Figure 1.--Here we see the feet-washing ritual during the Holy Thursday liturgy in a Syro-Malabar church. The church is located in Kerala (southwest India). The Syro-Malabar is a Catholic church with an Eastern Rite Church associated with the Catholic Church. In the photograph we can see its characteristic cross. Beyond the 12 young men that are having their feet washed, also the altar boys and the priest are barefoot. In India it is common to remove footwear before entering holy places.

Christianity in India is very diverse, made up of many different denominations. The denominational structure is complicated. There is no preicse accounting, but available data provides a reasonablly accurate overview. The largest single denomination is Roman Catholic. The 2001 Indian Census reported there are about 12 million Catholics. There are smaller number of Orthodox Christians organized in different denominations. The total of Protestants totals about the same mumber, bit are divided in many different senominations. The most important are the Church of South India, Baptist, Church of North India, Lutheran, Indian Brethern, and Seventh-Day Adventist. This reflects the importance of the British Raj and resulting missianry activity in the 19th century. The Church of South India, since independence in 1947, is a union of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, and Anglican congregations and has nearly 4 million adherentts. There is a smaller Church of North India with over 1 million adherents. Both of these churches are part of the world-wide Anglican Communion. There are also Eastern rite churches associated with he Catholic church, including the Syro-Malankara Church and the larger Syro-Malabar Church. vPope John Paul II raised the Syro-Malabar Church (1993) and the Syro-Malankara Church (2005) to the status of major archiepiscopal churches. The Syro-Malabar Church as of 2005 was the second largest among 22 Eastern Catholic Churches which accepted the Pope as the "visible head of the whole church".

Catholics

The largest single Chruistian denomination in India is Roman Catholic. A Christiab Church was founded in India by St. Thomas (1st century AD). It was a relatively small part of the Indian religious ,ilieu. It became separated from the Wesrern or Roman Church and became part of the Eastern Church. Vasco de Gana finally rounded the Cape of Good Hope and reestablished dorect European contact with India (1498). Portuguese Jesuits founded Catholic churches which they reached India (late-15th century). The Jesuits also attempted to change the liturgy and doctrine of the existing Christian churches. Christianity followed conquest, but wa not limited to the areas of Portuguese control. Chrustian communities were formed in the south of the sub-continent as far as Madras on the east coast, and Dam�o on the west. Limited efforts were made to spread Christianity further northwards, as far as Bengal, Agra, and even Tibet. Large-scale conversions, however occurred primarily in Gao and other areas under Portuguese control. The Portuguese were followed by the Spanish and French. Eventually the English abd Dutch arrived, introducing competing Anglicabn and Protestant churches to Indian Christianity. The 2001 Indian Census reported there are about 12 million Catholics in India. The make up of Indian Catholics is quite complicated. There are also Eastern rite churches associated with the Catholic church, including the Syro-Malankara Church and the larger Syro-Malabar Church. Pope John Paul II raised the Syro-Malabar Church (1993) and the Syro-Malankara Church (2005) to the status of major archiepiscopal churches. The Syro-Malabar Church as of 2005 was the second largest among 22 Eastern Catholic Churches which accepted the Pope as the "visible head of the whole church".

Orthodox

There are small number of Orthodox Christians in India, organized in different denominations. The Malankara Orthodox Church is an ancient Church of India traces its roots to the earliest spread of Christiabity. It was founded by St. Thomas when he came to India (52 AD). He established Christanity along the southwestern or Arabian Sea coast of India. He is believed to have been executed by Gondophares, the king of Bactria. The Saint Thomas Christians were united in leadership and liturgy, and were part of the Church of the East centred in Persia. When the Portuguese arrived the Jesuits attempted to Latinize the churches they found, often with considerable brutality. The St. Thomas Christians or the Syrian Christians exist at present in different churches and denominations. Indian Christians so resented the Portuguese actions that most joined the archdeacon, Thomas, in swearing never to submit to Portuguese and Jesuit domination. This is called the Coonan Cross Oath (1653). The Christians that followed Thomas founded the Malankara Church. Soon after, Bishop Gregorios Abdul Jaleel of Jerusalem reached India. He and Archdeacon Thomas reached an understanding with the Syriac Orthodox Church and gradually adopted the West Syrian liturgy and religiousd practices. This relationship continued for some time. The relationship between Syriac Orthodox patriarchs and the local hierarchy (19th century). The church thus split over patriarchal authority. In the British Raj, there was no civil authority to compel church authority. A major section of the parent body of St. Thomas Christians now maintain its independent status and now constitute the Orthodox Church under the Catholicate of the East with Headquarters at Devalokam, Kottayam.

Protestants

Protestant missionaries began to arrive in India as the British presence grew (early-18th century). This was two centuries after the Catholics. The first Protestabt missionaries came initially Britain and then America. They included Baptists, Anglicans (which might be considered separate from the Protestants), Scottish Presbyterians, Lutherans, American Presbyterians and American Methodists. Their approach was very different than modern missionaries. They looked on Indians as inferior people and wanted little to do with great masses of Indian people. More Protesrtant missionaries arrived, adding to the diversity of Protestant churches (19th century). This reflects the importance of the British Raj and resulting missioanry activity in the 19th century. One aspect of the Raj was that there was essentially a free market in religion. Missionaries could compete for adherents without governmentinterference. American missiionary activity became increasingly important. The denominational complexity caused a variety of problems for the many small missions. As a result, the various denominations began to consulting on common problems. As a result, denominations with similar theology began to work together and form alliances. Pentacostal missionaries began to arrive in the 20th century. Like minded denominations began to persue joint ventures in the fields of education and charity. The result was the United Theological Colleges and united secular colleges and charitable institutions. Over time, several denominations joined to form a larger more manageable churches. The total of Protestants totals about the same mumber as Catholics, although even after several unions, they are still divided into several different denominations. The most important are the Church of South India, Baptist, Church of North India, Lutheran, Indian Brethern, and Seventh-Day Adventist.

Anglican

The Anglican church is often considered a Protestant church, but its liturgy is the cloest to the Catholics. And in recent years in America and Britain has been moving more toward Catholcism. The authority of the pope is a major impediment to actual union. The Anglican churches in India is somewhat different in that as part ofthe unification process, the Anglicans have joined with several standard Protestant churches. Thus itvis a little complicated to caregirize the resultung unions. The Church of South India, since independence in 1947, is a union of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, and Anglican congregations and has nearly 4 million adherents. There is a smaller Church of North India with over 1 million adherents. Both of these churches are part of the world-wide Anglican Communion.

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Created: 9:51 PM 10/21/2009
Last updated: 9:51 PM 10/21/2009