National church

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

Church organization