CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO INDIAN RELIGIONS
Keywords:
CHRISTIAN RESPONSE, INDIAN RELIGIONS, St.Thomas Christianity, Portuguese ChristiansAbstract
Christianity in India is as old as Christianity itself. The first seeds of faith seem to have been sowed by no less a person than one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ himself. And the faith has been growing so indigenously that it was integrated with the over-all culture of the place. However later, modern missionary enterprises, dating from the advent of the Portuguese at the commencement of the 16th century, planted a Christianity which was completely western in style. This plant has not taken deep roots in the soil. Yet, it has been instrumental in bringing about a transformation of the native religions of the country. Now during the fourty years period of the Independent India a new form of Christianity has been emerging which is "fully Indian and authentically Christian".
References
A. Pushparajan. "The Christian Encounter with Indian Culture", in Indian Missiological Review. January. 1987. pp, 8-23.
John B. Chethimattam, Dialogue in Indian Tradition Dharmaram Publications, Bangalore,1969, p,132.
Ka Naa Subramanyam. The Catholic Community in India, Macmillan, Madras, 1970, p.2.
A. Mathias Mundadan, The Arrival of the Portuguese in India and the Thomas Christians under Mar Jacob, 1498-1552, Dharmaram Publications, Bangalore. 1967. pp. 57, 27-28.
A.M.Mundadan, Sixteenth Century Traditions of the St.Thomas Christians, Dharmaram College,Bangalore,1970,pp.156-179.
Xavier Leon-Dufour, Saint Francis Xavier;The Mystical Progress of the Apostle. Trans.,Henry Pascal Oiz,.St.Paul Publication.Bombay.1976.p.22-25.
