Christianity and Conversion in India (An Old and Rare Book)

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Christianity has had a chequered history like some other religions. During the Roman empire Christians were a persecuted lot. And when they multiplied and assumed spiritual as well as temporal power in Europe, they in turn persecuted the non- Christians. The gospels and the teachings of Christ have not always guided the people who claim to be Christians. In spite of all the turmoil through which Christianity has gone through, it must be admitted that Christianity has contributed a lot to the civilization of mankind However, with the development of science and spread of education the tenets of Christianity sound outmoded and its philosophy jaded. It is now increasingly believed that Christianity in its present form has outlived its utility and has no future as a reforming religion. Those persons who are intimately associated with the spread of Christianity like priests and missionaries are looking more and more to the under-developed countries for their survival. Among the developing countries India seems to be the most fertile ground for the spread of Christianity with its liberal constitution and much highlighted Hindu ethos.

Thus the intensified activities of the missionaries (mostly foreign) in India have resulted in conflict with the local population especially in the tribal areas where missionary effort is concentrated. The recent controversy regarding the Christian missionaries and their operations in India has been widely dis- cussed in the print and electronic media. The history of Christianity in India goes back, as claimed by some, to the times of St. Thomas some two thousand years back. But never during all these centuries have the activities of the missionaries and priests generated such severe controversy as it has done in the recent past. It is now widely acknowledged that missionaries and the Christian clergy is a frustrated lot. In spite of all the money and effort which have been pumped in this country the Christian population remains be- low three percent. When the British came to India, along with officials and soldiers came missionaries sharing berths in the same ships. They believed that the emancipation of the people of India would be achieved by the gradual conversion of Indians to Christianity Hinduism was expected to collapse before the light of Christian faith dispelling superstition and ignorance and enabling a Christianized India to take its place among the civilized nations of the world. This did not happen, nor is it likely to happen in the foreseeable future.

What went wrong? To answer this question educated Indians must try to understand what Christianity stands for, what are its dogmas and tenets Are there some inherent weaknesses in the Christian faith which makes people reluctant to accept it? Will the twenty-first century bring the downfall of Christianity as believed by many Christians and non-Christians alike The first part of this small book tries to answer these questions while at the same time presenting to the lay reader the basic tenets and dogmas of Christianity and its history in the West as well as in India. Facts are presented in simple style without malice or malevolence.

The second part of the book contains the views of some prominent Indians on Christianity and conversion Rammohan Roy, Vivekananda, Gandhi and Ambedkar. It is fascinating to read how these great minds responded to Christianity and the work of Christian missionaries. Of these four greats Gandhi had the longest innings and he was confronted by Christian missionaries again and again starting with his early days in South Africa. The book contains a detailed description of the dialogue between Gandhi and the Christian missionaries.

We do hope that the reader will appreciate this modest effort in presenting Christianity to the intelligent Indian It may also give a glimpse to the Western reader as to what actually is happening to Christianity in India and the West and why.