In a landmark development for religious cooperation, Mizoram has witnessed the establishment of the Council of Churches in Mizoram (CCM), a pioneering initiative bringing together major Christian denominations in the state after 130 years of religious diversity.
Launched on 27 October in Aizawl, the CCM represents a significant milestone for the Christian-majority state, where 87 percent of the population identifies as Christian. Nine key churches, including the Mizoram Presbyterian Church (MPC), Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM), and Evangelical Church of Maraland, have united under this new apex body.
The inaugural ceremony, held at the Presbyterian church in Mission Veng locality, was attended by prominent political figures, including Chief Minister Lalduhoma and legislators from various parties such as the Zoram People's Movement, MNF, Congress, and BJP.
During the business session, over 500 delegates from different churches made pivotal decisions, adopting the council's constitution and approving the appointment of seven office bearers. They also passed an interim budget of 3.24 million rupees to support the organisation's initial operations.
Rev Dr R Lalbiakliana, general secretary of the Baptist Church of Mizoram, was elected to serve as the council's president, with Rev Dr Lalhmangaiha from the Presbyterian Church appointed as general secretary. The temporary office will be located at the Synod Convention Centre in Aizawl.
“The council will bring the Church together in Mizoram,” said Lalbiakliana while speaking to Christian Today. “We had been speaking about this and finally the decision to come together has been taken.” The CCM aims to promote unity among Mizoram's diverse churches, contribute to societal reform, and support good governance.
Lalbiakliana explained that the council is seeking to bridge divides by exploring common issues so that differences in Church traditions and doctrines do not become roadblocks. “Issue based unity rather than doctrine-based unity is what the council is all about. In the council we will all accept each other. This is not a uniformity but unity in diversity. We have common areas on which we can work together,” he said.
This initiative traces its roots back to October, when religious leaders first discussed forming such a collective. The organisational structure is modelled after the North East India Christian Council and similar nationwide councils.
When asked if the council will represent the Mizoram Church to the government, Lalbiakliana clarified that the same was not on the cards yet but did not rule out the possibility, should the need arise.
The formation of the CCM is particularly significant given Mizoram's religious landscape. The Presbyterian Church alone has over 1,000 churches across eight districts, while the Baptist Church boasts approximately 200,000 members and about 680 Churches. Other important denominations in Mizoram include Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, Pentecostal Churches, and the Salvation Army. The Catholic Church is not yet part of the CCM.
With an open invitation extended to other churches, the CCM represents a promising step towards greater religious unity and collaborative social development in Mizoram.
