National church facts for kids

A Church of Denmark parish church in Holte, with the Dannebrog flying in its kirkyard

The term national church is usually a reference to a church organization in Christianity that claims pastoral jurisdiction over a nation. The term should not be confused with established church (state church): a national church differs from a state church such that a national church does not necessarily need to be officially endorsed by the state, and even may be persecuted by the government (as Orthodox churches were persecuted under communist regimes).

The term national church (or independent church) is used a lot within, but is not shortened to, the Anglican Communion and Orthodox Christianity. For example, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America considers itself to be the national church of the United States.

In Catholicism, the term national church might mean to a parish catering to immigrants from another nation.

List of National Churches

A

• Armenia – Armenian Apostolic Church
• Australia – Uniting Church in Australia, Anglican Church of Australia
• Austria – Roman Catholic Church

B

• Bangladesh – Church of Bangladesh
• Bermuda – United Church of Bermuda
• Brazil – Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church
• Bulgaria – Bulgarian Orthodox Church

C

• Canada – United Church of Canada, Anglican Church of Canada
• China (PRC) – Three-Self Patriotic Movement, China Christian Council, Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association
• Cyprus – Orthodox Church of Cyprus
• Czech Republic – Czechoslovak Hussite Church
• Congo (Democratic Republic) – Church of Christ in Congo

D

• Denmark – Church of Denmark

E

• Egypt – Coptic Orthodox Church
• England – Church of England
• Eritrea – Eritrean Orthodox Church
• Ethiopia – Ethiopian Orthodox Church

F

• Finland – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Finnish Orthodox Church
• France – Gallican Church

G

• Georgia Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
• Germany – Evangelical Church in Germany
• Greece – Greek Orthodox Church

H

• Hungary – Reformed Church in Hungary

I

• Iceland – Lutheran Evangelical Church
• India – Church of North India, Church of South India, Indian Orthodox Church and Mar Thoma Church
• Indonesia – Persekutuan Gereja-Gereja di Indonesia Communion of Indonesian Churches (Reformed and Lutherans)
• Iraq – Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church,
• Ireland – Celtic Church, Church of Ireland
• Israel/Palestinian territories – Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land
• Italy – Roman Catholic Church, Lombardy, Ambrosian Catholic Church,

J

• Jamaica – United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands
• Japan – United Church of Christ in Japan

L

• Lebanon – Maronite Catholic Church

K

• Kiribati – Kiribati Congregational Church

M

• Madagascar – Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar
• Malta - Maltese Catholic Church
• Macedonia, Republic Macedonian Orthodox Church
• Mexico – Iglesia Catolica Apostolica Mexicana (ICAM), Hostia Sangrante www.sagradahostia.org

N

• Namibia – United Evangelical Church of Namibia
• Nauru – Nauru Congregational Church
• Netherlands – Protestant Church in the Netherlands
• New Zealand – Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia; Maori Ratana Church
• Nicaragua – Miskitos Moravian Church
• Nigeria – National Association of Aladura Churches, Church of Nigeria
• Norway – Church of Norway

P

• Pakistan – Church of Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea – United Church in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
• Philippines – Philippine Independent Church
• Poland – Polish Catholic Church
• Portugal – Lusitanian Catholic Apostolic Evangelical Church

R

• Romania – none; traditionally the Romanian Orthodox Church has seen itself as the national church, but since 2004 the ROC resigned to any claim of this status to conform with the country's secular constituition.
• Russia – Russian Orthodox Church

S

• Samoa – Congregational Christian Church in Samoa
• Serbia – Serbian Orthodox Church
• Scotland – Church of Scotland
• Slovakia –
• Solomon Island – United Church of Solomon Islands
• South Africa – Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk – Afrikaner Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, Anglican Church of Southern Africa
• Spain – Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church
• Sweden – Church of Sweden
• Switzerland – Swiss Reformed Church – some cantons
• Syria – Syriac Orthodox Church Jacobite, Syrian Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.

T

• Tonga – Church of Tonga
• Turkey – Karamanli Turkish Orthodox Church
• Tuvalu – Church of Tuvalu

U

• Ukraine – Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
• United States – Episcopal Church in the United States of America, Orthodox Church in America, United Church of Christ, Communion of Christ the Redeemer, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; National Catholic Church of America (Polish)

V

• Vatican City - Roman Catholic Church

Z

• Zambia – Uniting Church of Zambia

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia nacional para niños