National Federation of Churches in India launched

NFCI leaders

During the Fourth National Ecumenical Bishops' Fellowship Meeting held on May 08, 2026, at St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences (SJNAHS) Bengaluru, the launching of the National Federation of Churches in India (NFCI) took place.

In the context of the Churches in India being in a critical situation facing many challenges and difficulties, such as violent attacks on pastors and faithful, stringent anti-conversion laws in some States, and the attempts to take over Church properties through the amendments of FCRA and the proposed Christian Welfare / Property Board, the urgent need for a united front to face such issues was strongly felt. Hence the immediate launching of the National Federation of Churches in India (NFCI) become inevitable. After deliberating on its formation for the last two years and framing its Guidelines, the NFCI was formally launched after accepting and approving its Guidelines.

The main purpose of NFCI is to be a national ecumenical body of Churches, an umbrella organisation and apex body of Christ's disciples in India. It will represent the Churches by presenting a united face of Christianity and serving as the single voice of the Christian Community to the Nation. It will facilitate collaboration and usher in visible unity among the member Churches while respecting their individual identities, traditions and structures. It will take up the matters of common concern of the Churches and the Christian Community in India.

Though there are a few national level forums and councils of Churches, none of them is comprehensive inclusive of all the Churches. Besides, there is no all India platform exclusively for the Bishops and Heads of Churches, which need the NFCI fulfils.

About 45 participants took part in the Fellowship Meeting including the Archbishops, Bishops, Church Heads, and the delegates of various Christian denominations. It began with an Ecumenical Prayer Service for Christian Unity adapted from the Resources for the Prayer for Christian Unity for the year 2026, which was jointly prepared and published by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity of Roman Catholic Church (RCC) and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

A welcome address was given Cardinal Anthony Poola, Archbishop of Hyderabad and President of CBCI. He highlighted the pressing concerns of the Christian Community and insisted upon the unity of the Churches to address them effectively. The self-introduction of participants was followed by the presentation and confirmation of the Minutes of the Third National Ecumenical Bishops' Fellowship Meeting held on September 11, 2025 at the CBCI Centre, New Delhi.

Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt, Chairman of the CBCI Office for Dialogue and the Desk for Ecumenism, delivered the Inaugural Address quoting from various eminent ecumenists and scholars on the need to reach out and unite with others to attain better understanding of truth and to achieve a task. He thank the Bishops and Church Heads for their presence in the Fellowship Meeting.

The ecumenical dialogue in the open house was moderated by Archbishop Joseph D'Souza, President of the Good Shepherd Church in India (GSCI) and All India Christian Council (AICC).

Then, the approval of the Guidelines of NFCI took place accepting the suggestions that came from the floor. In the election of the leadership of NFCI that followed, Cardinal Anthony Poola was chosen as the Chairman of NFCI, while Archbishop Joseph D'Souza, Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt and Bishop Vincent Vinod Kumar, CSI Bishop of Karnataka Central Diocese, were selected as the Conveners of NFCI.

After that, the formal launching of NFCI took place with a prayer of dedication said by Bishop Akhlesh Edgar, General Secretary of the Council of Evangelical Churches in India. The Fellowship Meeting concluded with the benediction pronounced by CSI Bishop Vincent Vinod Kumar.

The NFCI is expected to serve as a platform for ecumenical dialogue on the pressing national issues and concerns of the Christian Community in India. It will promote fellowship and fraternity in the Lord Jesus Christ among the Bishops and Heads of Churches at the national level. It will strengthen the ongoing ecumenical movement in India so that our Lord's last desire and prayer (cf. Jn 17.21) can be realised soon. The formation of the NFCI is considered to be a significant step towards Christian unity, a milestone in the ecumenical journey, and new chapter in the fraternity and solidarity of the Churches in India.

Fr Dr Anthoniraj Thumma MA (Soc), M TH, PHD is National Secretary, CBCI Office for Dialogue and Desk for Ecumenism, Coordinator, National Ecumenical Bishops' Fellowship Meeting.

LINK

https://independent.academia.edu/anthonirajthumma