends===
'''Percentage of Christians in Assam by decades'''<ref>http://www.cpsindia.org › BlogsPDF
Web results
The Christianisation of the Northeast - Centre for Policy Studies</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! '''Year'''
! '''Percent'''
! '''Increase'''
|-
| '''1901'''
| '''0.41%'''
|'''-'''
|-
| '''1911'''
| '''0.59%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+0.18%'''
|-
| '''1921'''
| '''0.9%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+0.31%'''
|-
| '''1931'''
| '''1.42%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+0.52'''
|-
| '''1941'''
| '''0.56%'''
| style="background: red" |
'''-0.86%'''
|-
| '''1951'''
| '''2%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+1.44%'''
|-
| '''1961'''
| '''2.43%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.43%'''
|-
| '''1971'''
| '''2.61%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.18%'''
|-
| '''1981'''
| '''2.96%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.35%'''
|-
| '''1991'''
| '''3.32%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.36%'''
|-
| '''2001'''
| '''3.7%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.38%'''
|-
| '''2011'''
| '''3.74%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.04%'''
|}

===Population by district===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Christian population in Assam (2011)<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW18C-01%20MDDS.XLS Population by religious community: Assam]. 2011 Census of India.</ref>
! # !! District !! Total population || Christian population || %
|-
| 1 || [[Karbi Anglong district|Karbi Anglong]] || 956,313 || 157,789 || 16.50%
|-
| 2 || [[Sonitpur district|Sonitpur]] || 1,924,110 || 138,166 || 7.18%
|-
| 3 || [[Udalguri district|Udalguri]] || 831,668 || 110,215 || 13.25%
|-
| 4 || [[Kokrajhar district|Kokrajhar]] || 887,142 || 101,091 || 11.40%
|-
| 5 || [[Goalpara district|Goalpara]] || 1,008,183 || 77,862 || 7.72%
|-
| 6 || [[Tinsukia district|Tinsukia]] || 1,327,929 || 76,877 || 5.79%
|-
| 7 || [[Dima Hasao district|Dima Hasao]] || 214,102 || 63,310 || 29.57%
|-
| 8 || [[Dibrugarh district|Dibrugarh]] || 1,326,335 || 52,968 || 3.99%
|-
| 9 || [[Golaghat district|Golaghat]] || 1,066,888 || 50,582 || 4.74%
|-
| 10 || [[Chirang district|Chirang]] || 482,162 || 49,747 || 10.32%
|-
| 11 || [[Lakhimpur district|Lakhimpur]] || 1,042,137 || 46,217 || 4.43%
|-
| 12 || [[Cachar district|Cachar]] || 1,736,617 || 37,635 || 2.17%
|-
| 13 || [[Kamrup district|Kamrup]] || 1,517,542 || 3,3297 || 2.19%
|-
| 14 || [[Sivasagar district|Sivasagar]] || 1,151,050 || 33,147 || 2.88%
|-
| 15 || [[Baksa district|Baksa]] || 950,075 || 27,076 || 2.85%
|-
| 16 || [[Nagaon district|Nagaon]] || 2,823,768 || 26,844 || 0.95%
|-
| 17 || [[Jorhat district|Jorhat]] || 1,092,256 || 21,051 || 1.93%
|-
| 18 || [[Kamrup Metropolitan district|Kamrup Metropolitan]] || 1,253,938 || 18,810 || 1.50%
|-
| 19 || [[Karimganj district|Karimganj]] || 1,228,686 || 11,990 || 0.98%
|-
| 20 || [[Dhemaji district|Dhemaji]] || 686,133 || 8,711 || 1.27%
|-
| 21 || [[Hailakandi district|Hailakandi]] || 659,296 || 8,480 || 1.29%
|-
| 22 || [[Bongaigaon district|Bongaigaon]] || 738,804 || 5,924 || 0.80%
|-
| 23 || [[Dhubri district|Dhubri]] || 1,949,258 || 4,107 || 0.21%
|-
| 24 || [[Darrang district|Darrang]] || 928,500 || 1,688 || 0.18%
|-
| 25 || [[Barpeta district|Barpeta]] || 1,693,622 || 1,020 || 0.06%
|-
| 26 || [[Morigaon district|Morigaon]] || 957,423 || 834 || 0.09%
|-
| 27 || [[Nalbari district|Nalbari]] || 771,639 || 429 || 0.06%
|-
| || '''Assam''' (Total) || 31,205,576 || 1,165,867 || 3.74%
|}

===Population by Tribes===

Christian population in Assam by Tribes (2011)<ref>[https://blog.cpsindia.org/2016/09/religion-data-of-census-2011-xxix.html blog.cpsindia.org/2016/09/religion-data-of-census-2011-xxix.html]</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! '''Tribes'''
! '''Christians'''
! '''Percent'''
|-
| '''Garo'''
| '''1,54,353'''
|'''95.63%'''
|-
| '''Boro'''
| '''1,36,869'''
|'''10.05%'''
|-
| '''Karbi'''
| '''75,883'''
|'''17.63%'''
|-
| '''Kuki'''
| '''31,573'''
|'''94.53%'''
|-
| '''Naga'''
| '''19,924'''
|'''66.93%'''
|-
| '''Hmar'''
| '''15,557'''
|'''98.81%'''
|-
| '''Khasi'''
| '''13,956'''
| '''87.58%'''
|-
| '''Rabha'''
| '''9,845'''
| '''3.32%'''
|-
| '''Mising'''
| '''5,984'''
| '''0.88%'''
|-
| '''Lalung'''
| '''2,808'''
| '''15.38%'''
|-
| '''Sonowal'''
| '''1,416'''
| '''0.56%'''
|-
| '''Dimasa'''
| '''1,144'''
| '''1.11%'''
|}

== List of denominations ==
[[File:Martin Luther Cathedral, NELC Church.jpg|thumb|Martin Luther Cathedral, Gossaigaon]]
Sources<ref>''World Christian Encyclopedia'', 2nd ed., 2001 Volume 1, p. 368-371</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eacinet.org/kabc.php |title=EACI |publisher=Eacinet.org |access-date=2013-12-15}}</ref><ref>[http://www.apbf.info/member.htm ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221225712/http://www.apbf.info/member.htm |date=February 21, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.developednation.org/fcra/cachar.asp |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-01-04 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104213007/http://www.developednation.org/fcra/cachar.asp |archive-date=2014-01-04 }}</ref>

*[[Association of Regular Independent Churches of India]]
*[[Assam Baptist Convention]]
*
*[[Boro Baptist Church Association]]
*[[Boro Baptist Convention]]
*[[Cachar Hill Tribes Presbyterian Synod]]
*Christian Fellowship Centre
*[[Church of Christ (Instrumental)]]
*[[Church of God (Anderson, Indiana)|Church of God (Anderson)]]
*[[Kuki Christian Church]]
*[[Karbi-Anglong Baptist Convention]]
*[[Lakher Independent Evangelical Church]]
*[[North Bank Christian Association]]
*[[Rabha Baptist Church Union]]
*[[United Pentecostal Church in India]]
*Biateram Presbyterian Synod
*[[Cachar Christian Association]]
*
* Holy Christ Church, Tribon North East India

==See also==
* [[List of Christian denominations in North East India]]
* [[Christianity in India]]
* [[Islam in Assam]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Christianity in India by region}}

[[Category:Christianity in Assam| ]]
[[Category:Religion in Assam]]

Christianity in Assam - Revision history

Igorzen: expand article for accuracy and corrected details

>Rsjaffe: clean up