The Church of South India is the Church constituted by the union of churches of varying traditions – Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian and Reformed in the region. It was inaugurated in September 1947. Karnataka Southern Diocese is one among the 22 dioceses of the Church of South India.
The Karnataka Southern Diocese came into existence on trifurcation of the then Mysore Diocese on 1st May 1970. The Diocese has got the jurisdiction of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Hassan and Chikmagalur Districts in Karnataka; Kasaragod District in Kerala and Talavady Firkha of Erode Dist. in Tamilnadu and having its headquarters in Mangaluru. It comprises of Churches of different backgrounds, viz., the United Basel Mission Churches in South Kanara and Coorg Area; the Wesleyan Methodist Churches in Mysore & Hassan Area and a few Anglican Churches which are united in the fold of the Diocese thus by reflecting the unity in diversity.
Karnataka Southern Diocese of Church of South India was formed on 1 May 1970 by the bifurcation of then Mysore diocese.
The diocese covers 10 districts and consists of 82 churches. The areas which comes under Karnataka southern diocese are Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Kasaragod and Talavady Firkha (Tamil Nadu).