a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

Pentecostals are always accused of being a proselytizing community whenever a
persecution occurs. 151 This type of accusation is evident in the writing of mainline
church writers. There are indications of unfair treatment of Pentecostals by non-
Pentecostal writers over the issue of conversion. For example, S.K. Daniel
criticized Pentecostal missions because they give importance to evangelism.
However, he defends the conversion of Dalits to mainline churches, arguing that
they receive a new identity at baptism. This means, it is likely that when non-
Pentecostals evangelize, particularly when the mainline churches are involved in
the conversion of Dalits, it is regarded as a mission of Dalit improvement, but
when Pentecostals are involved in the conversion of tribal people, it is categorized
as ‘aggressive evangelism’ and fundamentalism. Pentecostals and other
charismatic groups are called ‘Christian fringe groups,’ and ‘new movements and
sects’ supported by fundamentalists from outside the country. Daniel argues that
the public does not understand the ‘distinction between the mainline Churches and
fringe fundamentalist groups.’ 152
Another recent incident which has further intensified Pentecostal suspicion about
other Christian communities was the summit of Hindu-Christian religious leaders
in Kerala on 29 September 2008, held against the background of the recent attacks
on Christians and churches in states like Orissa, Karnataka and Kerala. The
summit was held at the initiative of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC)
and was attended by several chief leaders of other churches as well as the Sangh
Parivar groups. However, Pentecostals viewed this summit with suspicion,
151 Rana, interview, 15 May 2006.
152 For more details of the discussion, see Daniel, ‘Challenges of the Hindutva,’ 63, 70-72.
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