Declaring Christianity the State Religion Threatens Religious Freedom

Port Moresby: The Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands held a press conference on March 25, 2025, to express their opposition to a new bill voted by 81 Member of Parliament to make PNG a Christian country on March 25, 2025.

Speakers during the Press Conference. From left to right: CBC PNGSI General Secretary Reverend Fr Lawrence Arockiaraj, CBC PNGSI President His Lordship Bishop Otto Separy and Catholic Professionals Society President Mr Paul Harricknen, OL.

The Catholic Church believes that religion should be a personal choice and that making the country a Christian state by law would exclude some people and harm national unity.

During the press conference, Mr. Paul Harricknen, President of the Catholic Professionals' Society, explained the bill’s background. Bishop Otto Separy, CBC PNGSI President, talked about the social risks of the Christian Bill and Fr Lawrence Arockiaraj CBC PNGSI General Secretary spoke about pressings issues the government should focus on.

Mr Paul Harricknen a lawyer by Profession expressed that the recent decision to make Papua New Guinea a "Christian State" through the amendment to the constitution, passed on March 12, 2025, is unnecessary, undemocratic, and unconstitutional. Here's a simple breakdown of the issues raised:

1. Unnecessary: PNG's constitution already acknowledges Christian values in its Preamble, National Goals, and Directive Principles. The constitution is a legal and political document, not a religious one, and adding a religious label would make the country more like a theocracy, not a democracy.

2. Undemocratic: The constitution guarantees freedom of conscience, thought, and religion for every person, which is a fundamental human right. Making PNG a Christian State would violate this freedom, going against the democratic values that PNG was built on.

3. Unconstitutional: PNG is a secular state, meaning politics and government are separate from religion. Changing this would turn the country into a religious state, which goes against the principles of a free and democratic society. The amendment also conflicts with the Constitution's intent to maintain a secular and democratic government.

   
   

Mr Harricknen said that the Catholic Church and constitutional fathers, including Sir John Kaputin and Dr. John Momis, have also opposed the reform, warning that it is dangerous and unnecessary. There are concerns that the consultation process for the amendment was flawed, and some question whether the Parliamentary Committee report chaired by Peter Ipatas was properly reviewed before the vote.

The current government aims to make PNG the "richest black Christian nation" by 2029, supported by certain Pentecostal and evangelical groups. However, this amendment is more than just a symbolic change and could shift the government structure from a democracy to a religious state, which would undermine the country's core values of freedom and democracy.He also noted that some of the ideas in the Bill seem more influenced by Jewish beliefs than Christian teachings.

Bishop Otto Separy CBCPNGSI President explained that Christianity teaches faith is a personal choice, not something the government forces on people. By changing the Constitution to make Christianity the official religion, he said, it would go against this important belief and could leave out people who follow other religions or different types of Christianity.

He also pointed out that the current Constitution protects freedom of religion, and making Christianity the state religion could weaken this protection. Bishop otto reminded decision-makers of history, where mixing religion and government led to conflicts and oppression. He also emphasized that unity should be the goal, and the current Constitution helps protect this by treating everyone equally.

Bishop Otto is appealing to the government leaders to make decisions based on conscience, fairness, and respect for all people, not just to gain party support or power. He stressed that true Christian leadership is about treating everyone with dignity and respect, no matter their faith.

Fr. Lawrence Arockiaraj, General Secretary of CBCPNGSI, emphasized that the country’s forefathers chose not to declare PNG a Christian state because they wanted to be inclusive of all people.

He also urged the government and the Church to work together, respecting PNG’s diverse culture, and emphasized that faith should remain a personal decision for everyone.

Fr. Lawrence also called attention to more pressing issues, such as security concerns, inadequate infrastructure, and the poor state of the education system, which he believes the government should prioritize. He urged the government and the Church to focus on their respective roles, ensuring collaboration for the greater good of the nation. His concluding remarks stressed on the importance of inclusivity and respect for PNG's multi-cultural and multi-lingual society.

In conclusion, Bishop Separy called for a focus on teaching moral values in communities, rather than forcing religion through law. He reminded everyone that PNG, while being a Christian country in spirit, must continue to protect religious freedom and equality for all.