Religion in Papua New Guinea is predominantly Christian, with traditional animism and ancestor worship often occurring less openly as another layer underneath or more openly side by side Christianity. The courts and government in both theory and practice uphold a constitutional right to freedom of speech, thought, and belief. A large majority of Papua New Guineans identify themselves as members of a Christian church (96% in the 2000 census); however, many combine their Christian faith with traditional indigenous beliefs and practices. Other religions represented in the country include the Bahá'í faith and Islam.
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The 2010 Report on International Religious Freedom by the United States Department of State states that religious participations in the country are relatively peaceful and no reports of conflict are being reported. Public schools host a religious subject once per week and representatives of Christian churches teach the lessons, and the students attend the class operated by the church of their parents' choice. Children whose parents do not wish them to attend the classes are excused. Members of non-Christian religious groups are not numerous, and they use family and group gatherings before and after school for religious lessons.
Christianity
The 2000 census percentages were as follows:
Iglesia Ni Cristo, a Philippine base Christian church had already sets its foot in the country.
In 2010, emerging Christian denominations include the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Members Church of God International.
The Papua New Guinea Council of Churches members are:
There are also a number of parachurch organizations:
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith in Papua New Guinea begins after 1916 with a mention by `Abdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, that Bahá'ís should take the religion there. The first Bahá'ís move there (what Bahá'ís mean by "pioneering",) in Papua New Guinea arrived there in 1954. With local converts the first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1958. The first National Spiritual Assembly was then elected in 1969. According to the census of 2000 the number of Bahá'ís does not exceed 21000. But the Association of Religion Data Archives (relying on World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated three times more Bahá'ís at 60000 or 0.9% of the nation in 2005 Either way it is the largest minority religion in Papua New Guinea, if a small one. Among its more well known members are Margaret Elias and Sirus Naraqi.
Elias is the daughter of the first Papuan woman on the national assembly, and the country's first woman lawyer (in the 1970s), who attended the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and was awarded in 1995 and 2002 for her many years in the public service, particularly as in the national government and went on to support various initiatives for education.
Naraqi lived and worked in Papua New Guinea from 1977–79 and 1983–98, partially doing clinical medical work as well as teaching at the University of Papua New Guinea, where he was awarded in 1999 and had served as a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Australasia since 1985.
Islam
Islam in Papua New Guinea counts for more than 5,000 followers, (most of whom are Sunni) mainly as a result of a recent spike in conversions. Despite being a dominant religion in neighbouring Indonesia, adherents of Islam make up a small segment of the population.
Traditional religions
Traditional religions are often animist and many have elements of ancestor worship, as well as tamam witches.
Cargo cults
Some cargo cults sprang up in PNG during the 20th century, including the Taro Cult and the events known as the Vailala Madness.