ICC Note:

Christian leaders in Nepal fear that the country’s new constitution has outlawed evangelism. According to the constitution, any act that causes an individual to change religions is a crime. Recently, eight Christians charged under this clause of the constitution were acquitted, but Christians still fear the clause will be used to curtail their activities, including humanitarian work. With one of the fastest growing Christian populations in the world, how with Nepali Christians deal with this new law? 

12/13/2016 Nepal (World Religion News) – Under Nepal’s new constitution, anything linked to evangelism is outlawed. This dispute along religious lines is Nepal’s first one since the land-locked Asian nation adopted a new constitution in 2015.

A Nepali court has dropped all proceedings against eight Christians. The charges on one woman and seven men involve proselytizing. They were accused of distributing pamphlets concerning Jesus inside a Christian school when the school was helping children to cope with trauma caused by the 2015 earthquake.

According to Release International, the new Nepali constitution regards any person who plays any kind of part when it comes to another person changing his or her religion a punishable offense. There is a fine totaling about $533 U.S. dollars and a maximum incarceration of five years. Christian leaders claim they were not consulted before such constitutional changes were made.

Nepali Christians have expressed alarm over Clause 160 of Act of Offense Against Religions. This makes it clear that an offense is made when a person is abetted to change religion. This is applicable even when the offer is promised with or without “inducements.” Nepali Christians are afraid that it derail any activity which is central to faith, including aid work.

Other clauses have also caused alarm because they imply that it would be illegal to challenge social injustices like women’s inequality and caste oppression. The rationale given by the lawmakers is that it will undermine the people’s “religious feelings.” It naturally follows that Christian leaders now seek extra information and also legal advice so that they are permitted to contribute to the process going forward.

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