View source for Protestantism in Albania

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{{Infobox Christian denomination
|name = '''Evangelical Protestantism in Albania'''
|image = Logo of Albanian Evangelical Brotherhood (VUSH).jpg
|imagewidth =
|alt = 
|caption =
|abbreviation = VUSH
|main_classification = Evangelical Protestantism
|theology = Biblicist
|governance = Autonomous independent churches and organizations, but voluntarily cooperative
|founder = Gjerasim Qiriazi<ref>Gjerasim Qiriazi is considered the first Albanian preacher in the modern Protestant tradition.</ref>
|founded_date = 1890
|founded_place = Manastir (present-day Bitola, Macedonia) (later in Korça, Albania)
|separated_from = 
|parent = 
|merger = 
|separations =
|fellowships = Baptist, Brethren, Assemblies of God, non-denominational groups, etc.
|associations = Various regional associations
|area = Albania, with partnerships in Kosovo and other Albanian regions
|hospitals = 
|nursing homes = 
|aid = 
|congregations = approx. 200
|members = approx. 16000
|ministers = 
|primary_schools = 
|secondary_schools = 
|tax_status = 
|tertiary =
|publication = 
|other_names = Albanian Evangelical Churches
|footnotes = }}
{{Albanians}}
'''Evangelical Protestantism''' is one of five officially recognized faiths in [[Albania]].<ref>FLETORJA ZYRTARE E REPUBLIKËS SË SHQIPËRISË. Nr. 34, 07 April 2011.</ref> It is a [[Christianity|Christian]] faith that views [[Jesus Christ]] as its founder and head, and the [[Bible]] (especially the [[New Testament]]) as its written authority. 

The US International Religious Freedom Report of 2022 noted that 38% of the population (just over a million people) have a Christian background.<ref>[https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/albania/ US State Dept 2022 report]</ref> The number of [[Evangelical]] [[Protestants]] in Albania has risen from approximately 8000 in 1998,<ref name="Christianity Today">{{cite web
|url=http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1998/july13/8t819c.html
|title=First Protestant Church Dedicated
|publisher=Christianity Today Library}}</ref> to approximately 14,000 in the early 2020s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://operationworld.org/locations/albania/ | title=Albania }}</ref> However, in the 2011 census, 70% of respondents refused to declare belief in any of the listed faiths.<ref>[https://www.shqiperia.com/lajme/lajm/nr/15988/Censusi-permbys-fete-70-per-qind-refuzojne-ose-nuk-e-deklarojne-besimin Shqiperia website]</ref>

Unlike other official religions in Albania, Evangelical Protestants are not organized under a hierarchy with an official head, but operate autonomously in separate churches or organizations bearing different denominational or non-denominational names. Most, but not all Evangelical/Protestant groups are members of the Albania's Evangelical Brotherhood (VUSH), a cooperative organization which views itself as existing as "an instrument of blessing … with the purpose of promoting unity amongst the churches, representing every local church with dignity, and promoting evangelism."<ref>[http://www.vush.org VUSH official website]</ref>

Protestant denominations include Baptist, Lutheran and Anglican.<ref>[https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/baptist-union-of-albania-organizes-first-resolution-addresses-refugees/ Baptist Press website]</ref><ref>[https://www.illyricum.org/vision Illyricum Movement, Anglican website]</ref><ref>[https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/europe/albania/ Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran website]</ref> 

==History==
On August 26, 1816, [[Robert Pinkerton]] wrote the [[British and Foreign Bible Society|British and Foreign and Bible Society]] to encourage them to translate the New Testament into [[Albanian language|Albanian]].<ref>The Thirteenth Annual Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1817, p. 93-94.</ref> [[Cyrus Hamlin]] reported in 1857 that Albanians were applying to his Protestant seminary.<ref>ABCFM Annual Report, 1857, Boston, p. 61.</ref> The first documented Albanian Protestant was [[Kostandin Kristoforidhi]], who left his native Orthodox faith and converted to Protestantism on his own while comparing Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant theological texts. He joined the Protestant Church of Smyrna in 1856 or 1857, and was sent to Istanbul for theological training.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1857|title=Smyrna Station|journal=The Gospel in Turkey: Being the Third Annual Report of the Turkish Missions-Aid Society|pages=20–21}}</ref>

In [[Bitola|Monastir]], [[Gjerasim Qiriazi]] also converted to Protestantism ca. 1876-1877, and united with the multi-ethnic Protestant church there. The first two known Albanian Protestant-Evangelical churches were both established by Gjerasim Qiriazi, first in Monastir in 1884 and later in [[Korça]] in 1890 (both cities then part of the Ottoman Empire).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Lëvizja Protestant ndër shqiptarët, 1816–1908|last=Hosaflook|first=David|publisher=Universiteti i Tiranës (disertacion)|year=2017|location=Tirana|pages=216–219, 240–245}}</ref>

In April 1890, Gjerasim Qiriazi was ordained as the first Albanian evangelist and preacher by the [[American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions]] in the board's annual meeting help in Monastir.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Lëvizja Protestant ndër shqiptarët, 1816–1908|last=Hosaflook|first=David|publisher=Universiteti i Tiranës|year=2017|location=Tirana|pages=240–242}}</ref> The second church among Albanians was opened in [[Korça]]. Qiriazi was also the head of one of the first national societies within Albania, named “The Evangelical Brotherhood”. As a result, Gjerasim Qiriazi is considered as the father of the Albanian Protestant Church.<ref name="Kisha Protestante">{{cite web
| url=http://www.kishaprotestante.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=230&Itemid=116&lang=en
| title=Development of the Protestant church amongst Albanians
| publisher=Kosova Protestant Evangelical Church
}}</ref>

During the Communist regime of the late 20th century, Albania was declared as the world’s first atheist country. Over 2,000 religious institutions were closed. Several religious leaders and preachers were arrested, imprisoned and executed.<ref>[https://balkaninsight.com/2019/08/28/how-albania-became-the-worlds-first-atheist-country/ Balkan Insight website]</ref> It was against the law to buy a Bible at that time.<ref>[https://hungarianreview.com/article/20150514_bibles_for_communist_europe_a_cold_war_story_part_1/ Hungarian Review website]</ref> When the regime ended in 1991, there were less than 20 Evangelical Christians in the country.<ref>[https://worldea.org/news/17029/30-years-of-rebirth-of-evangelicalism-in-albania/ World Evangelical Alliance]</ref>

In July, 1991 an international consortium of eleven mission agencies calling themselves the Albanian Encouragement Project (AEP) secured government permission to hold an evangelical gathering in Tirana. The AEP grew to 45 agencies and continued their work there for several years.<ref>[https://reformation.edu/albania/pages/protestantism-albania.htm# ''Reformation.edu'' website]</ref> 

==Freedom of religion==
In 2023, the constitution provides for freedom of religion and conscience. It states that there is no official religion, but officially recognises Sunni Albanian Muslims, Bektashi Muslims, Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox, Roman Catholics,  and VUSH.<ref>[https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/albania/ US State Dept 2022 report]</ref> 

In 2022, Albania scored 4 out of 4 for religious freedom.<ref>[https://freedomhouse.org/country/albania/freedom-world/2022 Freedom House website, Retrieved 202-07-18]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Religion in Albania]]
*[[Christianity in Albania]]
*[[Roman Catholicism in Albania]] 
*[[Orthodoxy in Albania]] 
*[[Irreligion in Albania]] 
*[[Freedom of religion in Albania]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*Hosaflook, David. ''Lëvizja protestante te shqiptarët, 1816-1908''. Skopje: ITSHKSH, 2019.
*Young, David. ''Lëvizja protestante midis shqiptarëve, 1908-1991''. Prishtina: TENDA, 2011.

== External links ==
* {{Citation|url=http://www.instituti.org|title=Institute for Albanian & Protestant Studies|place=Tirana, Albania.}} (dedicated to the study and research of Protestantism in Albania).

{{Europe topic|Protestantism in}}

[[Category:Protestantism in Albania| ]]