wfn.org | Indian Christians: A Minority

[Audrey Whitefield <a.whitefield@quest.org.uk>]

Nov. 7, 1997
ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS SERVICE
Canon Jim Rosenthal, Director of Communications
Anglican Communion Office
London, England

[97.11.1.5]

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This feature was taken from an Editorial in "The North India Church
Review"

Indian Christians:  A Minority (A Profile)

It is true that the Indian Christians in the broader categories fall
within the religious minorities, which somehow have been wrongly linked
up with the colonial rule of the Europeans, particularly British which
in fact is  not true.  Because well established traditions and
historical evidences tell us that Christians have been living in the
state of Kerala (India) right from the first century A.D.  Therefore,
the Christians or Christianity can be considered not only one of the
oldest Indian religious minorities, but also one of the oldest
religions.

The Indian Christians as a minority are the second largest, numbering
according to 1991 Census 19,640,284 (2.34%), which of course is divided
in
a number of denominations.  The two broader divisions based upon their
theological differences are:  One, Roman Catholic and two, various
Protestant and Orthodox Christian traditions.  The Roman Catholic
membership stands between 55% to 60% of the total Christian population,
and
the other Christian traditions are between 40% to 45%.  The smaller
groups,
which include the different Pentecostal an Evangelical groups are also
part
of the second division.  The Roman Catholics in India are governed by
their
highest body, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) with their
headquarters in New Delhi and on the Protestants and Orthodox side, the
largest umbrella body in the National Christian Council of Churches in
India (NCII) with a membership of 29 Indian Churches, representing major
traditions of Protestant and Orthodox.  The headquarters of NCII is in
Nagpur.  Both the CBCI and NCII cover more than 80% of the Christians of
the country in their membership.

Besides denominational divisions, Indian Christians are also divided on
the
basis of their social, cultural and racial origins.  There are four very
distinct groups which can be named:  (a) The Anglo-Indian Christians,
who
came into existence basically with the mixture of European blood, (b)
the
Christians of Scheduled Caste origin (Dalit Christians), (c) the
Christians
of Scheduled Tribes origin, which further can be divided into two
distinct
groups of Central India and North East India based upon their racial
origin, and (d) the Christians of Upper Caste considered origin.

The Indian Christians are distributed almost in all the States and Union
Territories of our country.  The distribution of their population
reveals a
very interesting pattern.  As already has been mentioned according to
the
Census of India 1991, the total Christian population was 19,640,284,
which
amounts to around 2.34% of the total population.  These figures do not
include the Christian population of Jammu and Kashmir, (as there was no
Census held there in 1991).  The interesting fact of these figures is
65%
of the total Christian population live in the four Southern states and
Union Territories of India and 14% of all Christians live in North East
India and the remaining 21% live in North India.

Further, these figures can be seen according to geographical areas.  The
total area of all the Indian States and Union Territories is 3,280,483
Sq.
Kms., out of which Southern States and Union Territories cover 642,285
Sq.
Kms or about 20%, where 65% Christians live.  North Eastern states cover
176,576 Sq. Kms or about 6% where 14% Christians are living; and the
Northern States (including Central, Western, Eastern states) and Union
Territories cover 2,431,621 Sq. Kms. about 74%, where the remaining 21%
Christians live.

The information given here in this profile of Christians, as a minority,
are important for us because these will help us in understanding some of
the basic issues related to Christians in India.  For example, it is
important for us to know the theological based positive denominational
divisions, because these will help us to understand the nature of
issues, like Christian personal law.  In the same way it is equally
important for us to know the different groups of Christians based on
social, cultural and racial realities, because these will help us to
know, how one of these groups like the Anglo-Indians, though part of the
Indian Christians, have become a special group with regard to language
and culture.  The problem of Christians of Scheduled Caste origin (Dalit
Christians) and the Christians of Scheduled Tribes origin, again, are
different.  For example, the Dalit Christians are a twice discriminated
group, first along with Dalits in general and secondly on the basis of
religion, they are denied of their basic fundamental constitutional
rights, (based on Articles 15, 21, 25). The tribal Christians, of
course, share all the disabilities, which their fellow tribals belonging
to other religions are faced with, which are basically connected with
their rights of land, water, forest and the whole question of their
identity as indigenous people.  Of course, the issue like the Christian
personal law and the various matters related to the Christians as a
religious group are related to the whole Christian Community, including
the fourth group, the Christians of Upper Caste considered origin.

The geographical distribution of the Indian Christians is also
important, as stated above, because this is what will tell us about the
strength and weakness of the Christians as one of the minorities.  For
example, in the whole of North India, covering 74% territory of the
country, there are only today about 5 million Christians (not even a
quarter percentage of the total population of the region) who are
generally deprived of their basic rights.  Leaving out a very few
pockets, they do not face only social, economical and religious
problems, they are also politically powerless.

Another problem, which can be mentioned here, is connected with the
level of education.  Normally, Christians are considered to be well
educated, but this is not true.  This, particularly, is not true with
the Christians of North India, where more than 90% Christians share the
background of either Dalit or Tribal (adivasi) and mostly are living in
rural areas.  Also, because of their very historical background, they
shared most of the disabilities almost in all areas of life.  In this
regard, a number of surveys at the sub-regional levels have been
conducted.  In 1981, the surveys conducted by the Diocese of Chandigarh
(Church of North India) showed among the Christians of Gurdaspur
District (where 50% Panjabi Christians live) only 15% men were literate
and among women, only between 5% and 2% were literate.  A more recent
survey conducted jointly by the Christian Institute of Religious
Studies, Batala and Ditt Memorial Centre, Amritsar, in the sub-region of
Panjab, which includes Amritsaar and Gurdaspur districts, showed an
improved situation, but still according to it, there are only 31%
Christians who are literate as against the Panjab literacy of 57.14% and
the national literacy rate 52.11% (Census 1991). Economically, this
survey also has shown that 5.36% Christians of this area are having some
agricultural land, the rest 94.64% are land less labourers. All their
information reveals the fact, that in general, the Christians, as a
minority, are suffering from all kinds of deprivation in different areas
of life, like any other communities such as Muslims and Buddhists, which
need a serious attention of both the Government as well as of the Church
(Christian Community) in India - J.M.

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