wfn.org | Christians in India work toward change despite harassment

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

April 5, 2001 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-33-71B{159}

NEW YORK (UMNS) - Christians are helping propel social reforms in India, but
they also attract persecutors opposed to those changes, according to Indian
Methodists.

Those points were raised during an April 4-5 consultation between United
Methodist Board of Global Ministries executives and representatives of the
autonomous Methodist Church in India. The Rev. Randolph Nugent, the board's
chief executive, said the meeting was designed to air concerns, look at
programming and share information "so we can begin to explore our common
life."

Bishop S.R. Thomas of the Lucknow Episcopal Area in India told the group
that because of the values that Christians have introduced to Indian
society, there is recognition that the oppression created through the caste
system cannot continue.

"A new spirituality is being born," he declared. "A new nation is in the
process of emerging."

Christians make up 3.7 percent of India's population. Although statistics
are not available, Thomas told United Methodist News Service that perhaps
half that number is Dalits, the low-caste Indians formerly known as the
"untouchables."

Improving the standing of this group in Indian society is considered a
challenge to some and a threat to others, Thomas added. He believes that
international religious groups, such as the Board of Global Ministries and
World Methodist Council, can assist in the quest for equal recognition.

Recognition for Christians by the Indian government remains a problem,
according to Bishop James Nathan of the Hyderabad Episcopal Area. After the
once-a-decade census of India's 1 billion citizens occurred in February, the
National Council of Churches in India charged that the census excluded
Dalits - particularly Christians and Muslims - who do not belong to the
Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist faiths. This means that the percentage of
Christians in India will appear to have dropped, "which is not the fact,"
Nathan said.

Part of the problem, Thomas said, is that Dalits identified as Christians do
not receive privileges granted to other Dalits, such as preferences for
certain jobs or school admissions.

India's government also is making it difficult for Christians to find or
build places to worship. "They don't want any new churches to be
established, even new church buildings," said Bishop Dinesh K. Agarwal of
the Bombay Episcopal Area. Even the longtime use of apartments for small
worship gatherings is difficult because of opposition from other residents,
he said.

Bishop Sampath Kumar of the Bangalore Area described efforts to build a new
church in a city in Goa. When that effort was blocked, the Methodists
finally received permission to build a parsonage in the spot, but added "an
abnormally large" living room for future worship.

Evangelistic efforts, such as a missionary movement in each conference of
the Methodist Church in India to attract new converts, also have become more
subdued and less public because of harassment by militant Hindus. But Thomas
pointed out that "many secular people," as well as the media, support the
churches.

Meanwhile, the church's work continues. Agarwal reported that the Methodist
Church in India had raised money on its own to address the needs of
earthquake victims and has a team now doing rehabilitation work.

Helen Brown, a deaconess and executive secretary of the church's Council of
Women's Work, told the news service that most of the Methodist institutions
and schools are managed by deaconesses or volunteers from the Women's
Society of Christian Service. The Methodist Church in India has 110 active
deaconesses and 50 retired deaconesses.

Other members of the Methodist Church in India delegation were Bishop Victor
Raja, Bareilly Episcopal Area; Bishop Nimrod Christian, Delhi Episcopal
Area; the Rev. Taranath S. Sagar, chief executive of the denomination; and
John Hanchinmani, central treasurer.    

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United Methodist News Service
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