by Lorenzo Rossi
A historical decision, however destined to discuss. On March 12, 2025, Papua New Guinea modified the preamble of its Constitution to officially recognize itself as a Christian nation. The new text explicitly mentions the Trinity: “We, people of Papua New Guinea, recognize and proclaim God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as our creator and supporter of the whole universe and source of our powers and authorities”. The amendment was approved by a large majority by Parliament, with 80 votes in favor and only four against.
The stated goal is to strengthen national unity, founding it on common Christian values, in a country where over 90% of the population professes a Christian faith. The revision, discussed since 2022, was strongly desired by Prime Minister James Marape, member of the Adventist Church of the seventh day, who dreams of making the Papua New Guinea “the richest black Christian nation on the planet”.
But the announcement raised criticism, especially from the Catholic community, which has about 2.5 million faithful (updated data on the occasion of Pope Francis’ visit in September 2024). The bishops fear that the operation can feed tensions between the different Christian confessions and with traditional cults still present in rural areas. «Our people are already Christian in mentality and culture. We do not need to proclaim him by law, “said Father Miguel de la Kale, who accompanied the pontiff during the apostolic journey in the country.
The Papua New Guinea, in fact, is an extremely complex reality from an ethnic and linguistic point of view: over 850 different idioms are talked about, a world record. According to Cardinal John Ribat, Archbishop of Port Moresby, this heterogeneity risks being compromised by an exclusive reading of Christianity, which could alter the secular nature of the state.
The amendment does not establish a state religion and does not formally limit freedom of worship. However, the adoption of the Bible as a national symbol and the language used in the new constitutional formulation feeds the fears of a exploitation of faith for political purposes.
Father Giorgio Licini, missionary of the Pime and former secretary general of the local episcopal conference is also criticized: «To become a rich nation, Christianity can inspire values such as honesty and common good, but it is not enough. Investments, infrastructures and education are needed, “he wrote in an editorial for Asia News.
According to UNICEF, 40% of the population lives below the threshold of extreme poverty and over 41% of children are in conditions of poverty. Gender violence is an emergency also recognized by Human Rights Watch, which has defined the country “dangerous for women and girls”. In many areas, the state is absent and it is precisely the asked to guarantee essential services.
During his 2024 trip, Pope Francis had launched an appeal to the coexistence between different faiths and cultures, openly denouncing phenomena such as the “witch hunt” and the marginalization of women. A clear message: true faith is not imposed by decree, but is built in justice and peace.
In the photo, Pope Francis’ visit to the Holy Trinity Humanities School in Baro, near Vanimo, in Papua New Guinea.
