Preview

Liberty University Chhi 302 History of the Christian Church Ii on the Front Lines the Growth of Contemporary Christianity in India

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1250 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Liberty University Chhi 302 History of the Christian Church Ii on the Front Lines the Growth of Contemporary Christianity in India
ON THE FRONT LINES
THE GROWTH OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA

History of the Christian Church II
May 6, 2013

The growth of Contemporary Christianity in India is a vast and complicated topic. India is a web of culture and religion and oppression. “India has been the home of many and different civilizations.” It is vast and tangled in adaption and inclusion of cultures. “India is a huge, sprawling, chaotic, colorful and energetic country. With more than 1.2 billion people, it is the world’s second most populace country, and will soon outstrip China as the largest.”
Today, approximately 80% of its people are professing of the Hindu faith; India is also home to the second largest Muslim population, and holds only 30 million Contemporary Christians. This presents a struggle for Contemporary Christianity in the country. This paper will trace the origins of Contemporary Christianity in India all the way up to the present day oppression and struggle.
Early signs of Contemporary Christianity in India can be traced back as far as Marco Polo’s mission journey. But it wasn’t until 1498 when Vasco da Gama brought Catholicism into India that it began to spread like wildfire. Soon it became strong and dominate. It is easy to see that the influence of Contemporary Christianity comes from the roots in Roman Catholicism.
Contemporary Christian missionary work from America to Central India began in 1872 when Rev. Clark, along with some fellow Christians that had learned a village language, began to preach the gospel. Today that work shows for 2.3 percent of the population claiming Christianity as a religion. India, to its credit, in the early 1900’s, took the lead in promoting Christian Unity.
India holds the largest number of poor, and the 4th largest number of millionaires. This makes India the country with the greatest disparity between the rich and the poor. Many Christian Missionaries take this as an open door to help build hospitals and orphan homes.



Bibliography: Eaton, Richard Maxwell. Religious Conversion in Modern India. Journal of World History. Vol 8 No 2. 1997. Pp 243-271. University of Hawaii Press Gonzales, Justo. The Story of Christianity. HarperCollins. 2010. Marshall, P. Gilbert, L. Shea, N. Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians. Thomas Nelson. 2013. Schermerhorn, W.D. Syncretism in the Early Christian Period and in Present-Day India. The Journal of Religion. Vol 4 No 5. 1924. The University of Chicago Press. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1195557 . Woodburne, Angus Stewart. The Present Religious Situation in India. The Journal of Religion. Vol 3, No 4. 1923. Pp 387-397. The University of Chicago Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1195078 . WorldVenture. India/Asia. http://www.worldventure.com/India (retrieved May 5,2013) Yohannan, K.P. Revolution in World Missions. Gfa books. 1986.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Best Essays

    ASIA 398 Term Paper

    • 3199 Words
    • 8 Pages

    2. Bhela, Anita. "Globalization, Hinduism and Cultural Change in India." Asia Journal of Global Studies 4.2 (2010): 93-102. Print.…

    • 3199 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    She examines what motivates this. Nanda rejects poverty and existential insecurity as a reason for their belief because they are not poor. She also rejects the idea that their religiosity is a defence mechanism to modernisation and westernisation. She argues that their religiosity is to do with their ambivalence to their new found wealth. This has helped to see the relationship between globalisation and religion, as Nanda points out that globalisation has increased the religiosity in India.…

    • 1102 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Bibliography: Knott, Kim (2000), Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. P.5-6 (June 15, 2000)…

    • 1688 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In conclusion, while Hinduism and Christianity differed in a set founder and the number of…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Modern religions are separated by thousands of years of cultural diffusion and theological diversity. Each region of the planet has its own popularized religious practices that therefore define the region and, more importantly, the people that live there. However, what exactly separates two groups’ religious followers, for example, Catholics and Hindus? Is the difference the place they worship? Is the difference the way they worship? Theological beliefs do separate, however they are not usually noticeable on the outside looking in. What do us as people notice first that gives us the distinct sense that this religious assembly is nothing like that one? We see the building, the architecture, and we watch what they do. We watch how they participate, what actions they perform. What most distinctly separates two religious sectors as diverse as Catholic and Hindu are the architectures and religious practices that we see most often.…

    • 869 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Asceticism and Renunciation

    • 2580 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Sprunger, Meredith . "An Introduction to Jainism." . The Urantia Book Fellowship. Web. 12 Nov 2012. .…

    • 2580 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Londhe, Manali. "Philosophy of Religion and Modern Age." Indian Streams Research Journal 3p 3.6 (2013): 1-3. Academic Search Complete. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. .…

    • 1687 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    new religious movements

    • 6553 Words
    • 27 Pages

    THE VATICAN REPORT SECTS OR NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS: A PASTORAL CHALLENGE May 3rd, 1986 FOREWORD In response to the concern expressed by Episcopal Conferences throughout the world, a study on the presence and activity of "sects," "new religious movements," [and] "cults" has been undertaken by the Vatican Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity, the Secretariat for Non-Christians, the Secretariat for Non-Believers and the Pontifical Council for Culture. These departments, along with the Secretariat of State, have shared this concern for quite some time. As a first step in this study project, a questionnaire (cf.…

    • 6553 Words
    • 27 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Jesuit Legacy in India

    • 3827 Words
    • 16 Pages

    Ad majorem Dei gloriam. For the greater glory of God. That’s the motto of a religious order of men called the Society of Jesus that has quietly influenced India, and provided understated leadership to the world’s largest democracy in many positive ways deserving of recognition. The influence of the Jesuits in India extends beyond just the spread of Christianity, weaving intricate psychological, theological and sociological patterns into the very fabric of modern Indian society. Professor George Menachery – appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as member of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great in early 2008, and editor of the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India and the Indian Church History Classics – writes in Volume III of the former publication: the “factor which has won the Society a lasting place in the minds of the people and in the history of the nation is the large number of spheres which it has penetrated and permeated,” and goes on to list religion, spirituality, politics, education, science, technology, meteorology, diplomacy, indology, culture, history, geography, language, literature, art, architecture, sports, medicine, healthcare,…

    • 3827 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    I am an Indian, so I have a lot to say about my religious background India is home to population of over 1.2 billion people, speaking more than 24 languages and following a wide range of religious communities. India is also the birthplace of four of world’s major religions, namely Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. This diverse religious nature of India is result of social integration of religions brought in by invaders and conquerors like Greeks in 180 BC and Mughals in early 16th century. With passage of time, many other religious leaders like Ram in Hinduism and Guru Nanak in Sikhism emerged and guided the Humanity to religious path.…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Newton, J. (2007) "Indian Christian ' Untouchables ' Face Social Monsters" Catholic Insight 15.6: 14(2) General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. December 21, 2008. http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPSSingh, Bhatia, Chaubey, Datta, and Samson (1989) "India 's Heritage". South n107: 71(6) General OneFile. Gale. Apollo Library. December 21, 2008 http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS…

    • 1091 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Best Essays

    [ 13 ]. Sumit Ganguly, “The Crisis of Indian Secularism,” Journal of Democracy 14 (October 2003): 11-25…

    • 3311 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In Renaissance in India (earlier called The Foundations of Indian Culture),[citation needed] Sri Aurobindo examines the nature of Indian civilization and culture, he looked at its central motivating tendencies and how these are expressed in its religion, spirituality, art, literature, and politics. The first section of the book provides a general defense of Indian culture from disparaging criticism due to the misunderstanding of a foreign perspective, and its possible destruction due to the aggressive expansion and infiltration of Western culture. This section is interesting in the light it sheds on the nature of both Eastern and Western civilizations, how they have developed over the centuries, how they have influenced each other throughout the ages, and the nature and significance of these exchanges in the recent period. The principle tenet of the exposition is that India has been and is one of the greatest civilizations of the world, one that stands apart from all others in its central emphasis, or rather its whole foundation, based on spirituality, and that on its survival depends the future of the human race—whether it shall be a spiritual outflowering of the divine in man, or a rational, economically driven, and mechanized association of peoples.…

    • 3359 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Dd Kosambi

    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Kosambi’s writings urge today’s historians to also take an intellectual leap with the creative use of Marxism. He explored the essential relationship between faith and socio-economic factor, which gives us yet another facet of understanding Ancient Indian Religion and History. What set him apart from the others was his determination to maintain, indeed the increase in the standard of rigour in his factual and textual research. He did not merely apply Marxism, but minutely scrutinized every situation by placing Marxist ideologies in perspective. Even though Kosambi was a Marxist, he refused to be dogmatically so. It was for him a method, a ‘tool of analysis' and not ‘a substitute for thinking.' His methods combined the use of variety of sources, disciplines and comparative techniques and a valid aim to understand the entirety of Indian History. His treatment of religion is a set of beliefs and practices of a particular time, fundamentally being related to production of material goods of that time.…

    • 1147 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Dalit Rights

    • 38105 Words
    • 153 Pages

    Research and studies have recently been initiated on the under-privileged people, namely, the Dalits in India. Though it is an encouraging fact, yet more systematic and classified studies are required because the Dalits are located over a wide range of areas, languages, cultures, and religions, where as the problems and solutions vary. Since the scholars and historians have ignored the Dalits for many centuries, a general study will not expose sufficiently their actual condition. Even though the Dalit Christian problems are resembling, Catholics and Protestants are divided over the issues. Some of the Roman Catholic priests are interested and assert their solidarity with the Dalit Christian struggle for equal privilege from the Government like other Hindu Dalits. On the other hand, most Protestant denominations are indifferent towards any public or democratic means of agitation on behalf of Dalit community. They are very crafty and admonish Dalit believers only to pray and wait for God’s intervention.…

    • 38105 Words
    • 153 Pages
    Powerful Essays