Christianity in India

David Garcia de Castro TY2

In this PowerPoint presentation I will explain the impact of Christianity in the Indian culture. This religion is the third largest Indian religion, which constitutes only the 2.3% of Indian population.

• History of Christianity in India

According to the Indian traditions, the apostle St Thomas arrived at Kodungallur, he established 7 churches.

In the early Christian Roman Empire the

Romans used to carry the gospels with them. After the destruction of

the First Temple of Salomon a lot of

converted Jews travelled to India.

Vasco de Gama in 1512 spread really for first time Christianity in India. The Portuguese colonies had an intense influence. As well as the missionary travels of Saint Francis Xavier

90%-80%•Demographics

India consists of eight ecclesiastical provinces, seven in the peninsula and one of them in Ceylon:

It’s curios the case of Kerala in the state of Nagaland where 90% of the population is Christian. The Baptist Church is approximately the 80% of Naga population. Only 7.7% belong to Hinduism. The curious thing is that is an Indian states where peace and quietness reigns in a community of three different cultures.

20%-35%

1%-5%

Pesaha Appam is an unleavened Passover bread made from rice.

• Contrast customes

Religion is very important for Indian people. India is one of the countries with the greater church attendance. Christmas is their greatest festivity, due to the influence of the British Raj there. Good Friday is as well a national day.

Christian weddings conform to the traditional white wedding, however it is common that in the south brides wear the traditional Indian sari. It is rare to Indian Christians to wear the Bidi, a bright dot of red colour applied in the centre of the forehead.

Traditional Indian sari, strongly associated with Hindu culture.

• Quick spreading

Christianity is growing quickly in India in the current times. Especially among middle and upper class and young people.

According to Hindu and Indian tradition society is divided into four castes:-Brahamin (priests and masters).-Kshatriya (politicians).-Vaishya (merchants, craftsmen and peasants).-Shudra (slaves, servants and labour people).

However there is a last group out of the traditional organisation: Dalit regarded as untouchable, they’re as impure as dogs according with tradition, and their only admitted job is to clean faeces. (During the time of the British Raj there used to be even a caste of invisibles that only could leave their houses at night, if not they were killed by starvation. Therefore there is a

massive number of conversions from Dalit people to Christianity (as well as to Islam and Buddhism).

There is a massively popular Christian movement in India called Jesus Youth. Apparently it looks very attractive, even further in Qatar or Arabia. The organisation even finances films in Bollywood.

• Hindu-Christian Conflict

Historically Hindus and Christians have lived in relative peace until the arrival of colonists. Many indigenous cultures were converted to Christianity in South India and North-East Asia (which was a badly new for Hindus).

After the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda a Hindu monk and a highly revered spiritual leader and the death of four others the tensions flamed between the two communities.

The Anti-Christian violence is especially clear in the state of Odisha. The acts of violence include arson of churches, converting Christians back to Hinduism by force and threats of physical violence, distribution of threatening literature, burning of Bibles, murder o priests, etc...

Christian child prisioned in a dungeon.

• Muslim-Christian Conflict

Historically the relationship between Christians and Muslims has been turbulent. During 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Christians were systematically persecuted in a few Muslim-ruled kingdoms in India.

For instance the hostile Tippu Sultan, reputed for been anti-Christian. Tippu ordered the destruction of 27 Catholic churches, all intricately carved with statues depicting various saints.

In modern times, Muslims in India who convert to Christianity are often subjected to harassment, intimidation, and attacks by Muslims. In Jammu and Kashmir, the only Indian state with a Muslim majority, a Christian convert and missionary named Bashir Tantray was killed, allegedly by militant Islamists in 2006.

• Christian missionary work Extremely

well known is the case of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. A country reigned by an extreme poverty, she fought against poverty and in her own way against caste system. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.The utmost of the

missionary work in India has been done and is been doing by both Catholic and Anglican churches. Most of the missions has been held by Portugal and France.