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HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN One effective method of interaction was being actively involved in educational , health and social reformation in the country. This method takes a long time to effectively transmit the faith. As such we can see large number of Christian Institutions of Education and Hospitals and Clinics. Until recently almost all institutions of higher educations were run by Christian churches. In fact the association is so strong that Schools are called Pallikoodam (gathering in Church) as they were originally part of the church buildings. In the Indian context, the Guru has several functions that fits the mission activity and in the tranference to faith. 1) To instruct the disciple in the truths of the spiritual world and in attaining the eternal mukthi 2) To awaken the power of spiritutal intuitions and visions. The external Guru guides until the internal Guru takes over. Guru is the upadhyaya. 3) To remove egoism to the destruction of the working of the cosmos as a unity with each part doing its specific work while supporting the rest to accomplish the unity within the body of God which is the cosmos. 4) To connect the disciple within a particular tradition as a member of the local Church which is just an organ of the Body of Christ and leads to the sadhana (spiritual discipline) 5) Guru is the one who performs the samskaras (sacraments) and through them the knowledge of liberation 6) Guru leads the disciples to realize their Dharma All these are the prime function of a missionary. In the Pallikoodam method which was practiced widely by the British Missionaries they were able to reach out mainly to the lower level of the community especially the lower castes throughout India. After all the whole Israel started as a freedom movement. So it was fitting that the liberation of the lower caste and underprivileged were the starting point. With the political power supporting the missionaries in tha latter period long strides in the liberation took place in every state. The educated Indian soon realized the implications and there were large move in incorporating these liberation principles into the philosphy of Indian culture. Some like Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi is renowned for his attempt to elevate the outcastes in their own eyes and in the eyes of the society byre-naming them as “Harijans” (“children of God”). Father of the Nation: Mahatma M.K.Gandhi He created three publications, Harijan in English (from 1933 to 1948), Harijan Bandu in Gujarati, and Harijan Sevak in Hindi. These newspapers found the Mahatma concentrating on social and economic problems. A large number of Harijan caste leaders sprang up around the society, demanding social justice and religious reforms. B. R. Ambedkar stands unique in this respect. He decided that the Harijan community would never gain respect within the Hindu community. He debated whether to lead his mass of followers 252
HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN in Maharashtra State into Buddhism or into Christianity, since neither accepted caste. He eventually chose Buddhism, primarily because of its roots in Indian soil. Father of the Indian Constitution: B.R.Ambedkar (See my publications on Ambedkar and Hinduism) Sri Narayana Guru Swamy Narayana Guru Swamy was an Ezhava leader and struggled with the Hindu System to bring back justice. He essentially based his teachings on Upanishads. It was a time when across southern India, masses of Harijans converted to Christianity especially in central Travancore and in the High Ranges. In Kannur, Basel German Evangelical Mission had an abundant harvest. It was also a social protest movement of liberation, which also had educational. medical and economic benefits within colonial India. In 1896, a petition with more than 13,000 signatories was submitted to the government asking for the recognition of the right of the Ezhavas to enter government service; the upper caste Hindus of the state prevailed upon the Maharajah not to concede the request. In dejection, many of the Ezhavas embraced Christianity, making the Christian population of Travancore increase from six lakhs in 1901 to seventeen lakhs by 1931 . Diwan, Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer, realizing the imminent danger, prompted the Maharajah to issue the Temple Entry Proclamation, which abolished the ban on lower-caste people from entering Hindu temples in the state of Travancore. Thus the very presence of the Christian Missions and their welcoming of the caste people into the church did impact the society as a whole. In a sense, the Ashram was the traditional method of study under a guru in India where the student stayed with the Guru in his home. This was known as gurukulam. Living together as a family imparts more than just knowledge, but also manners and character. It however had the disadvantage that the children were torn away from their parents to be with the guru and thus taking away a vital part of their growth within the family. It also paved the way to brain washing and development of cults. In this sense the traditional schooling system is superior. However in higher education or after adulthood the Gurukula system works perfectly. Mission lies in making people disciples. It means teaching which can be done only through communication. All communication is based on symbols. Even the words we speak are simply sounds 253
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PREFACE This book is the result of
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Kolla Varsham (Malayalam Era) HISTO
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1321 Friar Odoric of Pordenone HIST
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Indian Christianity

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