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2025-06-10T23:28:45Z

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{{infobox Christian denomination
| name= Council of Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim
| main_classification= [[Protestantism|Protestant]]
| orientation= [[Calvinism|Reformed]]
| scripture=
| theology= [[Calvinist]]
| polity= [[Presbyterian]]
| associations= [[Reformed and Presbyterian Fellowship of India]]<ref name=REF/>
| area= [[Sikkim]]
| founded_date= {{start date and age|1993}}
| separated_from = [[Church of North India]]
|branched_from = [[Church of Scotland]]
| merger=
| absorbed=
| separations=
| merged_into=
| congregations= 120 (2015)<ref name=IRFA/>
| members = 61,000 (2018)<ref name=STE>{{cite web|url=https://open.library.ubc.ca| title=Tribal Christianity in the Himalayas|date=June 15, 2018|author=Stephen Christopher|website=Kyoto University|page=8|accessdate=January 16, 2022}}</ref>
| ministers=
| website = {{url|http://councilofepcs.org/}}
}}

The '''Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim''' ('''EPCS''') is a [[Presbyterian]] denomination that was reorganised in [[Sikkim]] 1993 by various churches that broke away from the [[Church of North India]].<ref name=REF>{{cite web|url=https://pceaarchive.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/The+Presbyterian+Banner/2019/Banner+November+2019.pdf| title=History of the Presbyterian and Reformed Fraternity of India|website=The Presbyterian Banner|date=November 1, 2019| accessdate=December 16, 2021}}</ref><ref name=REF1>{{cite web|url=https://repository.globethics.net/handle/20.500.12424/220599| title=History of Christianity in India| page=242| author=Jayakumar, A.| date=2013| accessdate =December 16, 2021}}</ref> As of 2014, it is the largest Christian denomination in [[Sikkim]].<ref name=REF/><ref name=IRFA/><ref name=STE2>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/landscapeperspectives/docs/gangtok.compressed_1| title=Landscape Perspectives Academics| date=December 3, 2015|page=12| accessdate = January 16, 2022}}</ref>

== History ==

The [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian churches]] originate from the [[Protestant Reformation]] of the 16th century. It is the Christian [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches that adhere to [[Calvinism|Reformed theology]] and whose ecclesiastical government is characterized by the government of an assembly of elders.

Government [[Presbyterian]] is common in Protestant churches that were modeled after the Reformation [[Protestantism|Protestant]] Switzerland, notably in the countries of [[Switzerland]], [[Scotland]], [[Netherlands]], [[ France]] and portions of [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], of [[Ireland]] and later in [[United States]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Presbyterian-churches| title=Presbyterian and Reformed Churches|website=Britannica| accessdate = January 17, 2022}}</ref>

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the [[Church of Scotland]] planted churches in [[North India]]. In 1936, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim was established by the Scottish missions. However, after the [[Independence of India]], the missionaries had to leave the region. Consequently, most Protestant groups in the north of the country united to form the [[Church of North India]] (CNI) in 1970.<ref name=REF1/>

In 1993, most of the CNI-affiliated churches in [[Sikkim]] separated from the denomination and reconstituted the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim, the largest Christian denomination in the state since then.<ref name=REF1/><ref name=STE2/> Since then, the denomination has been known for its social actions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/shedding-worries-about-faraway-parents-school-kids-load-relief-supplies/article2477096.ece| title =Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim helps people affected by earthquakes| accessdate = January 17, 2022}}</ref>

== Doctrine ==

The EPCS subscribes to the [[Apostles' Creed]], [[Athanasian Creed]], [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed]], [[Westminster Confession of Faith]], [[Westminster Shorter Catechism]] and [[Westminster Larger Catechism]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ptsindia.com/school/faculty | title=Doctrine of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim| accessdate = February 5, 2022}}</ref><ref name=IRFA>{{cite web|url=http://irfa.org.au/about/partner-churches/| title =Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim is part of the Presbyterian and Reformed Fraternity of India| accessdate = February 5, 2022}}</ref>

== Interchurch Relations ==

The denomination is a member of the [[Reformed and Presbyterian Fellowship of India]].<ref name=REF/><ref name=IRFA/>
==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Presbyterian denominations in Asia]]
[[Category:Presbyterianism in India]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1993]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Sikkim]]
[[Category:Religion in Sikkim]]

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sikkim - Revision history

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