Christianity in Malaysia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 2,617,159 (2010) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Sabah · Sarawak | |
| Languages | |
|
Malay · English Bornean languages · Chinese · Indian |
|
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholicism(41.3%) · Protestantism(35.5%) · Oriental Orthodoxy · Eastern Orthodoxy |
Christianity in Malaysia is a minority religion practised by 9.2% of the population (2010 census), two-thirds of the 2.617 million Christians live in East Malaysia in Sabah and Sarawak where they are together 30% of the population. The major Christian denominations in Malaysia include the Anglicans, Baptists, Brethren, non-denominational churches, independent Charismatic churches, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterian and Roman Catholics.
Early Christian presence in the Malay archipelago can be traced to Arab Christian traders from the Arabian Peninsula who heard the gospel from Peter the apostle at Jerusalem (Acts 2:11), as well as those evangelized by Paul's ministry in Arabia (Galatians 1:17) and the evangelistic ministry of St Thomas to the early Arabians and Nestorians from as early as the 7th century and to early Arab Christian, Persian and Nestorian traders in Malacca prior to the Portuguese conquest in 1511. The British acquired Penang in 1786, and in 1795 took over Malacca, which had been conquered by the Dutch in 1641. Catholic priests from Thailand established the Major Seminary in Penang in 1810. The LMS was based in Malacca and Penang from 1815, but most Protestant missions collapsed after 1842 when it became possible to enter China. Catholic leadership remained, but was divided between Portuguese and French. Open Brethren ministry dates from 1860 and Methodist from 1885. Presbyterianism grew through Chinese churches in Johore and expatriate congregations in Penang, Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur. Mission to Sengoi indigenous people began in 1932. Pentecostalism became a larger influence through the Charismatic Movement of the 1970s, but North American and Ceylon Pentecostal Mission missionaries (Pentecostal Church of Malaysia) had been active from 1935.
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