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

Chapter 2
HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND IDENTITY
Pentecostalism in Rajasthan is not an isolated movement; rather it is an integral
part of Indian Pentecostalism. Although it has local characteristics in terms of its
nature and growth, they are parallels and links with Indian Pentecostalism at large.
A clear picture of the movement in the state cannot be drawn in isolation but only
against the backdrop of Indian Pentecostalism as a whole. Therefore, this chapter
explores the historical context and identity of Indian Pentecostalism. Identity
crisis is one of the most daunting challenges facing Indian Christianity today. In
the wake of the rise of religious intolerance in recent years in the Indian milieu,
the quest for identity is a widely-discussed issue among Indian Christians. In the
context of Rajasthan in particular, the question of Christian identity is a major
concern.
2.1. The Identity Quest
In the contemporary Indian scenario religious identity is a serious issue, as it is
strongly connected to socio-political domains. There have been attempts by socio-
political scientists to study the undercurrents of diverse communal conflicts in
India in the recent past. 1 Most research has concluded that religious identity
linked to politics is the major reason for such clashes, and scholars have
recognized the significance of religious identity. T.V. Sathyamurthy, commenting
1 For example, Sudhir Kakar, The Colours of Violence: Cultural Identities, Religion, and Conflict
(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996); T.V. Sathyamurthy, ed., Region, Religion, Caste,
Gender and Culture in Contemporary India, vol.3 (Oxford: OUP, 1996).
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