Papua New Guinea Parliament Amends Constitution to Recognize Christian Identity
Papua New Guinea’s Parliament overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment recognizing Christianity’s role, explicitly referencing the Holy Trinity and adding the Bible as a national symbol.
The Parliament of Papua New Guinea has voted by a large majority to amend the Constitution to explicitly record the Christian identity of the country.
The decision was made on March 12, 2025, when members of parliament approved the proposal with 80 votes in favor and 4 against.
The changes mainly concern the Preamble of the Constitution, where references to God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are added as “Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe and source of our powers and authorities.”
According to the new provisions, the Christian faith will also be recognized in the Fifth Objective of the Preamble and in Article 1, while the Bible will be included as one of the national symbols in Article 3. The authorities assure that the amendment does not affect the existing protection of religious freedom, as guaranteed by Article 45, which remains intact and allows for the practice of other religions.
The process is not yet fully completed. After parliamentary approval, the amendment will go through the required legal formalities before being definitively incorporated into the Constitution. Many in the country see the move as a recognition of the long-standing Christian heritage that has significantly shaped the society of Papua New Guinea.
Discussions about such a constitutional change had begun years earlier, but this particular vote delivered a clear outcome in favor of the proposal. So far, no widespread reactions from political or religious entities have been announced.
This development marks a significant moment for the Pacific island nation, where the Christian majority has been a lasting feature of its social and cultural life.
