How Did Christianity Start In India
Christianity in India dates back to the AD 34 when it is believed that St. Thomas arrived in India, making it one of the oldest foreign religions in India. The gospel was first preached in India by St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus Christ, and the religion was initially spread among the Jewish communities in the country. Hinduism and Buddhism were dominant in the region during that time but Christianity slowly spread among the people due to the faith of the early traders, who had come to India for trade. Rome and its allies were trading with India since the first century, which helped in the propagation of the faith.
It is believed that the first converts to Christianity in India were natives from Kerala, South India. St. Thomas is believed to have built churches in Mylapore, a coastal region of present day Chennai. He is believed to have gone inland, preaching and preaching and teaching Christianity in the areas of Goa and Mangalore, present day Karnataka. He went up to the Malabar coast which is today part of the State of Kerala. He established several churches in these regions and these places still exist today as centres of Christianity in India.
In the 15th century, Christianity was spread among the coastal regions of India by Portuguese and British traders. Portuguese and British missionaries followed, who preached the religion to the people in the Indian Subcontinent, so the faith grew and was accepted and practiced. By the late 17th century, Christianity had become a major religion in India, with about two million followers. The missionaries built churches, convents, schools and colleges and worked towards converting people to the faith.
In the modern era, Christianity has flourished in India with an estimated 27 million followers which constitutes a small percentage of India’s population of over a billion people. While Hinduism remains the predominant religion in the country, Christianity has a significant following in the Indian subcontinent. It is thriving in Indian schools, communities, missionary societies and NRI communities, with many churches and organizations such as Archbishop of Goa, Alliance of Christianity and the Bible Societies in India set up to propagate the faith.
Today, Christianity is practised all across India and is followed by several different denominations, including Catholicism, Pentecostal, Wesleyan, Methodist and Evangelical. It is also preached in different languages such as English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu, among others. The religion has also been heavily influenced by the Indian culture, with Hindu customs and practices melding with the faith to create an Indian form of Christianity.
Economic Impact
Christianity in India has had a positive economic impact on the country’s development. According to a 2012 report by Ernst and Young, the contribution of the Christian community to the GDP of the country was estimated to be around 6.5 percent. The report also suggests that Christianity has made a tremendous contribution to the development of the country’s infrastructure, health care, and education systems. Christian institutions in India also serve to facilitate cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue, promote development projects, and work to address social ills such as hunger and poverty.
Political Involvement
The Christian community of India has been successful in exercising its political rights in the multi-religious nation. The Christian population actively participates in the main political parties of India and some such as the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Kerala Congress and Indian Union Muslim League are known to be religiously-affiliated. Christians also vote for other major parties such as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress Party. There is a substantial representation of the Christian community in the Parliament of India.
Education And Health Care
Christianity has a strong presence in the field of education in India. Schools, colleges, professional institutions and universities run by the Christian community have been a major source of education in India. Many such institutions advocate the Christian faith and educate people on the Christian way of life. The churches of India are also known to provide education on basic morality and respect for the teachings of the Bible. Besides education, the Christian institutions in India have been pioneers in providing health care to the people. Christian organizations such as the Catholic Health Association of India are renowned for providing quality health care to countless people throughout India.
Religious Freedom
The Indian Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of religion. This includes the freedom to choose one’s religion, propagate one’s religion and practice a chosen religion. In spite of the presence of many religious communities in India, the Constitution respects the choice of individuals to follow the religion of their choice. India is a religiously tolerant country and Christians are allowed to practise their religion without fear of persecution, as long as they do so without infringing on the rights of others.
Cultural Influence
Besides its religious spread, Christianity has also had a strong cultural influence on the people of India, especially in the southern regions of the country. Numerous symbols and symbols of Christianity have been adopted into Indian culture, such as the Christian cross, which is now worn as a necklace or pendant. Even the popular Christmas festivals of India are now celebrated by all sections of the society, and many prayers are conducted in Christian churches every year.
Social Impact
The Christian faith in India has had a great impact on the social lives of the people. In spite of the fact that Christianity is a minority religion in India, it is respected and deeply rooted in the culture and tradition of Indian society. The Christian community has been actively involved in social and economic empowerment of the poor and the marginalized, especially in rural areas. Organizations such as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and Bible Society of India work continuously to uplift the social and economic status of the underprivileged.
